Meetings Minutes

Introduction
1.1 Food Security and Economic Background

Although Somalia has long been structurally food insecure, more than a decade of civil war has created a protracted and complex emergency in the country, which has eroded livelihoods, deepened poverty and increased vulnerability to food insecurity. According the World Bank, 43.2 % of the total population live below the international poverty line of one dollar a day . Poverty in rural areas touches 53% of the population while 24% in urban areas.

The harsh, predominantly semi-arid climate characterised by erratic rainfalls and recurrent drought severely limits the agricultural potential and livestock productivity. The situation has been made worse by the civil war and widespread insecurity, land degradation and desertification caused by overgrazing, deforestation and inadequate farming techniques, the absence of adequate technical assistance and veterinary services, little alternative employment opportunities, as well as the collapse or degradation of the major irrigation systems. Although livestock exports have recovered, Somalia suffers from the export ban imposed in December 2006, following a Rift Valley Fever outbreak. Banana exports to Europe have been stopped. Irrigated and rainfed crop production is largely limited (90%) to the alluvial plains and inter-riverine areas of the Juba and Shebelle rivers in South Somalia. In the more arid northern part of Somalia (Somaliland and Puntland) nomadic pastoralism remains the most effective way to exploit meagre resources, but requires continued mobility to adapt to the increasing climatic variability and increased environmental degradation.

Before the war, average annual cereal production was estimated at 480,000 metric tonnes compared with an estimated domestic demand of 770,000 metric tonnes. Since the outbreak of the war, average annual production has fallen to less than 250,000 metric tonnes , while estimated annual domestic demand has also reduced to 636,000 metric tonnes. The gap has been primarily filled by commercial imports of 300,000 – 400,000 metric tonnes and food aid (131,000 metric tonnes planned for 2007/2008).

Remittances from Somalis of the Diaspora, estimated to be in the region of US$ 1 billion a year, are the most important contribution to food security, particularly in times of stress (livestock ban, rain failure). As such it represents a crucially important safety net.

Access to food remains a major problem for the most vulnerable groups – displaced people, rural minorities, female-headed households, rainfed farmers, urban poor and returnees – due primarily to their low purchasing power and narrow economic base. While Global Acute Malnutrition rates have reached 30% during times of food insecurity in recent years, levels during times of relative food security have remained between 12 and 15%. Women tend to be disproportionately represented in all of the food-insecure groups.

Crop production in Somalia is mostly limited to the South with 90% of the overall grain production. Rainfed farming is found above all in the inter-riverine regions of Bay and Bakool, along the Juba and Shabelle rivers where irrigation infrastructure is not developed and in the Awdal and Togdheer regions in Somaliland. Rainfed farming strictly depends on erratic rainfall and is mostly associated to livestock rearing. Production is highly variable depending on rainfall and productivity is generally low.

The Somalia livestock sector has been seriously threatened by repetitive droughts and floods, degradation of the environment and encroachment of key natural resources, movement restrictions, absence of sectoral policies, weak specialized public and private services and related institutions, dearth of specialized human resources, and the absence of processing capacity to transform and add value to products of animal origin. The recent bans on the imports of Somali livestock imposed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and various Middle East countries due to a RVF outbreak in the Somalia and Kenya have further shown that the opportunistic and mercantilist approach, pursued by Somali livestock traders and administrations, is not viable anymore. A comprehensive support strategy is necessary to sustain the livestock sector, so that it can regain its former prominence.

Artisanal fishermen have suffered from illegal fishing close to shore because of the damage it does to their nets and the associated exploitation of fishery resources to such an extent that many now find it extremely difficult to sustain an adequate livelihood.

Despite, the cyclical pattern of droughts in Somalia, there is no national or even regional drought-preparedness plan. Cyclical droughts, floods and civil conflict have eroded people's livelihood assets and strategies, stretched their coping mechanisms and reduced their resilience to shocks. A broad – based economic growth generating employment and incomes is central to effective consolidation of peace and reduction of poverty. The private sector will be the driving force for economic growth in Somalia. Main constraints are fragile and volatile peace and security situation. First priority will be to develop a skilled workforce and to improve infrastructure. In addition, there is also a need to develop other productive sectors, to improve the policy and regulatory environment, to help reduce the cost of doing business and to enhance an enabling environment for private sector investment.

Finally, the environment has been severely damaged in recent years because of the absence of effective regulations, irresponsibility on the part of powerful groups and individuals exploiting the fragile environment, and the desperate search for livelihoods by the poor. Huge areas that were once tree covered rangelands have been reduced to treeless plains, with the result that wildlife has all but disappeared and soil erosion is common. Charcoal is still being exported from Somalia despite the existence of an export ban and charcoal production is a major cause of deforestation. The rangeland for livestock is threatened by frequent rain failure, deforestation and overstocking. As a result biodiversity is also under threat. As mentioned above, marine resources have been so extensively plundered over the last 15 years that the vaunted potential of the Somali fisheries industry may soon be no more than a distant mirage unless substantial actions are taken. Deficiencies in waste management systems have resulted in hazardous waste having been dumped in a number of sites, thus posing health risks. Urgent and rigorous actions are needed to address these issues and to ensure environmental sustainability.

