(ERGO) – Local elders in central Somalia’s Galgadud region have activated a traditional mechanism to restock the herds of families whose livestock died in the harsh drought by collecting animals from more fortunate pastoralists.
Yusuf Mohamed Hassan’s family of 10 is recovering from severe hardship after receiving 40 goats at the end of March.
“When we received these animals, we began milking them and they are producing 20 litres daily. We have escaped the droughts and calamities we went through. Now we are safe,” Yusuf told Radio Ergo.
He sold two of the goats in the market in April for $120 and bought 50kg each of flour, rice, and sugar, plus nine litres of cooking oil, that will last them a while.
“Now my family is in prosperity. We have overcome the hardship we experienced. Allah has saved us and helped us. In the past, we were cooking once a day and now we can cook both morning and evening.”
They are among more than 120 pastoralist families, whose livestock died in the drought, being helped by the better off members of the communities in Mirhaylay, Dhumodle, and Tulo-Sarman villages.
Yusuf says he plans to change how he raises livestock to avoid repeating last year’s losses.
“I intend to sell some of the goats before the dry season hits again. Then I will either invest in business or save the money,” he said.
After the last of his 60 goats died in Tulo-Sarman, he had been sharing what little food was available from relatives.
“My young children couldn’t the hunger,” he said. “We went through food scarcity and hardships having lost our livestock because of drought and water shortage and disease affecting our animals.”
Not that there is pasture and water after the rain, the family is able to get milk and meat. Four of Yusuf’s children are also back in Koranic school after he paid off the backlog of fees that he owed since last December.
Mother of seven, Ayaa Abdullatif Ahmed, lost 50 camels and goats due to the drought conditions. In April, local communities and relatives gave her 27 goats to restart.
“We feel prosperous and a sense of recovery. We get great benefits – white milk every day. The goats are healthy and if needed, we can take one to market and exchange it for something. And if we need meat, we can even slaughter one,” Ayaa told Radio Ergo.
After living on very little food, she has been able to stock up on flour, rice, and sugar after selling one goat for $65. She milks eight of the pregnant goats daily and cooks for the family twice a day.
“The milk has greatly helped my children,” she said. “The oldest is eight years old. We have overcome the challenging times.”
The family had been considering joining a displacement camp, when local elders told her that livestock would be collected for her family. Good rain was received in Mirhaylay, enabling livestock to thrive.
However, Ayaa hopes to leave the rural area and start a business in the town to avoid going through similar hardships again in future.
“We plan to care for the livestock we received. If they thrive this year, we will sell some and save money or invest in a business. We hope to work hard and save a lot,” she said. “I also hope to help others in the future like we were helped.”
One of the community leaders behind the livestock collection, Hussein Aden Ali, said many pastoralists in the area had lost their source of income due to poor rainfall over the past two years. After this year’s rains, elders met and decided to collect livestock for the families who had lost everything.
“We go in groups to different areas and collect camels and goats. We choose animals that are either pregnant or milking that can provide milk for children or be taken to market to buy food,” Hussein explained.
Families receive livestock based on size, with larger families getting more.
“A family might receive 15 animals, or two or three pregnant ones, or four for sale,” he said. “These are meant to be kept and allowed to grow.”
He said the initiative had given new hope to many in the community and saved them from going to displacement camps after losing their herds. He said they were proceeding with the plan to assist others in this traditional way, enabling them to retain their livelihoods and dignity.
