IMPACT OF SMALL-SCALE IRRIGATION SCHEME ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN ERER DISTRICT, HARARI NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Irrigation increases productivity by reducing crop failure associated with erratic rain-fed agriculture and ensuring smallholder farmers’ income by improving their production. This study was conducted in Erer District to identify factors affecting participation in small-scale irrigation schemes and to estimate the impact of small-scale irrigation schemes on household farm income. Primary data were obtained directly through interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and direct personal observations, and secondary data sources were collected from published and unpublished documents. The study used a multi-stage purposive and random sampling method to select 202 households, dividing them into two groups of 98 participants and 104 non-participants based on cross-sectional data. The logit model results show that participation in small-scale irrigation is significantly and positively affected by the educational level of the household head, land holding, frequency of extension contact, and access to market information, but significantly and negatively affected by distance to the nearest market, distance from the water source, household sex, farmland topography, productive safety net beneficiaries households, and livestock holding. As per the PSM findings, the average income of participants is the 39,831.45 Birr, whereas that of non-participants is 24,426 Birr. This indicates that participation in a small-scale irrigation scheme has increased the household’s income by 15,405.45 ETB on average, which is higher than that of non-participants. Therefore, the government and other concerned bodies should work on knowledge improvement and technological development to increase farmers’ participation in small-scale irrigation. To solve or mitigate the problems faced by smallholder farmers, it is necessary to enhance the technological provision of farmers and their participation in small-scale irrigation.