EU, FAO launch sustainable water and land use project in Puntland

Authorities in Puntland state can now be able to develop infrastructure for sustainable water and land use based on accurate and actionable data thanks to a newly launched project supported by the EU and FAO.

The EU, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) jointly with the Puntland government Tuesday launched the Integrated Land and Water Resources Management (ILWRM) Project which aims at strengthening the capacity of government institutions to create an Information Management Centre (IMC).

According to a joint statement, the IMC will ‘provide all the information and services required to design strategies, plans and infrastructures to improve access to water and sustainable use of land resources, especially for rural communities’.

The EU Chargé d’Affaires, Fulgencio Garrido Ruiz said the project will be instrumental in enabling the government to design and manage water infrastructure in ‘in a sustainable way on the basis of adequate plans and information’.

The projects builds on the expertise and information accumulated during over 15 years by FAO Somalia Water And Land Information Management (SWALIM) programme and will create the conditions for a progressive transfer of capacity and responsibility to the Government. “ILWRM project work as a pilot for further expansion to the whole Country” expressed Mr. Etienne Peterschmitt, Head of Programme of FAO Somalia.

The ILWRM which has an overall EU contribution of 3.2 million Euro is shared with Somaliland.