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Mapping Forest Degradation Caused by the Recent Increase of Charcoal Production in Southern Somalia
Following more than 20 years of civil unrest, environmental information for Southern Somalia is scarce while there is clear evidence that the war economy fueled by the conflict is rapidly depleting the country’s natural resources and especially the woody biomass. Wood charcoal production is one of the most relevant businesses supporting war regimes such as the extreme Islamist group Al Shabaab, which has ruled in Southern Somalia from 2006 to 2012 and is still occupying large areas.
In this study we first used Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery of February 2013 for developing a semi-automatic mapping method of charcoal production sites as a proxy of tree loss over a 754 km2 woody area along the Juba river in Southern Somalia. The accuracy of semiautomatic charcoal production site detection varied between 80 and 95% as compared to visual interpretation and reduced significantly the subjectivity and the required time. The analysis was then applied to previous years (2011-2012) for a 52.6 km2 subset of the study area, and led to a tree loss estimation of 8.63%, corresponding to 15,434 trees over the 3 years period. The results are crucial for better understanding the dimension and impact of charcoal production in Southern Somalia and are a first step towards the development of a charcoal production monitoring system.
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Journal Article
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SWALIM
Range policy
Somalia is situated in northeastern Africa and covers an area of 637 660 km2. It has the longest coastline in Africa, being bordered by the Gulf of Aden to the north and the Indian Ocean to the east. The country is bordered by Kenya in the south, Ethiopia in the west and by Djibouti in the north-west. The country can be divided in five distinct physio-geographic zones differentiated by topography:
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Other
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SWALIM Update Issue 3
We are pleased to share Issue 3 of our quarterly newsletter “SWALIM Update”. The newsletter provides updates on SWALIM water and land information management activities such as: Completion of the Preliminary Estimation of Land Cover in Northern Somalia, training on Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning, how Geo-spatial Data and Technology ins being used in Natural Resources Management in Somalia, training in River Gauge Reading among others. We hope you will enjoy this edition. Your feedback will be highly appreciated.
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Newsletter
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Mapping Charcoal Driven Forest Degradation during the Main Period of Al-Shabaab Control in Southern Somalia
Following more than 20 years of civil unrest, environmental information for Southern Somalia is scarce while there is clear evidence that the war economy fueled by the conflict is rapidly depleting the country's natural resources and especially the woody biomass. Wood charcoal production is one of the most relevant businesses supporting war regimes such as the extreme Islamist group Al-Shabaab, which has ruled in Southern Somalia from 2006 to 2012 and is still occupying large areas. In this study, we map and quantify the tree loss suffered by the region due to the rapid increase in illegal charcoal production and export over recent years. Very high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery is used to visually count charcoal production sites as a proxy of tree loss in two sample areas within the lower Juba region of Southern Somalia. The image interpretation allows mapping the charcoal production sites as well as estimating tree loss rates above 7% over 5 years. The results are crucial for understanding the exact dimension and effects of the loss of woody biomass and for planning conservation and recovery interventions in the concerned area.
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Journal Article
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SWALIM Update Issue 2
We are pleased to share Issue 2 of our quarterly newsletter “SWALIM Update” for 2013. The newsletter provides updates on SWALIM water and land information management activities such as: Monitoring and evaluation using remote sensing, the source of the Kismayo charcoal, assessment of the Gu 2013 Rainfall performance, capacity building activities that have taken place in the past 3 months among others. We hope you will enjoy this edition. You feedback will be highly appreciated.
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Newsletter
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SWALIM Update Issue 1
The newsletter provides updates on SWALIM water and land information management activities such as flood and drought early warning systems, hydro meteorological monitoring, status of the Somali water sources, land degradation, remote sensing monitoring, and water and land baseline and thematic studies. You will also be updated on the capacity development activities, particularly the training courses from which you can benefit. The training courses are open to all Somali stakeholders, especially women.
We hope you will enjoy this first edition of 2013 and those that will follow. You feedback will be highly appreciated and will help us improve future editions
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W-22 Water Demand Assessment for the Juba and Shabelle Rivers
The Juba and Shabelle rivers are the only perennial streams in Somalia. They originate in Ethiopia, where over 90 percent of the stream flow is generated. The two river basins cover an area 174,600 km2 within Somalia. Basic monitoring of the two rivers and their basins has been ongoing in the previous SWALIM projects, laying a good foundation for more developed, continuous river monitoring and data processing (automatic weather stations, continuous discharge measurements, sediment and water quality monitoring together with pilot land degradation monitoring systems). The Juba and Shabelle basins are also called the ‘breadbasket’ of Somalia: It is the centre of agricultural and livestock production and home to the majority of the Somali population.
