(ERGO) – Abdifatah Amiin Khalif, a former pastoralist, recently began working in modern greenhouse agriculture and has managed to lift his family out of the crisis caused by severe drought that depleted their livestock in the rural areas of central Somalia’s Goldogob district.
In February, Abdifatah moved to Goldogob town in Mudug after he could no longer endure the tough living conditions of his family. He left behind 30 sheep that survived the drought, which he had been tending.
The city life, he admitted, provided a welcome relief from the hardships they faced in the remote villages. He found a job as an irrigation worker and although his pay was initially minimal, he developed a close friendship with a young engineer who offered him free training.
Abdifatah learned how to install irrigation systems and harvest crops, enabling him to work on two farms during the day. He now earns a steady income of $30 a day that has allowed him to provide enough to support his family of six in the past two months.
“This amount is more than enough for me, and I hope it continues,” he said. “I typically send $100 or $200 to my family. It covers many necessities, like food and other essential items.”
He also gave training to 20 other people over three months in implementing greenhouse irrigation systems and cultivating crops that supplemented his income.
“This means that I can now work for myself and provide for my family’s needs, which was difficult in the past. Previously, I was a man who relied on my family for support, with nothing to offer them myself,” he said.
He works in agriculture five days a week and installs irrigation systems on other greenhouses in his off days. His goal is to enhance his income to eventually acquire his own farm.
“I have worked on various farms. I can work on one farm each week, and once I finish one, I can be called to work on another the following week. I can manage three farms in a month.”
Abdifatah plans to relocate his family to the city by the end of 2024, as he sees little hope in the rural areas, given the ongoing drought’s toll on their livestock.
The person who trained Abdifatah was Abdirisak Ibrahim Mahmoud, an agriculture graduate from Zamzam University, who has spent the last two years in Goldogob. When he arrived, he saw the need for developing skilled individuals in modern agricultural techniques.
He says those he has trained like Abdifatah have excelled in their roles, becoming beneficial to themselves and their families.
“Initially, some of their skills relied on traditional farming, using canals for irrigation, while others were labourers living in the city. Now they have got new skills after coming to us and they leave with knowledge and skills that enable them to create job opportunities elsewhere. They leave as empowered individuals who can make a difference in the agricultural production of their country,” Abdirisak told Radio Ergo.
Abdirisak also trained Adan Abdi Derow, who now operates independently in Goldogob.
Previously, he worked on farms cultivating the land and planting crops in Baidoa. Now he has clients for irrigation system installations in Goldogob.
He earns between $15 and $20 daily. He noted a significant improvement in his life over the last two months since he began this skilled work.
Adan emphasised that he left a labour-intensive farm job where he worked 10 hours a day on Baidoa farmlands for a meagre $5, which barely met his basic needs.
“I live much better now; my financial situation has improved. Previously, our work was irregular, and I would turn to my friends for help. But, thanks to God, I am now self-sufficient and able to support my family,” he said.
“I live much better now; my financial situation has been transformed. Sometimes, work slows down, and my friends assist each other, but thankfully, I can now support myself.”
Adan earns $450 monthly and sends $150 to his family of 11 people including his parents and siblings living in Baidoa. From the rest, he allocates $70 for the education of four younger brothers, one of whom is at university, and saves $50 for his future marriage plans.
In recent years, the number of greenhouse farms has increased, providing job opportunities for educated youth, labourers, and professionals skilled in farming and agricultural equipment manufacturing.
