The income generation and farming empowerment actions are intended to counteract what WDRO believes are the greatest impediments to food and economic security on Somalia, lack of skills, resources, leadership, and violence. Women also contend with the problem of status compounded by their gaps in skills, resources, leadership, and a very high vulnerability to violence. The lack of educational, financial, and organizational leadership resources available for farmers and entrepreneurs particularly women, are limiting the economic capacity of the individual household.

Further, a predominance of subsistence households continues to undermine the village- wide market economy/stability and the general nutritional and primary health of the population particularly for the most vulnerable, including pregnant and nursing women, women heads of household, and children under five

To address a need for greater household food security and Livelihoods, WDRO will promote greater diversity of methods and practice in skill building and business.  Diversifications in agricultural techniques, such as in irrigation and sowing for example, will expand the tools available for farmers based on the microclimate and soil variations of their land. Through small enterprise training, entrepreneurs will learn to re-assess their village markets and devise businesses that utilize their skills or learn new skills to serve local needs in a variety of ways. microcredit activities will target a range of beneficiaries – individuals, farming associations, women’s associations such that a broad range of business have the opportunity to establish and flourish, WDRO will also continue general food distribution activities in emergency response.

The livelihood programs focus on injustice and poverty in Somalia region in Ethiopia, it is based on the assumption that the people in the region need to build their own livelihoods to be able to meet their need for food, income and other basic necessities.  Coming in the wake of chronic food insecurity and repeated episodes of both natural and man-made disasters whose frequency and magnitude have been increasing over the last two decades, the focus of this program is to build on WDRO relief work in the region to develop and sustain developmental relief projects that strengthen the resilience of communities to shocks.