By Asha Elmi - Reporter
JOWHAR, Somalia, September 10, 2026 (Dawan) Somalia's federal government and Hirshabelle authorities have begun rehabilitation of the Sabuun Barrage, a key part of the Jowhar Offstream Storage Programme (JOSP), aimed at improving water management and irrigation in the Shabelle River basin.
The launch ceremony in Sabuun on Wednesday was attended by Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid, Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlawe, federal and state ministers, U.N. officials, development partners and local community representatives.
The Sabuun Barrage is a critical component of the water management and irrigation system around Jowhar. Its rehabilitation is expected to help regulate flows in the Shabelle River, restore irrigation infrastructure and reduce the risks posed by flooding and water shortages.
Hirshabelle President Guudlawe said recurring floods and water shortages had for years disrupted farming and livelihoods in the state.
“These two recurring problems will be addressed by this project,” Guudlawe said, referring to flooding and water shortages.
He said floods had damaged crops, roads, canals and settlements, while water shortages had also constrained agricultural production.
Related articles
Deputy Prime Minister Jibril said the wider project also includes a new 50-km waterway, with 25 km running from the river and another 25 km returning to it. He said farmers in Hirshabelle and parts of South West State would benefit from the project.
The Jowhar programme is a multi-partner initiative led by the Somali government with support from organizations including FAO, UNEP, UNIDO, IOM and UN-Habitat. It is designed to reduce the impact of drought and flooding while increasing agricultural production and strengthening climate resilience along the Shabelle River.
The programme's infrastructure work includes rehabilitation of the Sabuun Barrage, irrigation canals and other water-management facilities. FAO has issued procurement notices this year for rehabilitation of the barrage diversion works as well as its reinforced concrete structure and head regulator.
The wider JOSP has been described by FAO as a multi-year programme intended to benefit more than 1.65 million people once fully rehabilitated, by improving flood and drought management and supporting agricultural production in Middle and Lower Shabelle.
Guudlawe said the project could help protect crops, increase agricultural production and create jobs, while allowing people who had moved away because of flooding to return to their communities.
The rehabilitation comes as Somalia seeks to shift from repeated emergency responses to longer-term investment in water infrastructure and climate resilience in farming communities.