Huge wild fig trees line the banks of the Omo River near its delta at the northern end of Lake Turkana. Since the Omo Delta is one of the least accessible and least developed parts of East Africa, the culture, social organization, customs and values of the Dassanech people who live there have changed less than elsewhere.The Dassanech speak a language of Eastern Cushitic origin. They practice animal husbandry and fishing as well as agriculture.The Omo River rises in the Ethiopian Highlands and flows for over 600 miles before discharging its waters into the northern end of Lake Turkana. Once a year following rains in the highlands, the river rises and bursts its banks, flooding the low-lying plains. After the water has subsided, the Dassanech plant crops in the fertile soil. Without flooding, there would be no agriculture because the annual rainfall is too low.