EU IMPACT: Advancing Green Skills, Circular Economy & Agri-Food Innovation in Somalia

Written By Shaqodoon Communications Team

Challenge

Somalia faces urgent economic and environmental challenges—from unemployment and food insecurity to climate vulnerability and an overreliance on unsustainable practices. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions remain under-resourced, with limited access to modern skills in green energy, circular economy, and agri-food systems. Youth and women often lack pathways to secure employment in these growing sectors, while the private sector struggles to find adequately trained green professionals.

Without coordinated efforts to promote sustainable livelihoods and equip future generations with green skills, Somalia risks falling behind on both economic inclusion and climate resilience.

Project Goals

The EU IMPACT Project aims to increase access to renewable energy, accelerate the transition to a circular economy, and expand sustainable agri-food value chains in Somalia. By transforming TVET ecosystems and building linkages between youth, educators, government, and private sector, the project lays the foundation for a green economy powered by Somali innovation.

Key Activities

  • Community Awareness Campaigns: Promote the importance of green skills and TVET for both men and women across key districts.

  • Scholarships & Mobile Training: Deliver merit-based scholarships to disadvantaged students and deploy mobile units to reach remote communities with green skills training.

  • Green Skills Innovation Fund (GSIF): Foster public-private innovation in renewable energy, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture.

  • TVET Modernization: Upgrade infrastructure and equipment at existing institutions to support hands-on learning in green sectors.

  • Green Jobs Pipeline: Facilitate internships, apprenticeships, and startup support through direct links with green industry partners.

  • Green Product Development: Support TVET students to develop and market eco-friendly products—like reusable goods and sustainable packaging—through school-based production systems.

  • Digital Learning Platforms: Create accessible and flexible e-learning platforms focused on renewable energy, climate resilience, and circular economy.

  • Incubation & Innovation Hubs: Establish labs and incubators within TVETs to enable learners to prototype and launch sustainable businesses.

  • Policy Advocacy: Work with ministries and private sector to align green skills training with labor market needs and co-develop national green skills frameworks.

Expected Impact

  • ✔️ 3,513 youth and adults equipped with green economy skills by 2027

  • ✔️ Strengthened collaboration between public institutions and the private sector

  • ✔️ Upgraded and climate-resilient TVET institutions across 4 regions

  • ✔️ Increased employment opportunities and income for youth and women

  • ✔️ Improved production and marketing of green products in Somalia

  • ✔️ Enhanced national capacity for climate resilience and economic diversification

More Details

  • Project Lead: Ahmed Yusuf Mohamed| a.yusuf@shaqodoon.org

  • Location: Bosaso, Garowe, Badhan, Laascaanood (Somalia)

  • Start Date – End Date: January 2025 – December 2027

  • Donor(s): European Union

  • Partner(s): Local TVET institutions, green industry actors, youth groups, and Somali government authorities

  • Tags: Green Economy, TVET, Renewable Energy, Circular Economy, Climate Resilience, Youth Empowerment

Shaqodoon Communications Team
Next

EMERGE: Empowering Marginalized Groups through Economic Graduation in Somalia (2024–2029)