FACTORS AFFECTING SMALLHOLDER FARMERS PARTICIPATION IN REHABILITATING DEGRADED FOREST. THE CASE OF GEMACHIS DISTRICT, WEST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The global forest area has been declined from year to year due to human and natural factors. To address the problems, different rehabilitation strategies have been implemented through government and community in a coordinated manner. Degraded forest rehabilitation plays an essential role in income diversification and enhancing welfare of smallholder farmers and thus contributes to natural resource conservation. The forest has a great role in climate change adaptation strategies and green economy development. This study investigated the factors affecting smallholder farmer’s participation in degraded forest rehabilitation at participatory forest management area of Gemachis district, Ethiopia with the objective of identifying factors affecting household’s decision in participation and their perception in forest rehabilitation practices. Two stage sampling procedure was used to select sample households for data collection. A total of 140 sample households were randomly selected from the district using probability proportional to size. Interview schedule was used to collect data from household heads. Both quantitative and qualitative data collected from primary and secondary sources. The descriptive and inferential statistics, Garret ranking technique, Likert rating scale and Tobit model were used to analyze perception of household, their constraints of participation and factors affecting smallholder farmer’s participation and the level of participation in forest rehabilitation, respectively. The majority (78.6%) of surveyed households agreed with perception in participation and the rest (21.4%) disagreed with participation made on PFM area. Expansion of agricultural land, absence of compensation towards forest, unclear with benefits obtained from hunting, residence home land expansion and unfair benefit sharing were major top five ranked constraints face sample household during participation process. The findings demonstrate that livestock holding size, benefit derived from the forest, forest cooperative membership, perception of households and access to extension services positively affect farmer’s participation and the level of participation whereas distance of the forest from the home negatively affect farmers participation and the level of participation in forest rehabilitation. The study suggested that awareness creation, clear discussion with communities, strengthening existing benefits and created related one’s and providing more extension services, information and supports are required to improve farmer’s participation in degraded forest rehabilitation practices