Somalia steps up Jowhar water storage project to boost food Security and cut aid dependence
Somalia has moved to accelerate the Jowhar Off-Stream Storage Programme (JOSP), a flagship water and agriculture project aimed at improving irrigation, tackling drought, and strengthening food security across the country’s fertile Shabelle River basin.
Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama on Tuesday presided over a ceremony marking the renewed rollout of the project, describing it as a key pillar of the government’s **National Transformation Plan (2025–2029).
He said the project will help Somalia take greater control of its water resources and agricultural output, enabling communities to depend less on foreign aid and more on locally driven development.
“The Jowhar project is not just about water storage, it is about national transformation,” said Mr. Jama. “It will allow our people to harness natural resources, improve farming, and strengthen resilience against droughts.”
Officials said the storage system will capture excess floodwater from the Shabelle River, which will later be used to irrigate farmland and sustain communities during dry seasons. The project is expected to benefit more than 300,000 people, creating jobs and boosting food production in the process.
The initiative also aligns with the government’s broader efforts to modernise agriculture, promote climate resilience, and build self-reliant rural economies.
Development partners attending the launch praised Somalia’s renewed focus on sustainable water management, saying the Jowhar project could serve as a model for climate adaptation in the Horn of Africa.
Once complete, the programme is expected to significantly reduce the country’s vulnerability to drought and flooding, two of the biggest threats to Somalia’s agricultural stability and economic recovery.
