Cultivating peace in the Horn of Africa
In brief
From landmines to crops: clearing minefields, restoring ecosystems and rebuilding livelihoods.
The challenge
Across the Horn of Africa, rural communities face the double threat of legacy explosive ordnance and environmental degradation. In the first instance, landmines and other explosive ordnance from years of conflict continue to endanger lives and livelihoods. Minefields in particular cut off access to grazing land, vital water resources and other ecosystem services. They cause devastating accidents and kill the valuable livestock that pastoralist and agropastoralist families rely on for survival.
Deka Salaan, Deminer, HALO Somaliland, said: "The minefields injure both people and animals, many camels and sheep have been blown up. It has caused a lot of destruction in the village."
Meanwhile, increasingly severe environmental degradation is destroying the traditional way of life for rural communities. Families already living on the margins are often required to fall back on diminishing natural resources to survive, including the production of charcoal, leading to deforestation, land degradation and soil erosion.
The system of managed reserves of rangeland for animals to graze in times of drought in Somalia has long since collapsed, increasing local people's vulnerability. Pressure on limited natural resources helps drive internal displacement, placing further stress on communities and regions. To build more resilient and secure communities, it is vital that land rehabilitation and ecosystem restoration takes place, while the physical security of local people is maintained through the removal of explosive ordnance.
The solution
Since 2021, HALO has facilitated mine action projects combining explosive ordnance clearance with environmental restoration. In doing so, we reduce the risk of death or devastating injuries from landmine accidents and improve livelihood opportunities and environmental outcomes in a region with a highly vulnerable ecosystem.
While local women and men are recruited and trained to clear the landmines that threaten their lives and livelihoods, HALO works with national partners to support communities to adapt. This includes:
constructing soil bunds for rainwater catchment to improve percolation and support the regrowth of vegetation on cleared land
reseeding safe land with native grasses to reduce soil erosion and degradation
planting multi-purpose, drought-resistant trees for shade, fruit and animal fodder
building fenced community-run enclosures to aid dry season fodder production and biodiversity gains
equipping communities with the knowledge and tools to maintain project assets under their own management
rehabilitating community water storage facilities to prevent contamination and evaporation.
The impact
These initiatives aim to build resilient communities through the sustainable rehabilitation of cleared land, reducing the negative impacts of environmental degradation that can contribute to the onset of conflict and displacement in fragile socioeconomic conditions. Making land safe saves lives, prevents accidents and reduces pressure on limited productive land in communities. Land restoration builds shared community assets, improves access to natural resources and offers livelihood and development opportunities.
With local employment an essential aspect of realizing these activities, projects directly tackle poverty through the provision of cash-for-work initiatives in rural areas that lack job opportunities. With all aspects of projects led by national partners, communities themselves are trained and empowered to understand and manage their local environment. This provides a template that can be replicated and scaled accordingly across rural areas to maximize community impact and encourage sustainable land management.
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