Supporting the Somali livestock sector through capacity building

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today met with Somalia’s Minister for Livestock, Forestry and Range, Salim Alio Ibro.

FAO Director-General and the Minister, who is visiting FAO in the framework of a mission to strengthen capacity building for Somali livestock professionals, discussed the livestock sector in Somalia, a dominant source of livelihood which contributes to more than 60 percent of the country’s GDP and 80 percent of export earnings.

“Livestock is crucial for Somalia’s economy,” Minister Ibro said in remarks after the meeting, noting how the Somali government is now redoubling efforts to strengthen the sector’s trade and meat industry. “Most importantly, we are trying to strengthen the capacity of our professionals,” he added.

“FAO is very close to us working in the field to prevent infectious livestock diseases and helping us with capacity building,” he explained.

Graziano da Silva thanked the Minister for the country’s continued support to FAO’s work in Somalia and noted the Government’s efforts in improving the economy, food security, peace and institutional building through its engagement and endorsement of the New Deal Compact.

The Minister invited the FAO Director-General to visit Somalia to personally view “how the livestock sector is evolving”.

Minister Ibro said the situation in the country is “improving in terms of security, protection, the situation of farmers, animals and number of livestock that we are going to export.” “There are also quarantine stations being built to improve the condition of the livestock we will export,” he added.

Source FAO