BAY REGION AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT

The Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock will implement this multi-donor project, which USAID will support in conjunction with the agricultural delivery systems, comprehensive groundwater, and central rangelands projects (6490112, 6490104, 6490108). Production will be increased in currently farmed areas and expanded to cultivable, but unfarmed regions. To improve the potable water supply for domestic and livestock use in farmed areas, 60 boreholes will be drilled in Somalia"s Limestone Plateau, along with six exploratory boreholes and two 70-meter test production wells in lesser explored areas. The feasibility of alternative water-lifting devices such as centrifuge pumps will be determined. Gravel access roads will be constructed to open up new areas for agricultural production. Road construction equipment and a maintenance workshop will be supplied to eventually cover 560 km of gravel roads. Better vaccination programs will improve parasite control in Bay Region livestock. Two mobile vaccination teams will be created, resident veterinary staff will receive training and equipment, and technical assistance will be provided to build laboratory facilities and village dispensaries. Applied research in such areas as soil moisture conservation, row seeding, and appropriate crop rotations will be conducted in order to increase small farmers" sorghum and pulse production. An existing seed farm will be staffed and equipped to improve cleaning, storage, and distribution of seeds to farmers. USAID inputs will consist primarily of long-term technical assistance to the agricultural extension and water supply components. An estimated 46,000 rural families will benefit from the additional 58,200 metric tons of sorghum resulting from the intensification program, and some 400,000 rural inhabitants will benefit from the 25,000 metric tons of sorghum resulting from the horizontal expansion.