Attachments
Brief Summary
The calls to Radio Ergo’s independent nationwide feedback platform this week (12-18 March 2025) were almost entirely connected to the hardships and losses being incurred due to the drought. Many pastoralist communities stated that they had lost many livestock or were fearing the loss of their herds if they didn’t get water and fodder soon. There were many calls for aid and also questions about why there was no aid response in some areas. The locations that stood out because of large numbers of callers included Sanag, Bari and Nugal, many parts of Galgadud, and Hiran. There were smaller numbers of callers from other areas as well. The following summarises the calls by theme.
Aid – a caller in an unspecified location said they used to get aid cards but hadn’t received them recently. He added that they were desperate and vulnerable, and wanted their voices shared so they could get help. There have been similar calls recently. It reflects the need for more information to be shared with the public about the current aid situation.
Conflict – a female caller in Buhodle, Toghder region, said there was much conflict in the area and they needed peace processes to end the conflicts. A female caller in Erigabo, Sanag region, said they were concerned about recurring drought and conflicts in the area. Another female caller in Somaliland said there were concerned about conflicts and the drought in their area. She said their livestock were dying and they had nothing to feed them.
Weather – several callers asked for the weather forecasts and updates to be broadcast. Among them, a female caller in Garowe said they were facing extreme drought and wanted to know the weather forecast for the upcoming rainfall. [Unfortunately, Radio Ergo has not received any official weather information to broadcast recently.]
Livestock – there were livestock callers to the Radio Vet programme from Toghder, Sanag, Galgadud, Hiran, and Middle Shabelle regions. Most questions and complaints about animal diseases appeared to be linked to the drought.
Drought and water shortage – in Togdher region, there were three callers from Dadmaren who spoke of severe drought and water scarcity affecting people and livestock and no presence of aid organisations. A caller in Odweyne said their water sources had been depleted and their livestock were dying. A female caller in Bali-hiig said their livestock were weak due to fodder and water shortages and they were appealing for aid. Among callers from Sanag region, a female caller in Erigabo said they were facing drought and their livestock were dying off. She said they needed government and aid organisations to reach them with food and water aid. A caller in in Jingada said their livestock had no access to water. They were praying to get rainfall soon. Other spoke of dry wells, sick livestock, and extreme heat. Among callers from Puntland, a caller in Bari region said they were pastoralists whose livestock had no access to water and were appealing for help. Another in Bari said there were conflicts in their area, and the water shortages were causing their livestock to die. They were appealing for intervention. Others called from Isku-shuban in Bari and Eyl in Nugal region. The largest numbers of calls came from Galgadud region. One caller in Adado said they were concerned about widespread drought in the region, and were appealing to the aid organisations to reach them with medicines and food aid. A female caller in Dusamareb said their livestock were dying due to lack of fodder and water. A caller in Gelinsor said they were desperate due to prolonged drought, having lost all of their goats and remaining only with camels. He said they were appealing for help. A female caller in Guriel wanted aid organisations to reach them before all their livestock perished. A female caller in Hiran region said they were facing severe water shortage and needed water aid. A caller in Daifo, M. Shabelle, said they had been
displaced from elsewhere by water shortage and still had no water there now. A caller in Baidoa said their livestock were dying and they needed help. There were a couple of similar calls from parts of Somal Region in neighbouring Ethiopia.
Environment – several callers were very concerned about uncontrolled deforestation in their areas and wanted it stopped.