UTILIZATION OF SMALL SCALE IRRIGATION IN DUGDA WOREDA, EAST SHOA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

In Ethiopia, the main factor that affects smallholder agriculture is lack of adequate rainfall accompanied by its erratic nature, late onset and early offset of rainfall. Irrigation developments and use is one of the modalities to solve this problem and has been given significant attention in economic development programs of the country. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to identify factors affecting the utilization of small scale irrigation and to examine the perception of farmers’ in relation to utilization of small scale irrigation. Primary and secondary data were collected from respective sample respondents. The primary data were collected through interviewing of key informants, focus group discussion, and interviews with concerned sector offices while secondary data were collected from publications, reports and internet sources. A multi-stage sampling method was employed to select sample respondents. Out of the 36 Dugda woreda kebeles, 3 of them were selected purposively and the sampled respondents were stratified into users and non-users of small scale irrigation utilization. Moreover, 116 sample respondents were selected from each stratum by applying probability proportional to size. In this study, descriptive statistics, binary logit model and likert- type scale measurement data analysis were employed. The descriptive statistics revealed that out of total sample respondents, about 89(76.72%) were male while 27(23.28%) were female. Similarly, there were differences of opinions in educational level, credit service, in participation of training, off and non-farm activities and number of livestock owned while access to market information, access to improved irrigation technologies, age, soil fertility status and total farm land owned were found to be significantly affecting utilization of small scale irrigation. The model output also showed that age, total household size, access to market information, access to irrigation technologies, education level of household and soil fertility status were the major determinants and significantly affecting the decision of utilizing small scale irrigation. In addition, the study revealed that there were differences in opinion and perceptions in utilizing small scale irrigation. The government and concerned stakeholders should support irrigation users to enable them get relevant and season specific information, promote networking system, avail modern technologies that facilitate irrigation utilization and facilitate market linkages to bring smallholders on board..