Attachments
Brief Analysis
The calls to Radio Ergo’s audience feedback platform this week (28 November to 4 December 2024) included many callers mentioning rainfall and good conditions for livestock and farms, with others noting that rainfall had either been inadequate or had not come at all. Some flood-hit callers in Hirshabelle appealed for help. Several callers especially in northern regions were concerned about conflict leading to the displacement of people. The following summarises the calls by theme.
Floods – a caller in Middle Shabelle region said they had been hit by floods and were in a desperate situation. He said the people were appealing for help. In Beledweyne, Hiran region, a caller said he was among IDPs who had been surrounded by flood water. He asked for his message to be shared so they could get help.
Health – a caller in Kam-Barwaqo [IDP camp] in Ainabo in Sool region, said there was widespread fever affecting people there. He wanted a doctor on the radio to tell them how they could treat this disease. A caller in Bardera, Gedo region, said he had a boy who was suffering from mental illness and wanted advice from the mental health doctor on the radio.
Conflict – a caller in Saha-qurun, Mudug region, said there had been conflict in the area on 2 December in which one person was killed and camels were stolen. He said they needed a peace settlement in the area. A caller in Sanag region said there had been conflicts in their area leading to the displacement of people. He said the conflicts needed to be resolved. A Somaliland caller, not specifying his location, said they had rainfall and their livestock were doing well although they were worried about conflict in the area. In Gedo region, a caller said they had rainfall and were doing well but were concerned by conflicts in the region.
Services – a caller in Sanag region complained about poor network connectivity in the area and asked for the issue to be sorted out. He wanted his message to be shared.
Rainfall – several callers in Togdher region said they had rainfall and conditions were good for their livestock. There were a few other similar calls from northern regions of Sahil and Sanag. In Puntland, a few called from Bari region, including Alula, and another from Nugal saying they had rainfall and were doing well. Some callers in parts of Galmudug said they were doing well, although several in Guriel in particular noted that the rainfall had been little. Other callers in scattered southern areas mentioned rain, such as a caller in Faf-Gumar, Hiran region, who said they hoped to get more rainfall. A caller in Burhakaba, Bay region, said they had received rainfall and the temperature had cooled down. He added that their livestock had fodder and their farms were doing well.
Drought and water shortage – two callers in Somaliland complained of hardships and mentioned people migrating in search of water. One in Buhodle, Togdher, appealed for help saying they were short of water and food. In Galgadud, a female caller in Guriel said they faced drought conditions and hoped for rain. Two female callers in Dusamareb said they lacked water and hadn’t had rain recently. A caller in Do’oley also said the deyr rainfall had been little and they were now facing water shortage. A caller in in Makoyla, Hiran region, said they were facing drought and water scarcity and also wanted to get the weather forecast updates on the radio. One caller appealed for help citing drought conditions in Middle Juba.
Climate – callers in several northern areas noted cold weather, including one in Dhalah, Puntland, who said it was very cold with fog sometimes covering the land in the area. Climate change, discussed regularly on Radio Ergo, continued to pique the interest of many listeners. A caller in Beledweyne wanted to hear more information about ways of mitigating climate change.
Livestock – a female caller in Sahil said their livestock had an unknown disease causing them to get thin and they were also coughing. She wanted the radio’s vet experts to advise them. Another female caller in Mogadishu wanted to know how they could treat botulism and cowpox diseases. A caller in Dusamareb said their camels were coughing and had runny noses. He asked for treatment advice. Another caller in Bar-tulow [location unspecified] said an unknown disease was killing their livestock and that when they slaughtered the animals, they found their livers to be swollen. He wanted veterinary advice on how to handle this.
Locusts – a female caller in Dusamareb, Galmudug, said her farm had been attacked by locusts. She wanted to know how they could protect their harvests.
Agriculture – farmers in different regions complained about pests including caterpillars, and monkeys attacking their crops. A caller in Middle Shabelle said that the radio agriculture expert’s advice to use chicken manure to aid the growth of lemon trees had been tried but hadn’t worked. Another caller in Baidoa said the onion seeds they had planted were not germinating and the seedlings were fading away. He and other onion farmers in the area wanted to know what they could do.