Advancing Somali agriculture through digitalization: assessing the impacts of ICT and foreign direct investment on food production

A study published in Environmental Research Communications investigates how digital technologies and foreign investments are shaping food production in Somalia. Led by researchers from the Institute of Climate and Environment and SIMAD University, the study employs a hybrid analytical approach—combining the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique and Kernel-based Regularized Least Squares (KRLS)—to explore the complex relationships between ICT, FDI, and food security.

Key findings show that mobile phone usage significantly boosts agricultural productivity, while internet usage presents unexpected challenges. Agricultural labor, land use, and trade openness also emerged as strong positive drivers of food production, whereas capital investment and FDI showed minimal or even negative impacts. The KRLS analysis further highlights the nonlinear and heterogeneous effects of these factors across different scenarios.

This research underscores the critical role of mobile technologies and the need for strategic, targeted investment in Somalia’s agricultural sector. It offers valuable insights for policymakers, development agencies, and investors aiming to build a more resilient, digitally connected agricultural economy in Somalia.

Read and download the full paper!