The Kuraz Sugar Development Project (KSDP) in Ethiopia: between ‘sweet visions’ and mounting challenges

The Kuraz Sugar Development Project (KSDP) in Ethiopia's Lower Valley of the Omo faces significant challenges that threaten its economic viability and socio-environmental impacts. Despite ambitious goals, recent reductions in project size and processing capacity raise doubts about its ability to meet national economic expectations. The upstream damming of the Omo River has disrupted flood-recession agriculture, a crucial pillar of indigenous livelihoods, while the project's status remains contested. This study examines the planning, current status, and future outlook of the KSDP, revealing a critical juncture where the reduction in acreage hinders local livelihood reconstruction. It highlights the correlation between agro-economic, macro-economic, and developmental outcomes, calling for an adjusted strategy to address mounting challenges.

Kamski, B. (2016). The Kuraz Sugar Development Project (KSDP) in Ethiopia: between ‘sweet visions’ and mounting challenges. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 10(3), 568–580. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2016.1267602