About

My name is Ismail Abdikani. I work as the Head of Planning and Policy at the Puntland Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. I have experience in project planning, monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning, and agricultural development. I have worked with government, development partners, and farming communities to improve food security and sustainable agriculture. I am passionate about agriculture because it is the backbone of Somalia’s economy and the main source of livelihood for many families. I am especially interested in climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, crop production, and supporting farmers to increase productivity. My goal is to contribute to modernizing agriculture, improving food security, and creating better opportunities for rural communities.

Areas of Expertise

Impact & Achievements

I implemented agricultural and livelihood activities across seven villages. I trained more than 300 farmers on climate-smart agriculture and sustainable farming practices. I established 10 Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups and supported them with a total of US$70,000 in grants. Through a Cash-for-Work program, community members worked for three months and received US$80 per month while carrying out agroforestry activities. Across the seven villages, the groups planted around 10,000 trees to improve the environment and strengthen climate resilience. I also supervised the construction of 3,322 meters of irrigation canals, improving access to water for farming. In addition, I trained community animal health workers who supported the vaccination of more than 8,000 livestock. These interventions improved agricultural productivity, strengthened food security, increased household incomes, created temporary employment, improved irrigation systems, and enhanced the resilience of farming and pastoral communities across the seven villages.