By Zakaria Hassan - Reporter
MOGADISHU (Dawan), 11 August 2026 – Somalia is seeking to boost agricultural production and attract investment to tap its 8.9 million hectares of arable land, as officials warn the country can no longer rely on food imports.
The issue was central to discussions at the 2026 Food and Agriculture Investment Conference, which opened Monday in Mogadishu. The two-day event was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre officially opened the conference, which was attended by federal ministers of Agriculture, Finance, Commerce, and Environment and Climate Change. Representatives from international organizations including the World Food Programme (WFP) also participated.
The conference is focusing on irrigation and agricultural infrastructure, development of value chains and crop processing, and climate-resilient farming.
Prime Minister Barre said Somalia must shift from import dependence to domestic production.
“Somalia must move beyond importing its food from abroad and instead produce domestically what its people consume,” he said.
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Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Mohamed Abdi Hayir Maareeye said the international community stands ready to support sustainable livelihoods, and stressed agriculture’s central role.
“Agriculture is the lifeblood of society. There is no better sector to support than agriculture. The world depends on farming communities,” he said.
Organizers said the conference aims to connect farmers with financing to expand production.
The push comes as Somalia continues to face severe food insecurity, with millions of Somalis struggling with hunger according to recent reports.
The government said its objective is to strengthen domestic production, improve agricultural infrastructure, and build a productive system capable of moving Somalia toward food self-sufficiency and sustainable economic growth.