Omo River dam threatens traditional farming and
culture in Ethiopia
4 August, 2010 | By Mark Angelo
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This post is part of a special National Geographic news series on
global water issues.
This past week, I returned from a remarkable trip along the Omo River in
the remote south-western region of Ethiopia. Traveling through this
amazing country, you quickly realize that many North Americans have a
pre-conceived image of Ethiopia; one that's molded by frequent news
stories about drought and hunger along with the crushing poverty that
exists in some places.
But while these remain serious issues (particularly in the country's north),
Ethiopia is also a land with an intriguing history, many diverse and unique
landscapes, and stunning, centuries-old monuments.
extended by Ethiopia's unique status as one of only two African nations
never to be colonized by Europeans.
In the absence of significant external influences, the various tribes of the
Omo carried on with their customs and traditions, migrating by season and
occasionally fighting with each other.
Yet, while the indigenous groups of the area remain distinct and disparate,
they also share a rich, symbolic culture, often expressed through body art
and adornment. This is a way of life that has long since vanished from
most of the continent, but glimmers of this "historical Africa" are still
found here.
To many of the tribes along the lower Omo, livestock is the embodiment
of wealth and prestige. Yet their livelihood is dependent on planting crops
of sorghum, maize and beans using what's known as "flood-retreat
agriculture." This type of farming is dependent on the annual flooding
cycle which deposits a layer of nutrient-rich silt beside the river, making
the land productive for another year.
Tribes such as the Bodi, Karo, Muguji, Mursi and Nyangatom have farmed
this way for generations and their culture revolves around the natural
pulsations of the Omo.
But unbeknown to many who live here, there is significant change in the
wind--and it's coming from upriver.
The annual rise and fall of the Omo waters is, in effect, the ancient
heartbeat of the valley that has dictated the economic and social values of
the almost 200,000 tribal members dependent on farming the river's banks.
All this will change dramatically in the coming years due to the
construction of the massive Gibe 3 hydroelectric dam, located a few
hundred kilometers upriver.
Once the dam is completed in 2012, the seasonal flows of the river will be
dictated by electricity production for distant urban centers and export.
Resulting downstream flows will become much more uniform, making
flood-retreat agriculture impractical. Water volume is also expected to be
permanently reduced due to seepage and evaporation losses from the 150-
kilometer [93-mile]-long reservoir.
Understandably, there's growing concern that, if the dam reigns in the
seasonal flooding cycle, the traditional way of life along with the cultural
identity of several tribes will be severely impacted. Potential repercussions
could range from food shortages to increased episodes of tribal conflict
and displacement. There's also increasing anger over a lack of
communication, consultation and mitigation; something that should be
addressed to a much greater degree.
This was passionately stated in a poignant interview I did with the chief of
the Karo people that's included in the following video clip:
The Ethiopian government is still seeking supporters to finance the final
stages of the dam. On an encouraging note, the European Investment Bank
withdrew its financial support for the project last month, citing the
concerns raised above.
If and when an additional financiers are found, I'm hoping they'll insist on
fully addressing the issues raised by local indigenous cultures as a
precondition to any future support. At the very least, I think we owe that
to the people of the Omo.
Mark Angelo is the chair of the Rivers Institute at the British
Columbia Institute of Technology and an internationally
acclaimed river conservationist. He has received the Order of
Canada, his country's highest honor, in recognition of his river
conservation efforts both at home and abroad. He received the
United Nations International Year of Fresh Water Science,
Education and Conservation Award, the Order of British
Columbia, the National River Conservation Award, and an
honorary doctorate from Simon Fraser University. He is a Fellow
International of the Explorers Club. Angelo is the chair and
founder of World Rivers Day, an event celebrated across dozens
of countries on the last Sunday of each September. He has
traveled on and along close to 1,000 rivers around the world over
the past 5 decades. He has authored numerous articles and papers
about rivers and his expeditions, including the Riverworld
presentation launched in concert with National Geographic
Online in 2003 and shown to audiences across North America.
Courtesy
culture in Ethiopia
4 August, 2010 | By Mark Angelo
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This post is part of a special National Geographic news series on
global water issues.
