Many callers to Radio Ergo’s audience feedback platform this week (19-25 June 2025) cited the arrival of rainfall with benefits for livestock and farms. These were most notably from Hirshabelle regions, with some from other southern and central locations, and a few from Somaliland. One caller in Beletweyne said the river was flooding over its banks. A few callers, mainly from Somaliland and Mudug, complained of continuing drought and water crisis. Several callers in different regions reported high numbers of mosquitoes, with one female caller in Hiran saying that Chikungunya disease was spreading in the area. The following summarises the calls by theme.
– a female caller in Beletweyne said the Shabelle river was overflowing causing floods on the farms. She said people needed help in barricading the river banks. Another caller in Hiran said so far, the rain was helping their crops to grow, but people were wary about the risks of flooding.
– a female caller in Hiran (specific location not given) said that disease was spreading rapidly. In Somaliland, a caller in Buhodle said people needed bed nets to protect them from mosquito infestations. Two callers in Gedo region cited a disease that was causing itching among adults and children, and wanted help with treatment.
– a female caller in Jowhar, Middle Shabelle, said her young son was malnourished, but being new to the town she needed information about where to find the nearest nutrition centre. [Radio Ergo can broadcast the details of such centres in different locations if this information is made available to us].
– a female caller in Beletweyne said she was calling on behalf of IDP families who were facing food and water shortage. She said they were appealing for help.
– a caller in Bardera, Gedo, complained that the bridge people used to cross over the river had collapsed and they needed help in reconstructing it. Similar calls have been received on this issue in previous weeks.
– a caller in Galgadud region cited what he described as ugly conflicts in the region involving the locals and pastoralist communities. Callers in Mahaday, M. Shabelle, and Hiran were also concerned about conflict in their areas.
– a caller in Beer, Togdher region, called three times to talk about continuing drought and high temperatures. He said he had never experienced such high temperatures since he was young, and that people could barely walk for an hour in the scorching sun. He also asked for for the next three months, as they had not had the usual rainfall expected in July and August. Another caller in Qardho, Bari region, described intense heat and strong winds blowing in the area. [Radio Ergo is ready to broadcast more weather information for audiences across the country. We receive information from SWALIM, although audiences ask for much more on climate and the anticipated impact on their livelihoods].
– in Somaliland, a caller in Marodi-Jeh appealed for help saying they were facing drought conditions and their livestock were in a dire situation. One caller in Sanag said drought was prevailing there, and a camel herder in Sool said he was still on the move in search of better grazing. In Mudug, a caller in Dagari said they were facing severe drought and water shortage in the area. He wanted his message shared with the aid organisations. Another in Mudug said the ‘gu rains had been little and there was no aid reaching them. A caller in Elasha-Biyaha, Lower Shabelle region, wanted aid organisations to help the community to repair two broken down pumps that were no longer providing any water.
– among calls to the Radio Vet programme, a caller in Bardera, Gedo, said their cows had a lung disease that was making them drool and killing them within two days. They wanted a diagnosis. Another caller in Guriel said their camels were shivering and their livers looked black when they slaughtered them. He wanted to know the cause.
– many callers in different regions called the radio’s farming programme for help with problems, especially crop pests. One caller in Hobyo said farmers were worried about that were descending on their farms.
– a few callers welcomed rain in northern regions including parts of Togdher. A female caller in Harorey, Mudug, said they had heavy rainfall and were doing well. Some across Galgadud, and many across Hiran, Middle Shabelle, Lower Shabelle, Bay, and Gedo said they had rain and farms and livestock were doing well. One caller in Baidoa noted at the same time that prices were very high.