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Technical report
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Somalia Water and Land Information Management, Nairobi (Kenya)
W-21 Climate CHange Impacts on Water Resources of Somaliland and Puntland
Identifying, assessing and developing groundwater resources is now an urgent priority for emergency relief and long-term development in all countries in the Horn of Africa affected by drought and water scarcity. As a response to this context, UNESCO, in May 2012, launched the initiative “Strengthening Capacity to Combat Drought and Famine in the Horn of Africa: Tapping Groundwater Resources for Emergency Water Supply” through support of the Government of Japan. The overall project aims to map-out drought-resilient groundwater resources in affected areas and strengthen regional capacities in managing groundwater for drought-preparedness. In order to take advantage of the established network and experienced profile of UNESCO’s partner FAO-SWALIM (Somalia Water and Land Information Management) in Somalia, an agreement of this UNESCO-FAO partnership was formalized that governs the framework of the overall project. As part of this project, SWALIM has recently finalized a hydrogeological survey and assessment in selected areas of Somaliland and Puntland which has come up with a wealth of information on potential groundwater resources which supplements SWALIMS previous activities in Somali water and land resources information management.
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Technical report
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Somalia Water and Land Information Management, Nairobi (Kenya)
W-20 Hydrogeological Survey and Assessment of Selected Areas in Somaliland and Puntland - Report No W-20
This report documents an assessment carried out in 2011/2012 to identify potential groundwater aquifers in Somaliland and Puntland. The report gives details of the data collection and analysis including:- desk studies; geological and geophysical field surveys; and remote sensing data analysis, as well as various products generated from the survey / assessment. The products of the hydrogeology survey include among others: hydrogeology and water quality maps of Somaliland and Puntland at a scale of 1:750,000; Hydrogeology maps for 4 selected areas of interest at a scale of 1:250,000; main report of the assessment and 4 appendices giving details of the field work, geophysics, remote sensing and databases. The report is expected to be used by different stake holders in the water sector, mainly the water authorities in Somaliland and Puntland for development and management of groundwater resources in the region
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Technical report
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SWALIM
RSM-02 Estimating Cultivable Areas in Central and Southern Somalia using Remote Sensing
Somalia is largely a hot, arid and semi-arid country with rainfall amounts averaging between 50 and 500 - 600 mm per annum (even though some areas may receive slightly higher amounts).To provide a first estimate of the cultivable land, this study analyzed ASTER satellite images (and where not available, other medium resolution images) for 2010 and 2011 to generate information about cultivation in central and southern Somalia. The results of this study will be the basis for a successive, more accurate analysis which will include sampling approaches and field validation (through FAO emergency staff and FSNAU monitors) in order to establish the potential cultivable land and estimate production for the different cropping systems at farmer and district levels.
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Technical report
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Somalia Water and Land Information Management, Nairobi (Kenya)
L-08 Soil Survey of the Juba and Shabelle Riverine Areas in Southern Somalia
Soil information is a key element for natural resources planning. A key output of this study is a soil map with a scale of 1:100, 000 containing the major soil types as well as soil maps for some of the irrigation projects along the Juba and Shabelle river catchments. Further, the report contains information on soil physical and chemical properties, which are key elements for natural resource management. Soil spatial variability is described for an area of approximately 88,000 km2 in the Juba and Shabelle riverine areas in Southern Somalia. This study is essential for carrying out land suitability and land degradation assessments
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District Administrative - Hargeysa
these are maps that show the general administrative boundaries of Somalia (National, Regional and District administrative boundaries) as well as settlements, towns, rivers, roads and other general geo-information.
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Map
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Assessment of Charcoal Driven Deforestation Rates in a Fragile Rangeland Environment in North Eastern Somalia Using Very High Resolution Imagery
Multi-temporal very high-resolution satellite images and field work have been used for quantifying the tree cutting rate over a 5 years period in a very arid tiger bush area of North Eastern Somalia with intensive charcoal production activities. By applying both a classical area frame sampling approach with visual interpretation of the samples and a semi-automatic tree detection algorithm, it was possible to create baseline tree density layers for the 2 years of observation and to quantify the tree cutting rates for the period from 2001 to 2006. An average annual tree loss of −2.8%, coupled with the total absence of regrowth during the 5 years study period, confirm the tremendous ecological impacts of charcoal driven tree cutting on tiger bush vegetation. Analysis of the results evidences spatial and temporal patterns in the cutting locations and poses the basis for a better understanding of the ecological and human dimensions of deforestation in the fragile rangeland environment of Northern Somalia.
