ISTANBUL, Turkey — At a time when global food systems face unprecedented strain, Somalia’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdi Hayir Maareeye, brought a critical perspective from the front lines of climate crisis to this year’s World Ministers of Agriculture Forum in Istanbul. The forum’s theme, “Preventing Food and Water Loss and Protecting Our Future,” resonated deeply with Somalia’s immediate reality.
Minister Maareeye’s address went beyond diplomatic formalities, delivering an urgent appeal for collective action rooted in Somalia’s harsh experience. “What we are witnessing in Somalia is not an isolated crisis but a preview of challenges that could affect regions worldwide if left unaddressed,” the minister warned delegates.
The Somali Context: A Nation on the Front Lines
Somalia’s vulnerability to food and water insecurity stems from a convergence of factors that make the minister’s message particularly compelling. The country has experienced five consecutive failed rainy seasons—a phenomenon directly linked to climate change that has devastated agricultural production and pastoral livelihoods. An estimated 55% of Somalia’s population faces acute food insecurity, while water sources have diminished to critical levels, forcing communities to travel increasingly longer distances for basic survival.
“The reduction of food and water loss is not just an environmental or economic issue—it is a humanitarian imperative,” Maareeye emphasized, connecting abstract policy discussions to human suffering. His statement reflects the reality that in Somalia, food and water scarcity directly translates to malnutrition, displacement, and conflict over dwindling resources.
Beyond Rhetoric: The UN Resolution and Practical Implementation
The minister specifically referenced United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/74/209, which calls on countries to strengthen efforts to reduce food and water losses. While important as a framework, Maareeye stressed that resolutions alone cannot address the scale of the challenge.
“For vulnerable nations like Somalia, implementing such resolutions requires tangible support in the form of technology transfer, infrastructure development, and capacity building,” he explained. “We need practical solutions—from improved grain storage that prevents post-harvest losses to water harvesting techniques that capture scarce rainfall—not just policy declarations.”
The Call for Equity in Global Response
Maareeye’s appeal for “enhanced international cooperation” represents more than standard diplomatic language. It underscores a fundamental inequity in the global response to climate-related food insecurity: nations like Somalia, which have contributed least to global emissions, are bearing the heaviest burden of climate impacts while having the fewest resources to adapt.
His position at the forum gave voice to the reality that food and water security in the 21st century cannot be achieved through national efforts alone. Transboundary water management, shared agricultural research, and climate-resilient infrastructure require coordinated international action that acknowledges different levels of responsibility and capacity.
As the Istanbul forum concluded, Minister Maareeye’s message served as a sobering reminder that preventing food and water loss is not merely about technical efficiency—it is about global justice, climate responsibility, and recognizing our interconnected fate in an increasingly resource-constrained world.