Once again, the Horn of Africa has been in the
headlines. And once again the news has been bad:
drought, famine, conflict, hunger, suffering and death.
The finger of blame has been pointed in numerous
directions: to the changing climate, to environmental
degradation, to overpopulation, to geopolitics and
conflict, to aid agency failures, and more. But it is
not all disaster and catastrophe. Many successful
development efforts at 'the margins' often remain
hidden, informal, sometimes illegal; and rarely in line
with standard development prescriptions. If we shift our
gaze from the capital cities to the regional centres and
their hinterlands, then a very different perspective
emerges. These are the places where pastoralists live.
They have for centuries struggled with drought, conflict
and famine. They are resourceful, entrepreneurial and
innovative peoples. Yet they have been ignored and
marginalised by the states that control their territory
and the development agencies who are supposed to help
them.This book argues that, while we should not ignore
the profound difficulties of creating secure livelihoods
in the Greater Horn of Africa, there is much to be
learned from development successes, large and small.
This book will be of great interest to students and
scholars with an interest in development studies and
human geography, with a particular emphasis on Africa.
It will also appeal to development policy-makers and
practitioners. |
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