Unlocking Resilience: How M-Dalag Is Digitally Transforming Somali Agriculture

Introduction

Somalia's agricultural sector, a cornerstone of its economy, faces significant challenges due to climate change, including recurrent droughts, erratic rainfall, and pest infestations. These adversities have led to decreased crop yields, loss of livestock, and heightened food insecurity (FAO, 2023; OCHA, 2023). Institutions are turning to technology-based innovations to tackle these climate-related challenges in Somalia. One such organization is Shaqodoon, which developed M-Dalag—a mobile-based platform aimed at empowering farmers with essential services and information to foster climate-resilient agricultural practices (Shaqodoon, n.d.).

Agriculture is fundamental to Somalia's economy, accounting for approximately 65% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing a significant portion of the population (World Bank, 2023). However, the sector is highly vulnerable to climate-induced challenges and recurrent climate shocks. The increasing frequency of droughts, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and pest outbreaks have severely affected smallholder farmers and pastoralists, exacerbating food insecurity and economic instability (FAO, 2023).

Climate change has intensified extreme weather events in Somalia. The nation has experienced multiple major droughts since 2010, with the 2021–2023 drought being the most severe in four decades, affecting over 7.8 million people (OCHA, 2023). These prolonged dry spells have decimated crops and herds, undermining the livelihoods of communities reliant on agriculture and livestock. Erratic rainfall and flooding have disrupted planting and harvesting cycles, leading to soil erosion and reduced arable land. The 2019–2022 locust infestation further compounded these challenges, as swarms consumed vast areas of cropland and pasture, threatening food security across the Horn of Africa (FAO, 2023).

Systemic issues such as inadequate infrastructure, limited access to markets, and insufficient agricultural support services further exacerbate these climate-induced disasters. Farmers often lack timely information on weather patterns, pest outbreaks, and best farming practices, hindering their ability to adapt to changing conditions.

In response to these pressing challenges, Shaqodoon developed M-Dalag, an innovative mobile-based platform designed to empower Somali farmers by providing essential agricultural services. M-Dalag connects farmers with tractor owners, input suppliers, and buyers, facilitating transparent and efficient agricultural transactions through simple toll-free calls. This approach ensures accessibility for farmers across various literacy levels and regions (Shaqodoon, n.d.).

Key Features and Impact of M-Dalag

• Market Information: M-Dalag offers real-time data on crop prices and demand, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about when and where to sell their produce, thereby reducing post-harvest losses and increasing profitability.

• Buyer-Seller Connectivity: The platform facilitates direct transactions between farmers and buyers, giving farmers bargaining power and ensuring fair pricing.

• Input Supplier Network: M-Dalag links farmers with verified suppliers of high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and tools, ensuring timely access to essential inputs that enhance productivity.

• Expert Advisory Services: Through an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, farmers receive tailored advice on pest management, soil health, and climate adaptation strategies, empowering them to implement climate-resilient practices.

• Tractor Booking Service: The platform connects farmers with tractor owners, streamlining land preparation and promoting mechanized farming practices that improve efficiency and yield. This helps farmers access verified tractors that follow best practices.

• Feedback Mechanism: M-Dalag allows farmers to report challenges and provide feedback, facilitating continuous improvement of the platform and responsiveness to user needs.

Promoting Climate Resilience Through M-Dalag

By providing timely information and resources, M-Dalag empowers farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices. Access to expert advice enables farmers to select drought-resistant crop varieties and implement efficient irrigation techniques, mitigating the impacts of erratic rainfall and prolonged dry periods.

The platform's real-time data on pest outbreaks allows for swift response measures, reducing crop losses and enhancing food security. Additionally, by connecting farmers to markets and input suppliers, M-Dalag strengthens the agricultural value chain, promoting economic resilience in the face of climate-induced disruptions.

One notable achievement of M-Dalag is its role in empowering Jowhar’s rice farmers with market access.

📍 Case Study: Empowering Rice Farmers in Jowhar

Historically, Jowhar was the only place in Somalia known for rice-growing. However, after the collapse of the central government, rice farmers in Jowhar struggled to find reliable markets and lacked basic infrastructure. Unpredictable prices and lack of direct access to buyers meant that many farmers would either store surplus rice for long periods or sell at undervalued rates. With the arrival of M-Dalag, this trend has shifted significantly.

