IMPACT OF SMALL-SCALE IRRIGATION ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ FOOD SECURITY IN SULULTA DISTRICT, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Small-scale irrigation is vital for raising agricultural production and productivity and improving the food security of smallholder farmers. This study was done in the Sululta district of the Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. The study was focused on identifying factors that affect household participation in small-scale irrigation, analyzing the impact of small-scale irrigation on household food security, and determining challenges and opportunities for small-scale irrigation. To choose the sample household, multi-stage sampling approaches were used. Data from both primary and secondary sources were used. Household surveys, focus group discussions, and interviews with key informants were used to obtain primary data from 246 sample households. Secondary data was gathered from both published and unpublished sources. The descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and econometric model were used to analyze the data. The study used PSM model to analyzing the impact of small-scale irrigation on household food security while Logit model used to identify factors affect household participation decision in small-scale irrigation. Thematic analysis method was used to determining challenges and opportunities for SSI. According to the binary logistic regression, education level, size of cultivated land, frequency of extension contacts, and access to credit services were the variables that positively significant affected small-scale irrigation participation (SSI) while age, distance from irrigation water, and market distance were the variables that negatively significant affected SSI. Cost of inputs, credit access, distribution of water, road and electricity access and storage facilities were the major challenges while employment opportunities, water potential and suitability of land were the major opportunities for SSI participation. On average, participant households increased their HDDS and HFCS by 1.16 and 7.60 score, respectively. Thus, construction of irrigation schemes, arranging training and experience sharing to elder farmers, and provision of credit service should priority concern to enhance farm households’ participation decision in SSI for improving food security.