Pipe Dreams: Water, Development and the Work of the Imagination in Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley

Water development schemes in Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley act as 'technologies of the imagination,' prompting local communities to envision new futures. This study reveals how large dam and irrigation projects, alongside missionary efforts to install safe water supplies, are reshaping intergroup relations and daily life for indigenous groups like the Nyangatom. Ethnographic research demonstrates that these interventions stimulate diverse imaginings among locals, blending aspirations for development with persistent challenges such as access and social dynamics.

Pertaub, D.-P., & Stevenson, E. G. J. (2019). PIPE DREAMS: WATER, DEVELOPMENT AND THE WORK OF THE IMAGINATION IN ETHIOPIA’S LOWER OMO VALLEY. Nomadic Peoples, 23(2), 177–194. https://doi.org/10.3197/np.2019.230202