From Scarcity to Surplus: A Farmer's Success in Hudur, Somalia

Muktar Hassan, NAF Project Officer, measuring the depth of an uncovered shallow well on Ibrahim’s farm in Hudur district, Somalia, March 2025. The surrounding area appears dry, underscoring the urgent need for rehabilitation to support effective farm irrigation.

Farmers in Hudur district, Southern Somalia, face a harsh reality: scarce rainfall, dry land and the added burden of ongoing conflict, making life even tougher.

For Ibrahim, a father of nine, five boys and four girls, these challenges meant a constant struggle for survival. His farm, situated on arid land, yielded little. While a well existed on his farm, the demanding task of manually drawing water with buckets was exhausting and inefficient. With limited water output, he was forced to rely on the rare and unpredictable rainfall, which often led to crop failure and deep worry about feeding his family.

Ibrahim's struggle was a common one in his community. 

"Initially, we faced many challenges, including water scarcity, poor seed quality and limited agricultural skills,” he shared. The cycle of hardship seemed endless.

Ibrahim irrigates his farm in Hudur, Somalia, August 2025, using a hose connected to a solar-powered system. This marks a significant shift from the previous manual bucket method to a more efficient irrigation process, made possible through support from the NAF project.

Supported by World Vision Support Offices, the World Vision Somali Nexus Accelerator Fund project stepped in to offer a path forward. The project provided farmers like Ibrahim with the training they needed, along with drought-resistant seeds. Crucially, it rehabilitated his water source and installed a new solar-powered irrigation system. This transformative intervention eliminated manual labour.

The impact was immediate and profound. "Now, water reaches areas it never reached before, allowing me to irrigate previously barren land, and reviving dry plants.” He added.

With the new irrigation system, he can water his plants regularly, cultivating a much larger piece of land and harvesting more.

His farm, once a source of worry, is now a source of abundance. 

"I can now feed my children with food from the farm, and I sell the surplus at the market," he explained. 

Ibrahim’s wife and son are arranging, harvested crops on their farm in Hudur, Somalia, August 2025. In the background, solar panels installed with support from the NAF project provide electricity to pump water from the rehabilitated well, enabling sustainable irrigation.

The money he earns from selling his produce helps pay for his children's education, securing a brighter future for them.

With the farm now thriving, Ibrahim’s family has become an essential part of his success. His wife helps manage the crops and organise produce for the market, while his children assist with harvesting after they return from school. This teamwork has strengthened their bond and turned farming into a shared family effort.

Thanks to the support and funding from World Vision support offices, Ibrahim and his family are no longer dependent on unpredictable weather. They have transformed a story of scarcity into a testament of surplus and new possibilities.

– by Hodan Isse, Communications Officer - NAF, World Vision Somalia