Siddiqis in the Horn of Africa Siddiqis in the Horn of Africa Siddiqi () is a Muslim family name, found in the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Sheikh is an additional title used occasionally by Siddiqis to signify noble Arab heritage. According to tradition, people having surname "Siddiqi" are offspring of Abu Bakr Siddique (), the first Khalifa (Caliph) and an early companion and friend of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. People claiming Siddiqi descent can be found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia. However, representatives in these countries are not referred to as Siddiqi, but are instead known by various local names.
Horn of Africa ill animals. However, population growth has put pressure on limited land and led to these practices no longer being maintained. Droughts in 1983–85, 1991–92, 1998–99 and 2011 have disrupted periods of gradual growth in herd numbers, leading to a decrease of between 37% and 62% of the cattle population. Initiatives by ECHO and USAID have succeeded in reclaiming hundreds of hectares of pastureland through rangeland management, leading to the establishment of the Dikale Rangeland in 2004. Besides sharing similar geographic endowments, the countries of the Horn of Africa are, for the most part, linguistically and ethnically linked together, evincing a