The film provides a close look at how the nomadic inhabitants of Somalia have withstood the ravages of a harsh desert environment and the encroachment of European imperial forces by synthesizing knowledge of the past, Muslim practices, and skillful livestock management in a successful fusion of traditional values with modern techniques.^[1][2]

The Parching Winds of Somalia features extensive location footage in Somalia, historical photographs, interviews, and contemporary Somali music.^[2]

The film is rated ages 14 and up in the United States. It was released on video in 1993 by PBS Video VHS.^[1]

• National Endowment for the Humanities (1987). Media log: a guide to film, television, and radio programs supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Endowment.
• R R Bowker Publishing (1995). Bowker's Complete Video Directory (Volume 2). R.R. Bowker. ISBN 0-8352-3588-2.