In pre-war Somalia (before 1990), large-scale irrigation schemes existed along the Juba and Shabelle basins. These controlled irrigation systems consisting of barrages, canals and other infrastructure, were constructed in the middle and lower reaches of both rivers. The canal system comprised primary and secondary canals, and numerous tertiary canals, with water flow controlled by barrages or weirs. Pumped irrigation systems also existed, especially along the Juba river where large pumps were used to take water from the river to other network of canals. Before the collapse of the government, the Somali Ministry of Agriculture estimated that 112,950ha was under controlled irrigation, while 110,000ha was under flood recession irrigation (cultivation along the edge of rivers or other water bodies using water from receding floods), giving a total irrigated area in the country of 222,950ha. Currently, the majority of this infrastructure is not functioning, and the area under irrigatio...

Credits: FAOSWALIM