In 2019, PSA in partnership with WFP is implementing drought recovery program – VFA project designed to allow households to meet basic food needs during this lean season, Ufayn sare is One of the project sites.
Ufayn-Sare village is within Bosaso, it is well known for crop farming and livestock keeping. Despite having a natural stream that flows through-out the year, in the recent past farmers in the village have been experiencing low yields due to problems related to bad state of water canals due to damaged and blocked canals that needed repairing and fixing, also there was need to construct more canals to supply enough water to the new farms.
In 2016, WFP/PSA assisted the community in rehabilitating and extending 1.1 KM of water canals into the new farms, the project enabled the farms with crops to have reliable supply of water that eventually translated into higher yields and also as a result of the canal rehabilitation, the farms that had been abandoned resumed in farming, creating livelihood to more people and securing the locals with food supply and pasture for their animals.
In 2018 The community allocated community land to the most vulnerable people in the Ufayn-sare for their farming activities, the agreement was 10 years where PSA/WFP established two farms which average plot area was 10,000m2, also we distributed irrigation pipes and NFI’s.
The above intervention has enable more farmers in the area to engage more in farming activities and has translated to more yield. The subsequent result has been more food secured community and economically stable through trading the surplus from the farm produce.
In 2019, the activities are namely;
• Farm extension for vegetable /fruit /crop gardens
In order for the communities in the area to produce enough food for their consumption and for sale, they requested that we expand for them the farming fields and gardens, which entails clearing of the bushes and levelling of grounds, in the project, we helped them expand farming fields, the farm created will be used by the community for several years as agreed and relevant parties.
• Construction of two Berkets (underground tank)
In order to enhance resilience of Ufayn-Sare communities, the construction of two (2) berkets were increased the resilience of chronically vulnerable pastoral by improving access to water which will be harvested during rainy season and be used during the drought, the berket will not only supply the community with water for domestic use but also improve the business in the ufayn sare.
• Capacity building and training
The farmers lack information and knowledge on efficient and resourceful methods of farming; we trained them on the current and profitable farm technique and methods, the training will provide experiential, skills-based education in sustainable farming, The farmers will be equipped with agricultural skills touching on assortment of best seeds and how fodder production is done and established.
