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Somalia has begun benefiting from the construction of sand dams which retain water above and below sand bars.

The unique dams are improving water access in the Horn of African country, which has been plagued by persistent drought in recent years.

Parts of the country have not received rain for three consecutive years and, as a result, crops and livestock have perished. Many fear a repeat of the 2011 famine in which nearly 260,000 people died.

The construction of the dams has been supported by the United Nations Development Programme, which hopes the move will provide an immediate solution to the water problem as well as a long-term solution.