According to the Bank’s website, the overall development objective of ACALS is to improve food security and resilience for vulnerable rural households in Somalia by expanding access to climate-smart agricultural technologies, restoring productive assets, and enabling communities to better prepare for and respond to climate risks. More specifically, the project aims to:
(i) rehabilitate irrigation canals, feeder roads, and water-harvesting structures to improve agricultural productivity;
(ii) promote drought-tolerant crops, improved seeds, and climate-resilient farming practices;
(iii) strengthen agro-processing and market linkages;
(iv) improve community-level natural resource management; and
(v) build the capacity of federal and state institutions to plan, implement, and monitor climate-resilient agricultural development.

The project responds directly to Somalia’s increasing vulnerability to climate change, recurrent droughts, and degradation of arable land.

The Activating Climate-Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods in Somalia (ACALS) Project aims to enhance the resilience and productivity of Somalia’s agropastoral and pastoral households by scaling up climate-smart agriculture, rehabilitating productive infrastructure, and strengthening institutional capacity. The total project cost is UA 19.85 million, of which UA 16 million is financed through an ADF grant under the Transition Support Facility (TSF), Pillars I and III. The Government of Somalia contributes UA 3.85 million in counterpart funding. The project is implemented in the regions of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West State, and Jubaland - areas severely affected by climate shocks, protracted drought, and reduced agricultural output. Implementation is led by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, in coordination with State Ministries, under a structure that includes project coordination, monitoring, safeguards management, and field-level delivery.

Environmental Category: [2] Moderate Risk

The project category is confirmed as Category 2. The project is expected to pose low to moderate environmental and social risks and impacts, primarily due to the construction of climate-resilient water infrastructure under Component 1 (Water Resource and Rangeland Management), including irrigation canals and boreholes to supply water for crop and livestock production and improve community water access. Activities proposed under Component 2 (Improving Agricultural Productivity and Market Access), Component 3 (Strengthening Community Disaster and Climate Risk Management Capacities), and Component 4 (Project and Knowledge Management) are considered low risk.

The project does not entail involuntary resettlement, and no Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) is required.

The total project cost is UA 19.85 million, of which UA 16 million is financed through an ADF grant under the Transition Support Facility (TSF), Pillars I and III. The Government of Somalia contributes UA 3.85 million in counterpart funding.

Financial Instrument: Project Cycle Grant
Commitments (UA): 7,106,414
Conversion Rate USD (2025-12-02): 1,34533

Name: Jeffrey Bainomugisha KWESIGA
Email: j.kwesiga@afdb.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/request-for-documents. Under the AfDBs Disclosure and Access to Information policy, if you feel the Bank has omitted to publish information or your request for information is unreasonably denied, you can file an appeal at https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/appeals-process.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AfDB

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the IRM, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a dispute resolution dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the AfDB complied with its policies to prevent environmental and social harms. You can submit a complaint electronically by emailing crmuinfo@afdb.org, b.kargougou@afdb.org, b.fall@afdb.org, and/or s.toure@afdb.org. You can learn more about the IRM and how to file a complaint at: https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/