Somalia ranks as one of the least-developed countries in the world and has been severely affected by conflict
and natural disasters. Since the civil war in 1991, a protracted and complex humanitarian and livelihoods
crisis has existed in the country. This has resulted in large-scale population displacement, deterioration of
infrastructure and a decline in access to services, all of which have limited the livelihood opportunities of
poor Somali households. Declining access to natural resources and increasing frequency of drought cycles
are making it increasingly difficult for rural households to maintain their livestock and crop production levels.
It is commonly acknowledged that drought cycles in the Horn of Africa region as a whole are becoming
shorter and more severe, meaning traditional coping mechanisms are becoming inadequate and households
have little time to recover before the next crisis.