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Brief Summary
The biggest number of callers to Radio Ergo’s independent audience feedback platform this week (20-26 June 2024) were livestock owners wanting help with diseases affecting their animals. The majority were from central regions of Somalia, most notably Galgadud, Hiran, and also Shabelle regions. There were also a high number of farmers calling for agricultural advice especially around crop pests. Other topics of concern were insecurity and conflict in Hiran and Galgadud. The weather was also a concern with many callers reporting beneficial rainfall, some apparently after a long wait, and a few complaining of drought and water shortage. The following summarises the calls by theme.
Livestock – several callers including in Abudwak, Guriel, and Barawe (L. Shabelle) asked for advice on treatment for mange affecting their goats. A female caller in Quramadobe, M. Shabelle, their livestock were being attacked by ticks and also had foot and mouth disease. She wanted advice on treating them. A caller in Puntland said his sheep were not eating or moving around and he wanted advice. Another in Nugal said his herd had CCPP disease, as did another caller in Hiran. A female caller in Adado said her young goats had whitish diarrhoea and she wanted diagnosis and treatment. A caller in Marergur, Galgadud, wanted to know if the hot conditions in an iron-sheet enclosure would affect how his livestock responded to medicine he had just injected them with. A caller in Abudwak asked for help with blindness affecting his camels. A caller in Dusamareb wanted general advice on how to help livestock to adapt and survive climate change. *Radio Ergo invites veterinary experts to respond to listeners’ questions in a weekly Radio Vet show. If your organisation has technical experts willing to get involved, please get in touch by email.]
Agriculture – a caller in Bardera, Gedo, wanted to know how to deal with armyworms on their farms. Another caller in Balad, M. Shabelle, described worms destroying their crops. A female caller in Baidoa said their tamarind trees and maize had been attacked by flying pests. Another in Bardera said they hadn’t had much rain and also faced birds and insects destroying crops on their farms. A caller in Lafole, L Shabelle, said they were dependent on the river for crop irrigation and every time they planted it either flooded or there was drought. One caller in Bardera said they had locusts in their area and needed control measures.
Aid – a caller in Dusamareb said PlumpyNut nutritional supplements were being sold in the market. He said this should be controlled to ensure those who needed them could get them. A caller in Mataban, Hiran, wanted to know why the cash aid they used to get from the Bahnano programme had stopped. A caller in Bananey, M. Shabelle, thanked Islamic Relief organisation for drilling wells which he said were now supplying them with water. A caller in Bardera said they were among the many IDP families in camps who were appealing for aid.
Conflict/Protection – a female caller in Gooja-ade, Sool, said they were facing clan conflicts as well as drought. A caller in Abudwak said they were concerned about the clan conflicts going on there. A caller in Hiran complained about attacks on people by Ethiopian military, who he said were taking their livestock and water. He wanted the Somali government to help them. A caller in Beletweyne said they needed security in the area to stop the insecurity and robberies going on.
Water shortage – a caller in Godobjiran, Nugal, said all his livestock had died in the drought and he and his children were now selling milk. He said there was drought in the area. A female caller in Middle Shabelle said they faced severe water shortage and had to walk long distances to find water.
Rainfall -among callers reporting rain some suggested it was after a long wait. A female caller in Guban, Somaliland, said they now had rain and hoped it would continue. A caller in Ishkushuban, Bari, said the rain had just begun there. A female caller in Jowhar, M. Shabelle, said temperatures had cooled down after some good rainfall. A caller in Burhakaba, Bay region, also said they had had heavy rainfall overnight and it was continuing.