Socioeconomic Development in Afar Region: Achievements, Gaps and Priorities

The major objective of this study is to assess the achievements of the region and the gaps in its socio-economic development efforts as well as identify development priority areas for future strategic planning and policy interventions. Despite its huge natural, physical and human capital resources, the region has remained one of the least developed, food insecure, and impoverished regions of the country. There has been little investigation of this paradox, making it necessary to begin by undertaking an assessment of the resource base, livelihoods and strategies, major achievements, development priorities, and trends and gaps at different levels. These can help the region to draw lessons for the formulation of regional strategies to improve the livelihoods of pastoralists and agropastoralists for future planning. It will also help to identify priority areas for the Federal Government’s support and generate new and reliable empirical evidence on the intervention options required to establish durable and sustainable socioeconomic development in the region.