Garowe, Somalia, 12 November 2023 — Minister of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation of Puntland State, H.E Mohamed Said Farole, has today inaugurated a new 60 km feeder road contributing to government’s efforts to reduce poverty and grow economy in the drought-prone regions of Puntland.

 The feeder road will connect Dahar, Sherbi and Hingalol districts. The feeder road is part of the Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Program (DRSLP-II) project, financed by the African Development Bank through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and has been implemented by Save the Children in Somalia. The project aims to contribute to poverty reduction and accelerated economic growth on a sustainable basis in Somalia through investments in natural resource management, agriculture, and livestock infrastructure.

Officials from Puntland State and the local community have attended the inauguration ceremony. Both the government officials and the local community have praised the successful completion of the project and emphasized the importance of continued investments in rural infrastructure in Somalia.

 Hon. Mohamed Said Farole, Minister for Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Puntland State of Somalia, said:

“This new feeder road will have a transformative impact on the economy and improve access to local markets for communities in predominantly pastoralists regions. Connecting remote villages to major markets will enable pastoralists and local traders faster route to transport their commodities, boosting trade and reducing poverty."

Mohamed Abdiladif, Save the Children Somalia Programme, Deputy Country Director for Operations, said:

"Save the Children is committed to working with local communities and the government to improve livelihoods and build resilience of communities affected by droughts. The new feeder road will play an integral role in reducing poverty and help pastoralist families access to local market. Reliable rural road networks combined with investments in livestock markets will help build sustainable and climate-resilient livelihoods in Somalia."

About the Project

 The Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Program (DRSLP) is a program financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), which is being implemented in Somalia and targets over 1,505,959 people and four million animals. The project is geared toward building resilience and sustainable livelihoods for pastoral and Agro-pastoral communities in drought-prone areas of Somalia. 

The overall goal of the project is to contribute to poverty reduction and accelerated economic growth on a sustainable basis in Somalia. This will be achieved by investing in natural resources (water, pasture) management, integrated land management, and ecosystem restoration and protection, as well as rebuilding agricultural and livestock infrastructures. The programme's medium- and long-term goal is to stabilize the pastoral and Agro-pastoral production systems and improve the livelihoods and resilience of the production systems.