Country: Somalia Source: Radio Ergo Please refer to the attached file. Brief Analysis There were more calls about rainfall than about drought in the audience feedback captured on Radio Ergo’s independent nationwide call-in platform in the week 23-29 April 2026. Many callers said that water resources had been replenished, temperatures dropped, and welcome signs of recovery had returned. However, there were indications that rain though heavy in some southern parts was not evenly spread and may not have been adequate in some areas. The callers noting drought and continuing harsh impacts on people and their livelihoods were mainly from northern and central parts. The following summarises the calls by theme. Flooding – a caller in Garbaharey, Gedo region, said there had been heavy rainfall on the night of 27 April when two children had been washed away and not been found. A caller in an unspecified location in Middle Shabelle said heavy rainfall was causing flash floods and they needed help. Another in Hiran region said the Shabelle river had flooded over and they needed the authorities to help them barricade the river banks. Health – a caller in Beledweyne, Hiran, said their children were malnourished and suffering from diseases including measles and yellow fever. He said they needed help from aid organisations. Nutrition – a female caller in Baidoa said her son was malnourished, had no appetite and was feverish. She wanted the doctor’s advice on how to treat him. A caller in Guriel, Galgadud, wanted action taken against people he had seen selling the nutrition supplements meant for malnourished children. Jobs – a caller in Alanley, near Kismayo, said they were suffering from unemployment and needed the government to help them get jobs. Conflict – a caller in Dhusamareb, Galgadud, warned that there were armed clan militia preparing for conflict and said the people needed intervention to stop it. Agriculture – a farmer in Jowhar said they wanted to start working on their farms following the rainfall but needed information on pest control. A farmer in Sanag also wanted pest control advice for his tomatoes. A female caller in Hiran wanted advice on starting to grow tamarind. Livestock – female callers in Galgadud and L. Shabelle wanted treatment for their goats with foot and mouth disease. A female caller in Beledweyne said her cows were sick with no appetite and runny noses and she wanted treatment advice. Another female caller in Bardera, Gedo, said they had rainfall but their goats remained thin, and she wanted to know how they could fatten them. Rainfall – a caller in Awdal, and a few in parts of Sanag and Sool, said they had rainfall that was filling the water sources and helping the livestock regain strength. A few callers noted heavy rainfall across parts of Puntland. A few in parts of Galmudug noted some rainfall, with a caller in Gelinsor hoping it would be enough for the people who had migrated there from different areas to access the rain. Callers across many parts of Middle Shabelle celebrated good rainfall and recovery after long drought. In Lower Shabelle as well there were calls from several areas, although one caller in Qoryolley said despite the rainfall their livestock were too weak and sick to move. Many called from Bay and Bakool regions saying they had rainfall, in some cases heavy. The biggest concentration of calls came from across the districts of Gedo region and Lower Juba, where people spoke of abundant rainfall and recovery of livestock and farms. A caller in Salagle, Middle Juba, said the heavy rainfall was a blessing and they were working on their farms, thankful that the river had not flooded. Drought – three callers in Buhodle, Togdher region, said the drought continued to be widespread and severe, causing acute water shortage, livestock losses, and hardship to people. One said they were registered with aid organisations but hadn’t received anything for two months. Two called from Sanag including El-Ade saying drought was severe and they needed aid. In Sool, a female caller in Ainabo said they faced severe drought and were praying for rainfall. She added that they needed the government to get vehicles for them to move to other areas that had got rainfall. In Mudug, a caller in Harardere said they had a little rainfall but still faced drought with livestock continuing to die. Callers in Adado and Guriel reported very little or no rain at all. A female caller in Beledweyne appealed for help as they still faced drought conditions after short-lived rains. Another Hiran caller said people and livestock were in desperate condition and needed aid. A caller in Garas-gabow, Lower Shabelle, said they had lost all their cattle to drought and faced hardship and needed aid. A female caller in Qorahley, in Ethiopia’s Afdher zone, said they were appealing for aid due to drought and water shortage leaving their livestock and the people struggling.
Somalia: Radio Ergo Weekly Feedback Report, Issued: 30 Apr 2026
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