Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Following more than two decades of civil war, Somalia has made important progress in recent years with the establishment of permanent political, economic and security institutions. This points towards a future with stronger prospects for peace and for economic and social development. Agriculture remains key to the livelihood of half of Somalia’s population that still lives in rural areas. It is also key to the country’s food security and economic growth prospects.
Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa, measuring 3,330 km and claims an EEZ of some 830,389 km² (Per Erik Bergh. 2011). Its fishery resources are significant, with an estimated sustainable potential in the order of 200,000 MT per year for pelagic fish stocks, based on several fish surveys conducted in the 1970s and 1980s (FAO Fishery Country Profile. 2005).