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A Framework for National Assessment of Land Degradation in the Drylands: A Case Study of Somalia
Land degradation is a gradual, negative environmental process that is accelerated by human activities. Its gradual nature allows degradation to proceed unnoticed, thus reducing the likelihood of appropriate and timely control action. Presently, there are few practical frameworks to help countries design national strategies and policies for its control. The study presented here developed a framework for the national assessment of land degradation. This framework is envisaged to support governments in formulating policies on land degradation. It uses time-series remote sensing data to identify the rate and extent of land degradation, local experts to identify prevalent degradation types and drivers of the degradation and field observations to validate the overall assessment.
Its simplicity, use of freely downloadable input data and self-triangulation of the assessment methods make it suitable for rapid assessment of land degradation on a national scale. It was tested in Somalia, where it exhibited accuracy greater than 60 per cent when assessing land degradation. This framework is relevant for designing national strategies and policies that address land degradation and provides an opportunity for accurate identification of areas to target with comprehensive local assessment. Testing of the framework in Somalia showed that about one-third of the country was degraded because of loss of vegetation cover, topsoil loss and to the decline of soil moisture. Overgrazing, excessive tree cutting and poor agronomic practices in agricultural areas were identified as the primary drivers of the country’s land degradation. These drivers are encouraged by the prevailing communal land tenure practices, poor governance and civil war. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Journal Article
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SWALIM
An Assessment of the Surface Water Resources of the Juba-Shabelle Basin in Southern Somalia
The water resources of the Juba and Shabelle rivers in southern Somalia are important for irrigation and food production, but are influenced by seasonal floods. Prior to the outbreak of civil war in 1991, the Somali Ministry of Agriculture successfully operated a hydrometric network covering the Juba and the Shabelle, data from which provided input to a flow forecasting model. The war resulted in the neglect and abandonment of monitoring stations and an enforced cessation of data collection and management. In 2001 and 2002, part of the pre-war hydrometric network was reinstated and water levels were again recorded at some stations. This paper examines the implications of the 11-year hiatus in data collection, and the now much reduced monitoring network, for assessing and managing the surface water resources. The problems faced have relevance to other basins, within Africa and elsewhere, where there has been a similar decline in data collection.
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Journal Article
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SWALIM
L-17 Mapping and Assessment of Irrigated Farms in Puntland
Irrigated agricultural areas of Puntland were mapped using Google Earth images and field based interviews with the farmers to characterize land use. Information displayed in this report includes maps of the irrigated agricultural areas and tables and pictures to show the characteristics of the irrigated agricultural areas of Puntland. The study outlines the state of the irrigated agricultural areas in Puntland and consequently points out areas which need intervention. However, this study is being updated and concluded in SWALIM V.
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Technical report
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SWALIM
L-18 Monitoring of Golis Forest in Somalia- Report No
This study serves as a starting point towards a monitoring initiative for the Golis mountain forest. It forms part of the input to the land degradation monitoring activity initiated by SWALIM. Information generated in the study includes a map showing land cover in the Golis forest, tables and pie charts to show utilization and management of the resources of the forest. The maps in this study were generated using Landsat TM images aided by Google Earth images and ecological field surveys coupled with interviews to the local people to help characterize the forest in terms of management and utilization concerns. Information contained in this study will help in the improved management and utilization of the forest.
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Technical report
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SWALIM
L-19 - Methodology for Monitoring of Mangroves in Somalia
This study serves as a starting point towards a monitoring initiative for the mangrove ecosystem of Somalia. It also forms part of the input to the land degradation monitoring activity initiated by SWALIM. Information generated in the study includes maps showing location of the mangroves, tables and pie charts to show utilization and management of the resources of the Somalia mangroves. The maps in this study were generated using Google Earth images and ecological field surveys coupled with interviews to the local people to help characterize the mangrove forests in terms of their management and utilization. Information contained in this study will help in the improved management and utilization of the mangrove forests of Somalia. The study covered the mangroves of Zeylac, Barbera, Calula in the north and Kismayio in the south.
