OUR VISION IS TO SEE SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIVES OF THE PASTORALISTS AND THERE BY PROVE AEPDA AS A LEADING AGENT OF CHANGE IN THE SOUTH OMO ZONE.

AEPDA

South Omo zone is gifted with different types of natural resources. However, due to many development constraints these resources have not been effectively utilized to promote the socio-economic development of the zone.

The economy of the zone is principally based on agriculture where about almost all of the population engaged in agricultural activities. The agriculture sector is also the only source of local food supply in the area and it generates food crops, cash crops, as well as livestock and other products. However, the performance of the sector is much below the potential due to many constraints like drought, backward agricultural practices, and lack of rural credit and absence of well-developed infrastructures.

On the other hand, the existing economic & social infrastructures are not capable of satisfying the growing demands for their services. More specifically inaccessibility has constrained the provision of different services & overall development of the zone. The shortage or absence of social service supplying infrastructures such as education, health & safe water supply has causes for the decling of the living standard of the people of the Zone. In addition to the above mentioned constraints the occurrences of recurrent drought in many parts of the zone have been threatening the life of the people.

As a result, an increasing number of people are facing food insecurity & other problems. This in turn, necessitated the formulation of different projects by Atowoykisi-Ekisil Pastoral Development Association (AEPDA) so as to assist the development strategy of the government, to improve the life standards of the pastoral community of the zone.

The realization & implementation of this five year development strategy implies designing & implementing of programs & projects that are capable of improving the food security and conflict transformation with in the society as well as promoting the economic growth & development of the Zone.

The major components of the program are Conflict transformation and peace building, water shade developement, small-scale irrigation schemes, rural credit services, water supply, improving &construction of the health & educational infrastructures, capacity building& rural road constructions. The total amount of cost /fund required to implement the program is Birr 67,050,297.00

The total investment of ETB 67,050,297.00 is expected to be covered by members, donors, other community participation & government support in terms of provision of basic facilities such as office equipments & vehicles.

The program will be implemented by Atowoykisi-Ekisil Pastoralists Developemnt Association (AEPDA) with close collaboration to line departments of the governemnt. Program monitoring will be undertaken by monitoring unit (stuffs) of the implementing office & concerned line departments.

The overall evaluation of the Programme will be conducted twice every year to assess the benefits derived from the program. Participants in the program evaluation will include. Donors, community, line departments & the implementing office.