Scarcity and Surfeitare instead using many of the natural resources simultaneously."43Productive
land is very scarce in the rest of southern Somalia except along the River
Shabelle, the other major river that traverses the region. Except for the areas
near the Jubba River, the entire region is arid and semi-arid and sparsely pop-
ulated by nomadic pastoralists of the Ogaden and the Marehan clans.
Compared to the rest of Somalia, Jubbaland region is well endowed with
natural resources, including rich arable farm lands. It enjoys a reliable water
supply from the Jubba River, which deposits fertile alluvial soils throughout
the Jubba River valley." The greater part of Somalia is arid, the availability
of resources is patchy, and suffers from chronic and extreme changes in rain-
fall. Hence, there is a critical need to devise flexible strategies so as to cope
with the changing and uncertain environment. Like pastoral areas elsewhere
in Africa, the need to have large grazing areas in Jubbaland is an insurance
against 'weather shocks' such as rainfall variability and other climatic uncer-
tainties."=
Due to the harsh ecological conditions prevailing in southern Somalia, pas-
toralists and farmers have developed coping mechanisms such as transhumant
migration, shifting cultivation and engaging in petty trade. Transhumance
movement between different ecological zones is a key pastoralist strategy to
overcome resource limitations and ~ncertainty.~'jAccess to deegaan is particu-
larly complex in a context where transhumant migrations pred~minate.~'
Through migrations, different resource users maximise benefits from ecologi-
cal change, such as changes in rainfall or the availability of pasture.
Similarly, like pastoralist populations in Sahelian West Africa that experi-
enced population movement towards the coast, in Somalia the population
has also shifted southwards from the ecologically stressed areas in the north-
ern regions of the country to the Jubbaland and along the coast.48 More cer-
tain and resource-abundant conditions exist in coastal areas and in the Jubba
River valley where there is sufficient rainfall to sustain agriculture and pas-
toralism. Rainfall averages are higher along the coast and near Kismayu
where maritime winds increase rainfall Such areas have higher
population densities and support more diverse economic activities. For exam-
ple, the Jubba River sustains a significant riverine forest that is important to
regional charcoal production. Export of charcoal to the Middle East provides
an important source of income for some groups and clans. Charcoal produc-
ers export charcoal in cooperation with clan and militia leaders, who defend
and benefit from their involvement.so
Like the rest of Somalia, there are four seasons in Jubbaland. These sea-
sons influence resource availability throughout the region." For example, for-
age is typically only available along the river during the Jilaal or dry season;
this situation frequently results in violent competition between farmers and
pastoralists over the use of the water and forage resources along the Jubba
River. Powerful suh-clans have access to the water and forage during the