Halima*, a 45-year-old mother of five, lives in a remote rural village in Ethiopia’s Somali region. As a dedicated member of her community, she actively participates in fodder production alongside 59 other farmers. This collective effort has enabled her to harvest sufficient nutritious fodder to feed her livestock and maintain a reserve for the extended dry season and ensure the well-being of her animals throughout the year.
Halima*’s family are agro-pastoralists who rely on small-scale farming and livestock rearing as their primary means of livelihood to sustain their family of seven. However, recurrent droughts and other natural disasters have severely impacted their way of life, pushing them into food insecurity . The lack of reliable animal feed during dry seasons often led to weakened livestock, reduced milk production, and limited income, hence exacerbating their struggles.
Recently, with the introduction of improved drought-resistant fodder seedlings by Save the Children through the Anticipatory Action initiative (funded by Save the Children Italy), Halima* and her community have been able to cultivate an ample supply of high-quality animal feed. This innovation has transformed their lives in multiple ways. The improved fodder has enhanced the health and productivity of their livestock, resulting in increased milk yields and healthier animals that can be sold at better prices. For Halima*’s family, this means a steady supply of nutritious milk for her children and additional income from selling surplus milk and livestock.
The fodder reserves have also provided a safety net during the dry season, ensuring that the reared animals remain strong and productive even in harsh conditions. This has broken the cycle of food insecurity and allowed Halima*’s family to achieve greater food sufficiency and stability. The increased income from livestock sales has enabled them to purchase other essential food items, diversify their diet, and invest in their children’s education and well-being.
This initiative has not only transformed their immediate circumstances but also strengthened their resilience against future climatic challenges. By securing a reliable source of fodder, Halima* and her community are better equipped to withstand droughts and other environmental shocks, ensuring a more sustainable and prosperous future for their families.
Halima*’s story in her own words (Quotes):
My name is Halima*, I’m 45 years old, and I have five children—three girls and two boys. Two of my older ones are in school nearby. My daughter is in grade four, and my son is in grade one.
We live in the Somali region and work as agro-pastoralists. Our life depends on farming small plots of land and keeping animals. Our livestock are everything to us—they are how we eat, how we earn, how we survive.
But the droughts here have been very hard. There is not enough rain, and the land is dry. Our animals were starving because there was no grass or water. Many of them died. When that happened, we didn’t have enough food. It was very difficult to feed the children all year.
Then Save the Children came with help. They gave us new fodder seeds, tools for farming, water pumps, fuel, and helped us prepare our land to grow Sudan grass. I planted the seeds on half an acre, and it grew well. Now I have plenty of grass to feed my animals.
This support has made a big difference. My animals are stronger now. They give more milk and meat. We have more food at home, and I can even sell extra milk to buy other things we need, like sugar, oil, or school supplies for the children.
Before, we were always worried about what we would eat. Now we have enough, and sometimes a little more. My children are eating better, they are healthier, and I don’t worry so much about the dry season.
Before we had this new fodder, our animals would suffer in the Jillal season—the dry months. They got weak, gave very little milk, and some would die. That time was very hard. Men and boys had to travel far to find pasture and water. Sometimes they would be gone for weeks. It was stressful for families.
When there isn’t enough water or grass, people start to fight—even brothers. Everyone is just trying to keep their animals alive. But now, because we have grass nearby, there is less need to travel far, and there are fewer fights. People are more at peace.
This change has brought us relief. We have food, some income, and our animals are healthy. Right now, I have five cows, about twenty goats and sheep, and two donkeys. Two cows gave birth recently, and now we have milk for the children and some to sell.
I can use that money to buy what my family needs and send the children to school. I hope they learn well and have a better life than we did. Maybe one day they can help me and their father.
I thank Save the Children and the government for helping us. What they gave us changed our lives. I just want my children to be happy, go to school, and have a future. Now I believe it’s possible.”
Halima* holding Sudan grass fodder she just harvested while talking to a Save the Children staff member. Seifu Asseged / Save the Children
What is Save the Children doing to help Halima* and others like her?
Save the Children’s Anticipatory Action initiative, funded by Save the Children-Italy, has introduced a climate-sensitive fodder production program to support communities vulnerable to climate shocks in the Somali Regional State. This innovative initiative promotes climate-smart livestock production technologies, including animal feed production, by providing fodder seeds to communities in the riverine areas of the region.
The program empowers these communities to produce and store fodder during periods of abundance, which can then be used or sold during times of high demand. This approach not only ensures a sustainable feed supply for their livestock—the cornerstone of their livelihoods—but also generates income to sustain their fodder production efforts. To date, 240 households have been organized into fodder-producing groups across four villages in two (Adadle and Gode) districts of the Somali region. These families have been supplied with improved fodder seedlings, farm tools, water pump generators for irrigation, fuel, rental tractor for land ploughing and leveling and 600-meter-long water hoses, enabling them to produce sufficient fodder for their animals while selling surplus seeds and grass to neighboring areas. This has become a vital source of income to support their families.
In addition to providing seedlings, farm tools, and agricultural equipment, Save the Children has trained development agents and agricultural experts on advanced fodder production techniques. We have also assisted communities in preparing farmland for fodder cultivation, ensuring optimal conditions for growth.
The participating households have achieved remarkable success, cultivating Sudan grass—one of the most productive and nutrient-rich fodder crops—on 120 hectares of land. This has benefited over 240 households, approximately (1,584 people). The produce is shared among group members to feed their livestock, while surplus seeds are harvested for expanding their own plantations and selling to others. This initiative has not only enhanced food security for their animals but also created income-generating opportunities, strengthening the community’s resilience to climate shocks.
Looking ahead, Save the Children is collaborating closely with local livestock and agricultural offices, as well as the community, to ensure the initiative’s long-term sustainability. Efforts are underway to support the groups in obtaining legal accreditation from the district and regional cooperatives development agency. This will pave the way for the establishment of formal fodder-producing cooperatives, providing the groups with the recognition and legal certification needed to strengthen their operations and ensure continued success. Through this collaborative approach, the program is empowering communities to build resilience, adapt to climate challenges, and secure a sustainable future.
