IMPACT OF SMALL-SCALE IRRIGATION ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY STATUS IN JARSO DISTRICT, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Ethiopian rural households are heavily reliant on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods. The use of existing water resources for irrigation development is the most promising answer to the country's unpredictable rainfall patterns and periodic droughts, which make agricultural production challenging and to enhance the food security of smallholder farmers. The primary goal of this study was to assess the determinants of SSI participation and the impact of SSI on household food security in the Jarso District of East Hararghe zone. The study was based on the data collected from 368 randomly selected smallholder farmers in 2022 using a multi-stage sampling technique in the study area. The study employed Descriptive and Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) model to address the research objectives. The result reveals that 66.8% out of the total sampled households were food secured. Food security was achieved by 75.6% of irrigation users and 53.7% of non-users. The Probit model result showed that, educational level of household head, numbers of livestock holding, land size, access to extension service and off/non-farm income positively and significantly affect irrigation participation whereas distance to irrigation water source and distance to the nearest market negatively and significantly affect irrigation participation. The impact results obtained from ERS model indicated that, calorie intake decrease by 354.5 kilocalories for irrigation users if they decided to not use and calorie intake of non-users increase by 372.47 kilocalories if they decided to use irrigation. Further, food consumption score decreased by 8.39 points if SSI users had decided to not use. On the other hand, non-users food consumption score increased by 10 points if they decided to use SSI. Therefore, the results suggest that policymakers and planner should consider SSI as a strategy to reduce food insecurity of stallholders farming households