Every day I worked hard, but the weather, the seeds, and the old methods always worked against me. With the right knowledge and support, I can now see the fruits of my labor.
Meet Khalid*, a 27-year-old farmer from a small village in southern states of Somalia. He lives with his wife and five children. For years, Khalid struggled to sustain his family needs through traditional farming methods. When his crops failed, his family was often left vulnerable to hunger and financial instability.
Last year, Khalid was selected as one of 25 farmers to receive training on good agricultural practices and high-quality seeds. This training introduced him to advanced farming techniques, including proper soil management and optimized planting practices. With these new methods and improved seeds, Khalid experienced a remarkable transformation in his farm’s productivity.
By using multiple cropping techniques, Khalid successfully cultivated maize, onions, watermelon, and spinach. His yields improved significantly, allowing him to not only feed his family but also sell surplus produce at the local market. The additional income has had a positive impact on his household, enabling him to cover his children’s educational needs expenses and reduce financial stress.
The crops Khalid planted had varying maturation times: spinach took 40 days, onions required 3 to 4 months, and maize took about 120 days. The local market, located about 10 kilometers from his farm, is where he sells his produce. He uses a donkey cart to transport his crops or hires a three-wheeled motorcycle, which is also commonly used by farmers in his area.
After saving enough for his family’s consumption, Khalid made a one-time profit of approximately $700 from selling his surplus crops. This extra income has allowed him to meet his family’s essential needs. The crop distribution initiative, which helped improve his agricultural productivity, was a one-time support program. Looking ahead, Khalid plans to save seeds from his current harvest to replant in the next season.
KHALID'S STORY
''My name is Khalid* and I’m 27 years old. I live in a small village in central Somalia with my wife and five children aged between two to eight years old.
For a long time, it was very difficult for me to provide for my family using the traditional farming methods I had learned.
My crops often failed, and we faced hunger and financial challenges when that happened. It was hard to make ends meet, especially since I didn’t have enough food to last us through the seasons.
I mainly planted maize on my 4-acre farm, which is only about 900 meters from my home. But the farming methods I was using didn’t work well with the changing weather, and the seeds I had were not of good quality.
This led to poor yields, and it became difficult to store enough food to feed my family after covering the costs of farming.
To make things worse, my income was very low. It was usually between $100 and $130, which meant I had to make tough choices, either meet my family’s basic needs or reinvest that money into my farm.
Sometimes, when my crops failed, I had to look for labor work to support us. We also relied on help from relatives, borrowed food from neighbours, and sometimes had to cut back on meals just to get by.
Farming was our only source of income because we didn’t own any livestock. I was the main person working on the farm, though my wife would help during planting and harvesting.
I rely on the river-fed irrigation channels in our area to water my crops. When the water reaches my farm, I guide it into small channels between the rows of crops to make sure they get enough moisture.
Last year, I was selected to receive training on good agricultural practices and high-quality seeds, along with 24 other farmers.
This training taught me new techniques like better soil management and how to plant crops more efficiently. I also got access to better seeds, which made a huge difference.
Before the training, my farm was barely enough to feed my family. Using the knowledge from the training, I was able to change the way I farmed.
I started using multiple cropping techniques, which allowed me to grow maize, onions, watermelon and spinach all on the same plot of land. The results were amazing.
My yields improved and for the first time, I was able to sell surplus produce at the local market.
Every day I worked hard, but the weather, the seeds, and the old methods always worked against me. With the right knowledge and support, I can now see the fruits of my labor.
The extra income has helped us a lot. It has allowed me to pay for my children’s educational needs and reduced the financial pressure we were under.
The crops I grew took different amounts of time to mature. The spinach was ready in about 40 days, the onions took about 3 to 4 months, and the maize took around 120 days.
The local market is about 10 kilometers from my farm, and I usually use a donkey cart to transport my crops there. Sometimes, I hire a three-wheeled motorcycle, which is common among farmers in our area.
After saving enough food for my family, I made a profit of about $700 from selling the surplus. This extra money has been a huge relief and allowed us to meet our basic needs.
The support I received through the crop distribution program was a one-time help, but it made a lasting difference. I plan to save some of the seeds from my current harvest to plant again next season.
One of my children is currently in grade One, while the others attend Madrasa. Thanks to the improvements in my farming, my family’s situation is much better now, and I feel more hopeful about the future.
My dream is to expand my farm, increase production, invest in better tools, and help other farmers in my community benefit from what I’ve learned from Zamzam foundation.''
Background/project information
Building Resilient Communities in Somalia (BRCiS) is a long-term initiative that aims to strengthen the resilience of Somali communities to withstand shocks and stresses. Now in its third phase, BRCiS III is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the British Embassy Mogadishu and is being implemented by a consortium of 15 NGOs (five international and ten local) across Somalia.
Launched in July 2023 and running through March 2028, the project aspires to reduce humanitarian needs and prevent displacement by the end of its five-year cycle. It supports communities to become healthier, economically stronger, and more prepared for climate-related and other emergencies such as floods and droughts.
The project works in partnership with local communities to identify priorities and co-design solutions that enhance resilience. Its key focus areas include making community decision-making more inclusive, restoring natural ecosystems and promoting sustainable resource use, increasing food production and improving nutrition, expanding access to financial services and savings, and establishing early warning systems to detect and respond to disasters. Through these integrated efforts, BRCiS III seeks to prepare Somali communities for a more secure and sustainable future.