The platform provides Jowhar farmers with up-to-date market prices, direct connections to bulk buyers, and a transparent trading process. This has encouraged farmers to expand their cultivation areas, knowing that they now have a dependable market for their harvest.

For example, Ali Osman, a rice farmer from Jowhar, shared:

“Before M-Dalag, selling my rice was a gamble. Now, I can see market trends, negotiate fair prices, and sell directly to buyers. This has given me the confidence to plant more, knowing that my hard work will pay off.”

This is a testament to how M-Dalag supports farmers by providing accurate market information and buyer connections.

Furthermore, M-Dalag contributes to climate resilience by supporting farmers with expert advice tailored to seasonal patterns, helping them adapt to changing weather conditions. By facilitating access to drought-resistant seeds and promoting mechanized farming, M-Dalag ensures that farmers can maintain productivity even in challenging environments.

The platform’s role in stabilizing market access also helps limit displacement, as farmers who previously abandoned their land due to economic uncertainty can now stay and cultivate with confidence. It has also strengthened relationships between displaced and host communities, fostering cooperation and creating alternative livelihoods. A reliable income from agriculture allows families to sustain themselves, invest in their communities, and reduce dependency on humanitarian aid.

M-Dalag is more than just a digital tool; it is a game-changer in Somali agriculture. By addressing farmers' most pressing challenges—market access, mechanization, expert support, and climate resilience—it is creating a new era of agricultural success. Farmers in Afgoye, Jowhar, Dolow, Bulo Burde, and Luuq are now reaping the benefits, proving that technology-driven solutions can transform traditional farming practices, limit displacement, and improve livelihoods across the country.

Recent Achievements

M-Dalag continues to make a measurable impact on Somalia’s agricultural sector by expanding market access, improving farming efficiency, and supporting climate resilience through its integrated digital platform. Since its inception, the platform has registered over 9,000 farmers across its IVR and mobile app systems in key project locations, including Bulo Burde, Jowhar, Luuq, Dolow, and Afgooye. Engagement has also grown among stakeholders, with 186 buyers, 66 input sellers, and 91 tractor owners actively participating in the network.

The platform’s call log attests to its reach, with more than 26,800 calls recorded and over 1,570 unique callers utilizing the system for information and services. Most calls originate from farmers requesting real-time market prices, highlighting the platform’s role in supporting informed decision-making. M-Dalag’s disease reporting feature has also proven vital, facilitating more than 1,100 crop disease reports through IVR, voicemail, and the mobile app, with 380 cases successfully processed and addressed by experts.

Mechanization has been significantly enhanced through M-Dalag’s tractor matching service, with 1,854 tractor requests made and 1,797 successfully matched. Over 600 of these matches have been verified, allowing for timely land preparation and improved planting cycles. Regions such as Bulo Burde, Jowhar, and Dolow have reported the highest activity, demonstrating the broad adoption of this service.

Buyer-farmer connectivity has translated into substantial economic benefits. Through M-Dalag, direct transactions have been facilitated in all major project areas, resulting in the sale of nearly $23,000 worth of crops. In Bulo Burde, farmers sold maize, tomato, cowpeas, and watermelon, while Jowhar saw significant rice, cowpea, maize, and sesame sales. In Dolow, onions, maize, and cowpeas dominated transactions, and in Luuq, sales included maize, cowpeas, and tomatoes. For example, Jowhar farmers sold 14,800 kilograms of rice, earning $7,400, and Dolow farmers sold over 4,000 kilograms of onions for $2,858.

These achievements have strengthened farmer-buyer linkages, promoted fair pricing, and fostered greater economic stability for Somali farmers. Mechanization and disease advisory services have further improved agricultural productivity and resilience. M-Dalag remains dedicated to leveraging technology for farmer empowerment, food security, and the sustainable growth of agriculture across Somalia.

Call to Action

As an independent advocate for climate resilience and agricultural development, I urge the Government of Somalia, international donors, and local telecommunications companies to support M-Dalag in its mission to transform the agricultural sector:

• Government Support: The Government of Somalia should officially integrate M-Dalag into its national agricultural strategy, ensuring that every farmer in the country benefits from this innovative platform. Increased funding and policy support will enable nationwide expansion and sustainability.

