Website Department of Water Resources
General Information
Water scarcity is a significant cause of conflict in Somalia’s nomadic pastoralist societies. In recent history, the Horn of Africa has experienced recurrent drought due to global climate change and related environmental shocks, which contribute to poverty, displacement, biodiversity loss and conflict.
Somalia’s primary water resources are the rivers of Jubba and Shabelle. Both originate in Ethiopia and flow into Somalia. In 2017, the Drought Impact and Needs Assessment (DINA) commissioned by the Somalia Ministry of Planning in partnership with the European Union, the United Nations, and World Bank, found that food insecurity and scarcity of drinking water, coupled with displacement, contribute to rural conflict, child malnutrition and water-borne disease.
Also, Building human and institutional capacities for sustainable water supply. Building technical capacities for data collection and analysis, monitoring and evaluation, safe water provision, and hygiene promotion. Training community leaders, elders, teachers and local authorities on community mobilization to raise awareness on safe water handling, hand washing, and waste management through household visits, campaigns, and community forums are very vital.
Name of Host Institution
Ministry of Energy and Water Resources
Focal Point in Host Institution
Name Eng. Omar Shurie
Email: omarshurie@gmail.com
Background Information about Host Institution
The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources was established in 2014 with overall responsibility of two sectors namely: Water Resources and Energy exploration, development and distribution on an equitable basis to the Somali society.
The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources is responsible for the formulation, direction and coordination of the national energy and water resources. Furthermore, the ministry involves policy-making, setting standard operation, national planning, regulation, monitoring, and technical support of regional states in relation to energy and water resources in order to promote social and economic development of the country. In service delivery, the Ministry is supported by three autonomous organizations namely:
- Somali Energy Agency
- Somali Water Development Agency
- Mogadishu Water Agency
POSITION INFORMATION
Organizational unit/ Department: Department of Water Resources, MoEWR
Duration of assignment: From 1st June 2020 Till 31st August 2020
Objectives of Assignment
The Overall Objective of this assignment is to equip trainees with tools and concepts to enable designing cost-effective water and nutrient management strategies for improved and sustainable water use and food production within the safe operational boundaries. This will be achieved in the following three steps: (step 1) hand-on training on the tools and concepts will be carried out, (step 2) group discussions will be facilitated to co-identify water and nutrient management challenges from field to water system levels in Ethiopian; (step 3) the identified challenges will be sharpened into research/project topics so that detailed follow-up activities will be planned. The expected follow up activities include CD4D participant along with staff from BiT will supervise MSc and/or PhD students on the identified research topics by applying the learnt tools and concepts, ii-joint project proposal will be developed by BiT and myself and applied for a call.
Output/Deliverables
- Strengthens the capacity of local for using GIS software
- Trains local staff within the MoEWR particularly the department of Water Resources to build their capacity in this field;
- Establishes and maintains contacts and effective relationships with the local staff and officials at the Ministry;
Responsibilities and Accountabilities
- Will prepare the training, software for GIS, Work Station and reference materials on the model (APEX) and on the concepts (Water Footprint and Yield gap analysis)
- The participant will facilitate group works so that trainees could identify research topics/ projects
- Assist ongoing research by a PhD student will be reviewed and feedback will be given by the participant
Competencies
- Behavioural
- Punctuality
- Active participation in the discussion and group work
- Technical
- Quantitative skill
- Good Communication Skills
Education and Experience
MSc/PhD in Irrigation Engineering, Water Management or agronomy.
Language Requirements
Able to write, read and communicate in Somali and English