20 February, 2012 - In response to the famine, which was declared in July 2011, UNDP allocated  US$ 3 million (including 1 million from Central Emergency Relief Fund - CERF) to rapidly expand its emergency employment generation activities to include affected areas. This included cash-for-work initiatives to rehabilitate community and rural assets, and improve purchasing power of food and other essential items for households. Activities were expanded to drought-affected communities in Bakol, Gedo, Hiran, Galgudud, Banadir regions and, particularly, in the Afgooye corridor in Southern Central Somalia.

UNDP Somalia’s major achievements or milestones in response to the crisis include:

• 113,442 households (38 percent women) in humanitarian emergency and acute livelihood and food crisis benefitted from direct employment opportunities
• Basic social and productive infrastructure rehabilitated, livelihoods assets distributed and coordination mechanisms supported including:
       o 1,581 Energy Saving Jikos and 36,000kg Charcoal, 16 irrigation pumps distributed
       o Rehabilitation of Yeed market in Bakool benefitting 3,516 households
       o Rehabilitation of 32 canals measuring 49.3 km in length in Gedo, which created employment for 2,963 beneficiaries generating 88,890 workdays
       o Rehabilitation of 59 water catchments that have a water storage capacity of 363,370.89 m3 in Bakol and Gedo, which generated employment for 6,402 individuals generating 216,116 workdays
       o Rehabilitation of 79 km feeder roads in Gedo region creating employment for 1,672 workers generating 48,810 workdays
  
• Mogadishu IDPs Assessment was carried out indicating demography, estimated number, and location
• Initiation of the Humanitarian Coordination system in Mogadishu, supported through the office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Interior and National Security
• Demo project implemented in Garowe, Puntland, to restore the productive potential of degraded land by increasing the vegetative cover and tree plantations
• A feasibility study on biogas in Puntland and Somaliland initiated. The study aims to introduce alternative sources of energy at a wider scale and cut the demand for charcoal in major urban centres of the country.

As a member of the Humanitarian Country Team – a joint UN body established in times of sudden or protracted crisis to manage a concerted response – UNDP’s activities included work on Disaster Risk Management, including finalization of a Joint Programme led by UNDP; strengthening the capacity of the Office of the TFG Prime Minister for humanitarian coordination through a Humanitarian Liaison Unit; and building stronger links in protection between UNDP, OCHA and UNHCR through work on IDP mapping in Mogadishu. This has included establishment of a Women’s Civilian Protection Unit in Mogadishu to assist in safety and security in IDP camps.

For more information on UNDP's response to the famine in the Horn of Africa, click here