1. The Resilient and Efficient Agroecological Value Chains and Technologies for Water and Food Security of Small Farmers in Somalia (REACT) Project is a three-year initiative funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). The project is jointly implemented by Action Against Hunger (ACF) in partnership with Genius Investor, READO, Zamzam University of Science & Technology (ZUST), and key government institutions including Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development (MoPIED), Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MoAI) and the ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE), these ministries provide critical coordination, technical oversight, and monitoring roles throughout implementation.

The REACT project directly responds to major challenges in Baidoa, including:

• Limited access to water and poor water-management: Groundwater available but underutilized, Farmers rely on hand-dug wells and basic tools; irrigation is costly and female participation is low and Heavy reliance on rainfed agriculture.
• Low agricultural productivity: Unsustainable practices & soil degradation, Low crop diversity increases and Farmers lack technical knowledge; public extension services are inadequate.
• Limited and undiversified income sources: Poor market knowledge; crop choices based on social norms, Lack of post-harvest storage and processing → oversupply and low prices and little access to credit or capital for income- generating activities.

Gender barriers: Poor market knowledge; crop choices based on social norms, Lack of post-harvest storage and processing and oversupply and low prices and little access to credit or capital for income-generating activities.

To address these challenges the project has expected outcomes;

• Result 1: Improve access to water through the introduction of Water Management and Conservation Systems (WMCs), water supply, storage and distribution infrastructure, and dissemination of Water Soil Conservation practices for farmers.
• Result 2: Improve production assets from an agroecological perspective and 'technical assistance provided by the state will enable farmers to further strengthen and diversify primary production, integrating complementary activities to agriculture (greenhouses, compost, forest nurseries, poultry).
• Result 3: Consolidate food and income chains-through strengthening the management capacities of producer groups with the PGM (Producer Marketing Group) approach, the provision of facilities and equipment for food storage, processing and preservation, the ability of groups to manage commercial activities at the supply chain level, and access to credit and financial services tailored especially to the needs of women (VSLAs, community savings groups).

To reach these results the project has general objectives and specific objectives;

·       General Objective

To achieve water and food security and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farming families in the Bay Region, Somalia.

·       Specific Objective

To support the adoption of a food production system based on agroecological practices, Productive, efficient, and capable of preserving natural resources (soil and water) by smallholder farming families in the peri-urban area of Baidoa.

REACT is a locally led, co-created, and farmer-centered programme designed to strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers in Baidoa and its peri-urban areas. The project aims to build long-term community capacity to manage water resources, enhance food production, improve value chain functions, and expand financial inclusion opportunities.

The project duration is 1st Sept, 2025 until 31st Aug, 2028, targeting Baidoa District, SWS including five peri-urban villages including Waberi, Darusalam, Howlwadag, Horseed and Adada. The project also operates across four key sectors including WASH, Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL), Nutrition-supportive agriculture and Gender Empowerment & Inclusion.