📍 Hobyo District (South and North), including Danwadag and Barwaqo IDP settlements, Galmudug State
DRRDO, in partnership with WFP, is implementing a relief program across Hobyo district and 58 Food Distribution Points, providing food and cash-based transfer assistance to households affected by drought, conflict and displacement, including in the Danwadag and Barwaqo IDP settlements.
In response to these shocks, DRRDO, in partnership with WFP, is implementing a relief program in Hobyo district (south and north) covering 58 Food Distribution Points (FDPs), including the Danwadag and Barwaqo IDP settlements, which are relief intervention areas.
Somalia faced a series of shocks after the fall of the military regime in 1991 that has affected the way of life of its people. The humanitarian situation has deteriorated, straining the wellbeing of vulnerable groups and widening food consumption gaps. These crises have been driven by natural hazards such as drought and floods, alongside internal clan conflicts.
In Galmudug state, particularly Hobyo district, multiple shocks — drought, internal conflicts, desert locust infestation and the COVID-19 pandemic — have affected community resilience. The latest drought assessment revealed acute water shortages in parts of Galmudug, particularly Hobyo, Abudwaaq and Dhusamareeb districts, among the worst-hit areas. A large population in Hobyo district is food insecure following desert locust invasion of pasture and plantations, depriving livestock of fodder. Hobyo district has also experienced erratic and poor Deyr rainfall performance, compounded by the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.
The program's objective is to provide timely food and cash-based transfer assistance to drought- and conflict-affected households across Hobyo district's 58 Food Distribution Points, including the Danwadag and Barwaqo IDP settlements, in partnership with WFP.
Handling, transportation and distribution of food and cash/voucher assistance.
Community mobilisation prior to each distribution round, including household rotational planning to prioritise new arrivals and minority groups.
Registration of beneficiaries using biometric SCOPE software, with data shared with the WFP system.
Distribution of cash vouchers, with beneficiaries topping up and redeeming entitlements at Food Distribution Points.
Field monitoring of households after distribution, including tracking of households that missed their monthly entitlement.
Coordination with local authorities to strengthen security during distribution periods.
DRRDO's Cooperating Partner (CP) focus is the handling, transportation and distribution of food. Community committees were established in targeted IDP and rural areas for the vulnerable population, and the CP's SCOPE registration team carried out registration using dedicated software, sharing the data with the WFP system. During voucher distribution, only registered beneficiaries who arrived at FDPs or drop-off points could top up and redeem their entitlements. In-kind food was distributed on time, with all project beneficiaries receiving their entitlement. The CP maintains a risk management policy and monitors households after distribution to identify any households that missed their monthly entitlement, and verifies that food reaching each FDP arrives in the correct quantity and in good condition, signed and stamped.
58 sites covered, with 5,072 households reached against a planned target of 5,072 (100% achieved).
5,072 beneficiaries reached against a planned target of 5,072 (100% achieved).
2,354 cash and voucher (C&V) transfers distributed against a planned target of 2,354 (100% achieved).
Many pastoralist communities that lost livestock formed small settlements in the relief intervention area where they can access humanitarian services.
Community committees were established in targeted IDP and rural areas to support the vulnerable population.
Market affiliation across relief intervention villages and Hobyo town limits purchasing power of the monthly entitlement.
Households travel long distances in search of pasture and water for their livestock, making distribution and entitlement delivery time-consuming.
Shortage of resources, particularly during registration, given resource constraints across the wider Somalia region.
DRRDO shared market affiliation information with the WFP area office to help address the issue.
DRRDO deployed staff with a vehicle to reach households that had travelled far in search of pasture and water, to ensure they received their entitlement.
DRRDO explained resource-shortage constraints to communities and prioritised the most vulnerable households given limited resources.
Increase households' monthly entitlement to ensure sufficient food at household level.
Provide additional support (e.g. EVC plus) to households searching for pasture and water for their livestock.
Implement livelihood projects as a sustainable, alternative source of income for affected communities.
