August 26, 2025
The 2025 TASAI Somalia Country Report summarizes the findings of the TASAI study conducted in Somalia in 2025 to appraise the structure and economic performance of Somalia’s formal seed sector. This was the first TASAI study conducted in the country. TASAI studies focus on the four grain and legume crops important to a country’s food and nutritional security (the “four focus crops”); in Somalia, these are maize, sorghum, sesame and cowpea.
Key to understanding the context of Somalia’s seed sector is the devastating effect of the civil war, which broke out in 1991 and lasted over three decades, leading to the collapse of government services, including agricultural systems. Following years of conflict-induced stagnation, the government of Somalia is making deliberate moves to rebuild its agricultural systems, commencing with the formal seed sector. Together with development partners, the government has initiated structural reforms to establish a resilient, competitive seed industry. This study offers a baseline for tracking these early efforts and guiding future interventions. While Somalia’s formal seed system is still in its formative stage, signs of progress are beginning to take shape across key dimensions of sector development.
Under Research and Development, Somalia’s agricultural research landscape is gradually recovering after decades of neglect. In 2024, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (FMoAI) established the Department of Research and Extension to oversee plant breeding and variety development. In addition, rehabilitation of the national research centers in Bonkay and Afgooye is underway as well as the construction of a new agricultural research institute. In addition, the FMoAI and development partners have reintroduced essential activities such as adaptation trials and genetic resource recovery. While some universities and international partners support variety purification and testing, long-term sustainability will require deeper investment in breeder training, infrastructure, and supportive policies to rebuild national breeding capacity
The industry competitiveness category shows growth in the industry with 18 active companies producing certified seed for key crops; maize, sorghum, cowpea, and sesame. Competition is gradually emerging, although the sesame segment remains moderately concentrated. Most companies produce their own basic seed, reducing dependency on external sources. However, uncertified seed production is common, due to the high cost of certified seed, logistical limitations, and weak regulatory enforcement. The absence of a dominant state-owned enterprise allows for more private sector participation, but the current market remains heavily reliant on an NGO-led market.
Under the Seed Policy Instruments category, Somalia has made significant headway with the 2024 enactment of the Somali Agricultural Regulatory and Inspection Service (SARIS) Law and the Seed and Plant Varieties Law. SARIS now handles certification and inspection, establishment of a national seed laboratory and training of seed inspectors. However, operational coverage remains limited. Many seed companies remain unregistered, and the sale of uncertified seed is widespread. Agro-dealer licensing is not yet formalized, and the absence of harmonized technical regulations weakens the sector’s cohesion. Counterfeit seed remains a serious problem, driven by enforcement gaps and incomplete policy rollout.
Institutional support for the seed sector is weak. The Somali Seed Trade Association (SOSTA) was established in February 2025 and is not fully functional. Somalia has only nine seed inspectors, which is far below requirement, constraining regulatory enforcement. Extension services are under-resourced, with just 30 public extension officers nationwide. NGOs and private seed companies support extension, but the services lack coordination and consistency.
Under services to small-holder farmers, most farmers rely on informal seed sources, despite emerging agro-dealer networks and growing availability of small seed packages. Other barriers to adoption of formal seed sources include high prices, limited access, and low awareness. While digital solutions like the e-Fidiye mobile extension platform show promise, they are not yet operational at scale.
The Somalia TASAI Country Study report was presented to a dissemination meeting in Mogadishu, Somalia, on May 6, 2025, where findings were validated and discussed by members of the country’s public and private seed sectors. The report was well received by industry stakeholders, including the government, whose agencies plan to use it as an important baseline against which to measure future progress.
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