Horn of Africa women beat drought

High living costs, food shortages and water supplies have been challenges for 18-year-old Derertu Hohammad and her family. The food they harvest on their land in Ethiopia's Lugo watershed, together with three goats and four other larger animals, is enough to feed the nine members of the family (three men and six women) for four months a year.

The rest of the time, the family relies on relief programs for food. Among the changes Hohamed would like to see, reducing the burden on women, especially when they travel long distances to find water during the dry season, is a top priority. Her family is not alone: Drought is expected to affect more than three-quarters of the world's population by 2050.

The theme of this year's International Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is "Her Land, Her Rights", emphasizing that investing in women's equal access to land and assets is a direct investment in their future and the future of humanity.

In Somalia, about 75 percent of the country's 14.7 million people live in rural areas, with about 60 percent working in livestock and 15 percent in agriculture. Less than one third of the population has access to clean water. Water scarcity poses a serious threat to the health, well-being and livelihoods of farming and pastoral communities, limiting overall economic and social development in Somalia, with women in rural areas particularly vulnerable.

For decades, Somalia's vital rangelands have been under intense pressure, putting the livelihoods of millions of people at risk. Despite a ban on the charcoal trade, deforestation and the relentless felling of trees for charcoal continued, further depleting pastures.

In addition, the spread of an invasive tree species known as "Prosopis juliflora" or "Garan-waa" (meaning "unknown") has prevented farmers in central Somaliland from growing crops to feed cattle. The extensive root systems of these invasive trees also exacerbate water scarcity. These challenges, combined with the adverse effects of climate change, have exacerbated the frequency of droughts, floods and other erratic rainfall patterns.

The GEF works with a range of development partners, as well as traditional leaders, women's groups, local NGOs and community organizations, in collaboration with UNDP and partners, to support communities in sustainably managing water resources and building resilience to climate impacts, including Through nature-based solutions.

Blau's silver lining

By eliminating invasive species and promoting sustainable farming and farming practices, the project aims to restore land productivity and empower local communities. In partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, 500 hectares of land in the villages of Beer and Ceelbilcile, equivalent to approximately 416 Olympic-sized swimming pools, were rehabilitated.

Benefitting from a year of favorable rainfall, the removal of invasive trees has made a significant difference. "The land has recovered and is now productive, thank God that there is plenty of rain after such a long drought," said village chief Hassan Ali yare Beereed.

His optimism has reverberated throughout the village, especially women farmers like Samsam Ali Mohamoud, who have reaped multiple benefits from the restoration project.

"During favorable seasons, our livestock now have plenty of food and we can store excess feed for the rest of the year. This results in increased milk production that nourishes our children. By selling excess milk to neighboring villagers, we get extra income to support our children's education," Mohammad said.

The lives of women farmers have improved dramatically, with food available to their animals during favorable seasons, enabling them to store excess feed for the rest of the year. This translates into an increase in milk production, providing essential nutrients for children. Surplus milk also becomes a valuable source of additional income, enabling women to support their children's education and invest in their own future.

Initiatives such as these not only revitalize the land, but allow women farmers to contribute more to the well-being of their families, leading to the overall prosperity of their communities.

Ecosystem-based adaptation solutions are at the heart of UNDP's work on climate change adaptation. To date, over 2,076 kilometers of coastline, over 6.5 million hectares of land and over 72,000 hectares of marine land have been restored to resilience to climate shocks and/or More than 105,000 hectares were reforested; more than 764,000 people gained more water.