ODI Global
Big dams may harm, not help, the poorest
Ethiopia’s government plans to transform Ethiopia into a middle-income country by 2025, and big hydraulic infrastructure projects are central to this vision. But while such projects can stimulate ‘green growth’ and reduce vulnerability (including to climate change), they may not benefit poor people and preserve the environmental assets on which they depend.
This picture shows the Ribb Dam, currently under construction in Amhara state, which aims to harness the flow of the Ribb River to irrigate about 20,000 hectares in the Fogera plain. This is a densely populated area, with 12,000 people involved in a mixed farming system. Despite the potential benefits of the dam in terms of job creation and recreational opportunities, there is no plan to relocate the displaced communities – many of whom have either received late compensation or none at all.
Photo: Beatrice Mosello/ODI
Big dams may harm, not help, the poorest
Ethiopia’s government plans to transform Ethiopia into a middle-income country by 2025, and big hydraulic infrastructure projects are central to this vision. But while such projects can stimulate ‘green growth’ and reduce vulnerability (including to climate change), they may not benefit poor people and preserve the environmental assets on which they depend.
This picture shows the Ribb Dam, currently under construction in Amhara state, which aims to harness the flow of the Ribb River to irrigate about 20,000 hectares in the Fogera plain. This is a densely populated area, with 12,000 people involved in a mixed farming system. Despite the potential benefits of the dam in terms of job creation and recreational opportunities, there is no plan to relocate the displaced communities – many of whom have either received late compensation or none at all.
Photo: Beatrice Mosello/ODI