1.2 The Reconstruction and Development Plan for Somalia (2008 – 2013)

Improving and diversifying livelihoods and reducing food insecurity depends critically on the success with initiatives spread throughout the three pillars of the Reconstruction and Development Plan for Somalia (2008 – 2013), from dispute resolution and the rule of law, to investments to increase workplace skills, and the achievement of rapid sustainable poverty-reducing economic development.

To improve and diversify livelihoods and increase resilience to shocks, the RDP has identified the following critical interventions:

a) The key productive sectors of livestock, agriculture and fishing are rehabilitated and that their use of natural resources is sustainable.
b) Alternative livelihood opportunities are expanded through private sector development of other activities.
c) Infrastructure is rehabilitated to link markets and reduce the cost of doing business.
d) financial services are expanded, especially microfinance provisions,
e) Workplace skills are improved through education, training and improved healthcare, nutrition and water supplies.
f) Stable macroeconomic management.
g) conflicts over land and water are resolved and secure access to land is restored, and
h) Peace, security and the rule of law are established in all areas and sustained.

According to the RDP, the key priorities to address environmental issues, are:
 

a) Enforce the charcoal export ban;
b) Intensify pilot reforestation programmes;
c) Design and establish institutional capacity to enforce controls of fishing to ensure sustainability of marine resources;
d) Undertake a thorough "State of the Environment" report, including land, forest, water and ocean resources, establish a broad-based National Environmental Coordination Committee, and establish needed laws and regulatory capacity to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources. .

Mandate

The broad mandate of the Committee is therefore to ensure that a coherent and well coordinated mechanism is in place for policy and strategy preparation, formulation, setting, and implementation, as well as monitoring and evaluation of activities of the international community’s support to Somalia in relief, rehabilitation, recovery and development programmes. This is consistent with the relevant sections of the Somali Reconstruction and Development Programme.

Additionally, the Committee is responsible for strengthening the coordination mechanism for its members’ activities with Somali authorities and other entities in the country.

Finally, the Committee provides the necessary support and guidance to ensure that objectives of the Sector are achieved in an efficient manner. The Committee also ensures coordination with other relevant Sector Committees.

In pursuance to the above objectives, the specific tasks of FSEDSC, together with relevant Working Groups are as follows:

1. Ensure effective coordination of the sector intervention along Relief, Rehabilitation and Development ensuring recommendations on risk factors.
2. Strengthen coordination between implementation partners, Somali government, regional and district level authorities, non state actors and civil society.
3. Foster collaboration and facilitate assistance to the Somali authorities at different levels in prioritization, policy formulation, programme development and planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.4. Facilitate complimentarity and synergies in the sector programmes including preparation of joint funding proposals for sectoral priorities and gaps, when possible.
5. On the basis of FSAU analysis, recommend adapted response and identify gaps (intervention mapping).
6. Endorse and disseminate methodologies, best practices and directives developed by the Working Groups.
7. Identify key field representatives/coordinators to regularly conduct Food Security and Economic Development sectoral coordination meetings in the different regions, jointly with the Somali authorities. The meetings should be led by the Somali authorities with support from the international community representatives.
8. Establish sub-sectoral Working Groups as deemed necessary by members and provide direction and assistance in drafting ToRs and establishing the reporting channels for each group.
9. Guide and coordinate the relevant Working Groups.
10. Provide technical guidance and advice to CISS ExCom and Somalia Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) on Food Security and Economic Development sectoral matters as required and when necessary, consult with the CISS ExCom on security, policy, strategy and funding issues related to the sector.
11. Encourage and actively participate in inter-sectoral coordination with other sectors such as Pillar I, Health, Education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.
12. Consolidate the process of data collection and sharing of sectoral information/reports with all members and monitor and review the use of agreed outcome indicators for the sector and their measurement and reporting by the members to RDP M&E unit at Somali Support Secretariat.
13. Provide monthly sectoral updates/reports to the Somali Support Secretariat for its website & database and to the HRG & IASC Somalia via OCHA Somalia.
14. Ensure regular representation and active participation in the Sector Chairs’ Committee meetings at the Somali Support Secretariat for inter-sectoral coordination and updating/reporting to the CISS ExCom.
15. Prepare joint statements/press releases/reports on issues related to the sector.
16. Guide the FSED Sector Coordinator in the management and coordination of the activities of the Committee.

Membership

Membership is open to all agencies active in the areas of food security and economic development to participate in and play an active role in the proceedings of the Committee and its working groups. Agencies should nominate representatives/members to participate in the Committee’s proceedings who are well qualified and conversant with the sector in Somalia and in other countries to ensure added-value to the work and role of the Committee. Members should be committed and dedicated to participate and to ensure effective and efficient performance of the Committee’s tasks.

Chair and Deputy Chair

The selection of the chairs and deputy chair will be according to the guidelines and criteria as agreed by the Sector Chairs Coordination Committee in January 2008. Please refer to the attachment. The chair and deputy chair will be elected for a period of 12 months. Elections will be held every six months for one position at the time to ensure continuity and institutional memory. Voting rights will be granted to members who attended/participated with a minimum of 50% attendance to the FSEDS Committee meetings within a period of 12 months.

Decision Making

Each member (agency) of the FSEDSC is entitled to one vote. Depending on the issues, the Chair can call for a vote by members to ensure a fair and democratic process is followed to reach a decision. The FSEDSC will endorse the major decision after the voting exercise.

Other decisions, especially on technical issues will be made based on consensus.

Amended July 2008