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Abstract
Basically an agrarian and pastoral country, Somalia is nearly self-sufficient in good crop years. But frequent recurring droughts cause food imports to average a quarter or more of total imports over time. Livestock support a large proportion of the population and since 1967 have been the major export item. Bananas (the second largest export) and sugarcane are the principal cash crops. Banana production provides a livelihood for about a quarter of the settled population. Staples of the Somali diet are sorghum, milk, meat, pulses, vegetables, and fruit. Principal food imports are cereals, cereal preparations, fruits and vegetables, and sugar. Chief foods imported from the United States are cereals and vegetable oils; chief exports to the United States are hides and skins. With external assistance, development projects have been aimed at agriculture through the introduction of new crops, diversification, expansion of irrigation, and improvement of marketing facilities and infrastructure.