GAROWE, Somalia Mar 21 2012 (Garowe Online) –   Puntland’s minister of Agriculture Mohamud Haji Salah who held a press conference in Garowe warned of a drought in Puntland, Radio Garowe reports.

Minister Salah who held a press conference in Garowe on Tuesday said that due to lack of rainfall in some regions for up to 2-3 years and rising temperatures in regions of Puntland that the possibility of a drought are very high in some areas and other regions are already facing a severe drought. The minister said that officials in his ministry who assessed drought areas in Puntland reported that wells in some areas have dried up.

“Average rainfall for Puntland has been substantially low for the past 2 years, many areas are in danger of a drought and some areas are already facing a drought. Preemptive measures need to be set in place, if there is nothing done about the drought, the situation will grow dire making it this an emergency case,” said minister Salah.          

The minister said that the Puntland government will be assisting residents in drought areas and asked for the assistance from Diaspora, international aid organizations and residents in Puntland to do their part.

Although it is still rain season in Puntland the minister warned that preventative measures needed to be taken to assure the areas that risk drought are given sufficient aid if rainfall is low for another year.

GAROWE ONLINE