This past week, I returned from a remarkable trip along the Omo River in
the remote south-western region of Ethiopia. Traveling through this
amazing country, you quickly realize that many North Americans have a
pre-conceived image of Ethiopia; one that's molded by frequent news
stories about drought and hunger along with the crushing poverty that
exists in some places.
But while these remain serious issues (particularly in the country's north),
Ethiopia is also a land with an intriguing history, many diverse and unique
landscapes, and stunning, centuries-old monuments.
- The country's south-
western sector, bisected
by the Omo River, is also
widely known as one of
Africa's most unique and
intact cultural landscapes.
- The various ethnic
groups that reside along
the Omo were generally
shielded from the
outside world by rugged
extended by Ethiopia's unique status as one of only two African nations
never to be colonized by Europeans.
In the absence of significant external influences, the various tribes of the
Omo carried on with their customs and traditions, migrating by season and
occasionally fighting with each other.
Yet, while the indigenous groups of the area remain distinct and disparate,
they also share a rich, symbolic culture, often expressed through body art
and adornment. This is a way of life that has long since vanished from
most of the continent, but glimmers of this "historical Africa" are still
found here.
To many of the tribes along the lower Omo, livestock is the embodiment
of wealth and prestige. Yet their livelihood is dependent on planting crops
of sorghum, maize and beans using what's known as "flood-retreat
agriculture." This type of farming is dependent on the annual flooding
cycle which deposits a layer of nutrient-rich silt beside the river, making
the land productive for another year.
Tribes such as the Bodi, Karo, Muguji, Mursi and Nyangatom have farmed
this way for generations and their culture revolves around the natural
pulsations of the Omo.
But unbeknown to many who live here, there is significant change in the
wind--and it's coming from upriver.
The annual rise and fall of the Omo waters is, in effect, the ancient
heartbeat of the valley that has dictated the economic and social values of
the almost 200,000 tribal members dependent on farming the river's banks.
All this will change dramatically in the coming years due to the
construction of the massive Gibe 3 hydroelectric dam, located a few
hundred kilometers upriver.
Once the dam is completed in 2012, the seasonal flows of the river will be
dictated by electricity production for distant urban centers and export.
Resulting downstream flows will become much more uniform, making
flood-retreat agriculture impractical. Water volume is also expected to be
permanently reduced due to seepage and evaporation losses from the 150-
kilometer [93-mile]-long reservoir.
Understandably, there's growing concern that, if the dam reigns in the
seasonal flooding cycle, the traditional way of life along with the cultural
identity of several tribes will be severely impacted. Potential repercussions
could range from food shortages to increased episodes of tribal conflict
and displacement. There's also increasing anger over a lack of
communication, consultation and mitigation; something that should be
addressed to a much greater degree.
This was passionately stated in a poignant interview I did with the chief of
the Karo people that's included in the following video clip:
The Ethiopian government is still seeking supporters to finance the final
stages of the dam. On an encouraging note, the European Investment Bank
withdrew its financial support for the project last month, citing the
concerns raised above.
If and when an additional financiers are found, I'm hoping they'll insist on
fully addressing the issues raised by local indigenous cultures as a
precondition to any future support. At the very least, I think we owe that
to the people of the Omo.
Mark Angelo is the chair of the Rivers Institute at the British
Columbia Institute of Technology and an internationally
acclaimed river conservationist. He has received the Order of
Canada, his country's highest honor, in recognition of his river
conservation efforts both at home and abroad. He received the
United Nations International Year of Fresh Water Science,
Education and Conservation Award, the Order of British
Columbia, the National River Conservation Award, and an
honorary doctorate from Simon Fraser University. He is a Fellow
International of the Explorers Club. Angelo is the chair and
founder of World Rivers Day, an event celebrated across dozens
of countries on the last Sunday of each September. He has
traveled on and along close to 1,000 rivers around the world over
the past 5 decades. He has authored numerous articles and papers
about rivers and his expeditions, including the Riverworld
presentation launched in concert with National Geographic
Online in 2003 and shown to audiences across North America.
Courtesy
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