Somalia has faced recurring climatic and weather shocks in recent decades that are expected to worsen with climate change, which, combined with long standing political, social, and economic marginalization have led to violent conflict and contributed to the displacement of millions of people across the country. As a result, marginalized groups often require additional layers of support to increase their economic agency and to be able to fully participate in economic opportunities.

The Inclusive Resilience in Somalia (IRiS) Activity aims to accelerate economic development for marginalized groups in the targeted areas of Somalia. This will be done by increasing individual, household, business, community, and system-wide resilience through rural and urban livelihood diversification and promoting inclusive economic market systems.

Implemented across targeted USAID’s Focal Zones, IRiS works with a range of institutions and partners to deliver a suite of flexible and context-relevant interventions at the Community, State, and Federal levels. This Activity also aligns with Somalia’s development priorities, which are captured in its National Development Plan 9 (NDP 9) covering 2020-2024.

Activity expected results include:

Strengthen and diversify rural and urban livelihoods for marginalized groups:

• Expand climate resilient agricultural systems through increased drought resistance and diversified food production; more sustainable pastoralism practices; improved fisheries management; and inclusive financial, or related economic sector development.
• Facilitate the integration of internally displaced persons into urban economies by lowering entry barriers, while increasing competitive skills, access to financial services, and expanding private sector investment.
• Promote investments and remittances between rural and urban-based people allowing diversification away from high climate risk agriculture through investment in urban enterprises and support to rural areas.
• Support private sector expansion to both urban and rural low-income areas.

Promote economic agency of marginalized groups:

• Strengthen the economic agency of these groups through increased diversity of skill sets to take advantage of economic opportunities.
• Support inclusive market systems through the improved functioning of government and business-to-business governance.