• Donor Investment: International donors and development partners should invest in M-Dalag to enhance its capacity, expand its reach, and improve digital infrastructure, ensuring that no farmer is left behind.

• Telecommunications Support: Local telecom companies should waive the charges on the M-Dalag calling line to ensure free access for all farmers. This step will remove financial barriers and encourage widespread adoption of the platform.

Supporting M-Dalag, stakeholders can empower Somali farmers, promote food security, and build resilience against climate change. Together, we can create a future where technology-driven agriculture drives economic growth and sustainability in Somalia.

📍 Testimonies from the Field

Jowhar: Enhancing Opportunity for Rice Farmers

Jowhar has traditionally been at the heart of rice cultivation in Somalia, yet its farmers have faced persistent challenges—limited market access, volatile prices, and little negotiating power. The breakdown of agricultural infrastructure following years of instability left many farmers unable to sell their produce efficiently or profitably.

The introduction of M-Dalag has brought a notable shift. With real-time market data and direct links to buyers, Jowhar’s rice farmers are now able to make informed decisions and secure better prices for their crops. Over the past season, local farmers sold more than 14,800 kilograms of rice through M-Dalag, earning a total of $7,400—a significant improvement over previous years. In addition to market access, the platform has streamlined access to tractor services and enabled rapid reporting of crop diseases, further supporting productivity and quality.

Ali Osman, a rice farmer in Jowhar, describes the difference:

“Before M-Dalag, marketing my rice was always uncertain and stressful. I often accepted low prices just to avoid losses. Now, with direct access to buyers and clear market information, I have confidence in negotiating and can sell my crops much more efficiently. This has allowed me to increase my acreage and improve my family’s well-being.”

Dolow: Access to Mechanization in Buloqalooc

Buloqalooc, Dolow, farmer Adan Mohamed Mohamud faced significant challenges accessing timely and affordable tractor services. With limited connections and high demand, securing mechanized farming assistance was often a struggle. However, his experience changed when he discovered the M-Dalag platform.

Adan utilized M-Dalag’s digital system to book tractor services from Hassan Sheikh Mohamed, eliminating the need for lengthy negotiations and uncertainty. “This booking process was easy and saved me a lot of time. It also helped me access quality seeds and connect with input sellers. The service was monitored by the M-Dalag team, boosting my productivity,” Adan shared.

His newfound efficiency led to a more organized planting season, ultimately improving his crop yields. Beyond just tractor access, the platform introduced Adan to expert consultation services, allowing him to address pest and disease issues before they significantly impacted his farm.

Afgoye: Agricultural Success in Balballey

Ahmed Hassan in Balballey, Afgoye, had long faced challenges from drought and inconsistent market access. With M-Dalag’s support, he gained access to high-quality drought-tolerant sorghum seeds and timely agricultural services. “M-Dalag helped me plant drought-tolerant sorghum. This season, I harvested 1.5 tons—double my usual yield. I sold it directly to a buyer and used the earnings to pay my daughter’s school fees. The IVR system also allowed me to report crop diseases and receive expert consultation,” Ahmed explained.

The digital platform’s integration of real-time market connections meant that Ahmed could sell his produce without the usual challenges of middlemen exploiting farmers with low prices. His increased income enabled him to reinvest in his farm, enhancing sustainability and food security in his community.

Conclusion

M-Dalag has become a lifeline for Somali farmers, bringing real, practical change to the heart of the country’s agriculture. By making it easier for over 9,000 farmers to connect with buyers, input suppliers, and tractor owners, M-Dalag has helped farmers earn nearly $23,000 from their crops, get timely help through more than 26,800 calls, and solve urgent problems like crop diseases faster than ever before. The platform’s support—matching close to 2,000 tractor requests and responding quickly to over 1,100 disease reports—means that farmers are not just surviving but finding new ways to thrive, even as climate challenges grow. These results show how a simple mobile tool can open up new markets, strengthen communities, and give families hope for a more stable and rewarding future. M-Dalag’s story is proof that when local innovation meets real needs, it can spark lasting, positive change for people across Somalia.

Liban Haji Mohamed