SWALIM is running a 5-day training course on Geo-Spatial software and systems for local Somali NGO’s based in Nairobi and in South Central Somalia. The course targets selected participants from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster, Food Security Cluster (FSC) and the Somali NGO Consortium and covers the Global Positioning System (GPS), Google Earth and basic Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

SWALIM has organized a one-day meeting with its four institutional partners on Saturday, 5th December, 2015. The four institutions include the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), the Ministry of Environment and Rural Development (MoERD) and the National Environment Research and Disaster Management Authority (NERAD). The purpose of this meeting will be to inform them about SWALIM’s work and the products and services that SWALIM has developed, since most of the staff in these ministries are new.

The Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF) has confirmed that El Nino conditions have intensified and will affect the region during the September to December rainy season. The El Nino event is likely to lead to a wetter than normal Deyr season in parts of the country. The rainfall forecast indicates that the Deyr 2015 season in  Somalia is expected to be above normal (45% probability of above normal rains) with a tendency of 35 % probability of normal rains in the south and central regions. To view the detailed outlook, download the

Floods triggered by El Niño could affect up to 900,000 people along Somalia’s rivers. Much higher than normal rains in the last third of 2015, resulting from the El Niño climate phenomenon, could reverse many of the humanitarian and development gains made in southern parts of Somalia.  read more.

Video Q&A about El Niño with FAO's Hussein Gadain

SWALIM has concluded a 10 day Geo-Spatial training course for the Somaliland Ministry of Environment and Rural Development in Hargeisa, held in May 2015. The course targeted selected ministrytechnical staff and covered Global Positioning System (GPS), Google Earth, Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing among other related topics.

SWALIM, in collaboration with a consulting company, is investigating groundwater potential in 10 selected sites in Ceel Waaq district, Gedo Region in Southern Somalia. The investigations involve geophysics and hydrogeology surveys at these sites.

SWALIM in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Electricity and Water are currently setting up data centres to serve water and land resources information needs in Mogadishu. The data centers will be based in the two ministries and will be fully equipped by SWALIM.