Wilderness, wasteland or home? Three ways of imagining the Lower Omo Valley

The Lower Omo Valley is perceived differently by conservationists, state officials, and local communities. Conservationists view it as a 'wilderness' needing protection from human activity, while state officials see it as an unproductive wasteland inhabited by 'nomads,' requiring political control. Local people, however, consider it their home, integral to their livelihoods and identity. This study identifies these three competing imaginings as legitimating ideologies of place-making projects with unequal power dynamics. Conservation efforts, often linked to state coercion, have advanced the state's objectives in the region, while new developments like hydro-electric dams and commercial plantations pose challenges to wilderness protection goals.

Turton, D. (2011). Wilderness, wasteland or home? Three ways of imagining the Lower Omo Valley. Journal of Eastern African Studies, 5(1), 158–176. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2011.544546