Water Scarcity in Somalia: A Growing Challenge

Strategic Insights -

The Center for Natural Resources has published a new study on water scarcity in Somalia, highlighting the country's specific challenges in managing its water resources. According to the research, water scarcity is a significant issue in Somalia, particularly in the Juba and Shabelle river basins, where frequent droughts, poor infrastructure, and weak governance systems contribute to chronic water shortages. The study aims to fill the gap in existing global studies by analyzing the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to water scarcity in Somalia, using a narrative review of 49 selected sources.

Key Takeaways:

  • Water scarcity is a growing challenge in Somalia, particularly in the Juba and Shabelle river basins, where overdependence on upstream flows from Ethiopia, frequent droughts, poor infrastructure, and weak governance systems contribute to chronic water shortages.
  • The study uses narrative analysis to identify physical and economic drivers of scarcity, such as climate change, lack of investment, and policy gaps.
  • Sustainable strategies such as Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and rainwater harvesting are widely supported in the literature as effective approaches for improving water availability.
  • Rainwater harvesting is recommended by FAO-SWALIM (2013) to support agricultural resilience in Somalia's arid zones, while UNEP (2024) highlights IWRM as essential for building institutional coordination in water-scarce environments.
  • The study concludes that sustainable water solutions in Somalia must combine technical innovation with traditional knowledge, improved governance, and regional cooperation to ensure long-term water security.
  • The study's authors include Omar Aweis Ali, Deka Ahmed Siad, Abdiaziz Sudi Alasow, Abdirisack Daoud Mohamed, Abdiaziz Yusuf Abdullahi, and Abdurrahman Aweis Ali.

Statistics:

  • 49 sources were selected for the study, drawn from an initial pool of 120 publications published between 1989 and 2025.
  • Over 90% of the sources analyzed identified climate change as a major driver of water scarcity in Somalia.
  • 75% of the sources supported the use of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) as an effective approach for improving water availability.
  • 85% of the sources recommended rainwater harvesting as a sustainable strategy for improving water availability in Somalia's arid zones.

Sources:

  • From scarcity to sustainability: a review of the causes, consequences, and management strategies of water scarcity in Somalia. Discover Sustainability, 2025,6(1):1-17.
  • FAO-SWALIM (2013) - Recommendations for Rainwater Harvesting to Support Agricultural Resilience in Somalia's Arid Zones.
  • UNEP (2024) - Institutional Coordination in Water-Sparse Environments.