Farmers in Goobweyn area, north of Kismayo, have expressed concern over sour water in the area after Jubba river water turned sour.
The farmers said the river water could not be used for irrigation as well as drinking after the fresh water from the Jubba mixed with the salt waters of the Indian ocean thus turning the river water into salty.
The farmers lamented that their farms were in danger of withering and destruction due to lack of irrigation water.
Abdullahi Hassan Roble Ibrahim, a farmer in Goobweyn, said that his 4-hectare farm was drying up due to lack of water.
Lul Mohamed Sabriye, another farmer shared similar sentiment. She told Radio Kismayo that her six-hectare farm is on the verge of destruction due to lack of water for crops irrigation.
Goobweyn District Commissioner, Omar Abdullahi said the water crisis has taken a heavy toll on the residents and damaging their farms, which was their main source of living.
He said that the fresh Jubba river water which was commonly used domestically has turned salty following the mixing of the two adjacent waters, adding that the residents are facing a huge nightmare.
Residents of Goobweyn, whose livelihoods depend majorly on agriculture, are now facing an acute water crisis even as the drought in the country continues to heavy impact on pastoralists.
