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Ethiopia, 25 October 2025 — Somali Regional State has launched an urgent seven-day operation to distribute 4,000 quintals of maize seeds to local farmers, aiming to boost food security at the start of the Deyr rainy season.
The distribution drive, a collaborative effort between the Seed Selection and Livestock Feed Agency and the Regional Bureau of Agriculture, targets farmers across seven of the region’s 11 regions, encompassing 39 districts.
The initiative comes as the regional administration attempts to maximize agricultural productivity during the Deyr season, which traditionally runs from October to December.
The Director of the Seed Selection Agency, Abdullahi Mohamed Farah, said the operation was launched to ensure farmers plant on time and make full use of the Deyr rains.
“We are making sure the seeds reach every region and district on time so that farmers can plant during the proper period of the Deyr rains, which have now begun,” said Abdullahi.
Agency officials are closely monitoring the delivery process to ensure equal and fair distribution across all target locations.
Despite the proactive measures, the effort faces a major challenge: the prevailing regional climate outlook.
The 2025 Deyr rainfall forecast indicates that rainfall levels will likely be below average across much of the Horn of Africa. While there is a possibility of near-average rains in isolated pockets, including parts of the Somali Regional State, the overall outlook remains guarded.
The Seed Selection Agency has implored farmers to use the seeds efficiently and responsibly. Officials expressed hope that the 2025 Deyr farming season will nonetheless prove productive, increasing both yields and local household income across the region.
