This woreda was one of the about fifteen most important cotton production areas in Ethiopia in the 1950s, excluding Eritrea. A joint Ministry of Agriculture-ICA project to improve cotton production in the Alamata district happened in 1954-55. The zonal water, mining and energy department announced 15 August 2009 that 84 of the 100 wells planned in Alamata and Raya Azebo woredas have been completed at a cost of 40 million Birr. These wells would assist in irrigating over 3,000 hectares of land and benefit over 13,000 farmers.