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Technical report
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SWALIM
L-20 Practical guide for Land Degradation Monitoring
This practical guide for land degradation monitoring will provide tools that can be used to facilitate a simple and systematic approach to monitoring long-term changes in soil and rangeland conditions and will be the working document for future monitoring programmes. The simple monitoring methods presented in this guide will be used to periodically generate quantitative information from different representative sites of degraded land, land under degradation or sensitive degraded land within the country. The monitoring approach will enable information to be shared among all stakeholders involved in land resource management and will help national decision-makers and the donor communities to make sound land resource management decisions.
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Technical report
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Integrated draft:The environment conservation act and the agricultural land ownership law
The environment conservation act and the agricultural land ownership law
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Other
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Towards a spatial Data Infrastructure for Somalia using open source standards
SDI is a well-known concept in Africa, many countries are on the way to having a formal SDI strategy Certain countries, such as Somalia, are starting the process of nation building after years of war. These countries stand to leapfrog other African countries by implementing current SDI best practices. The FAO‐SWALIM project is in the unique position to be able to assist Somali authorities in providing some of the building blocks for SDI development, even though SWALIM does not have the legal mandate to do so. This paper highlights what SWALIM can currently contribute and what significant work (and resources) are still required for a Somalia National SDI.
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Journal Article
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W-15 Flood Risk and Response Management
Floods regularly cause disasters in Somalia, and in particular along the Juba and Shabelle Rivers in the southern part of the country. The downstream segments of these rivers are marked by an inverse topography, with water courses at some locations on higher elevation than the adjacent land; as a result, the lower parts of the riverine floodplains are highly susceptible to flooding (an attribute widely used in gravity-fed irrigation and deshek farming). Arid and semi-arid land further away from the main river courses also experience flash-flood events.
Flood risk management (FRM) has been defined as “a systematic process that produces a range of measures associated with flood hazard mitigation, emergency preparedness, impact response and disaster recovery, and which contributes to the safety of communities and the environment; and at the same time parallels risk management and good management practices”.
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Technical report
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Somalia Water and Land Information Management, Nairobi (Kenya)
W-16 Somalia Flood Forecasting System
Floods are a common phenomenon in the riverine areas of the Juba and Shabelle River basin. The two rivers exhibit seasonal characteristics in their hydrological regime with high tendency of flooding especially during the Deyr (October to November) rain season. Some of the major flood events in the two basins in the past few decades occurred in the years 1961, 1977, 1981, 1997 and 2006. The floods are mainly caused by high rains experienced on the upper catchments of the two rivers in the Ethiopian highlands. However, the contribution of human activities to the floods
is also significant, with the riparian farmers cutting the river banks to allow water flow into their fields during low flows. These illegal activities have increased after collapse of the central government in 1991 and exacerbated by El Nino 1997/98 rains that contributed to further destruction of the irrigation and flood control infrastructure.
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Technical report
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Somalia Water and Land Information Management, Nairobi (Kenya)
W-17 Water Sources Survey Invetory for Central South Somalia
Somalia’s surface water resources are concentrated mainly along the two perennial rivers, Juba and Shabelle. The flow in both rivers varies widely across the seasons. During the two rainy seasons, Deyr and Gu, the rivers often flood from very high flows, whereas in the dry season, flow is very minimal and can barely support irrigation. The riverine areas of the Juba and Shabelle occupy a small percentage of the Somalia’s territory. Majority of the country falls under arid and semi arid climatic conditions with very limited surface water resources. Domestic and commercial water needs in such areas are usually met through underground water sources.
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Technical report
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Somalia Water and Land Information Management, Nairobi (Kenya)
W-18 Inventory of Drainage Basins of Northern Somalia
Addressing issues of natural resources requires a holistic approach that recognizes the interdependence between competing demands and limited resources. Integrated watershed management is recognized as the best instrument for dealing with water and natural resources. This would also contribute to the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1) through improved food security (main focus of FAO) and sustainable
environmental management (MDG 7).
To enable start a process of integrated water resources management in Northern Somalia, the Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM) project has been mandated by the European Union (EU) to develop an inventory of the drainage basins of the area. A great percentage of the Somalia population relies directly on the natural resource base to meet their daily needs.
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Technical report
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Somalia Water and Land Information Management, Nairobi (Kenya)
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