IMPACT OF SMALL SCALE IRRIGATION ON BANANA PRODUCTION IN ARBA MINCH ZURIA DISTRICT OF GAMO GOFA ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Irrigation is one of the instruments to overcome the adverse effect climate change on banana production. Assessing the impact of irrigation on banana helps to provide information to the development planers by examining the extent to which a scheme has caused desired changes on the participant’s household wellbeing. This study analyzed the impact of small-scale irrigation on annual banana production in the study area. Three stage sampling technique was employed to select sample households. Data was collected from 383 household heads and analysis was done with the help of various descriptive and econometric techniques. Propensity score matching model was used to achieve the objective of the study. A logit model was used to analyze the potential variable affecting household participation in small-scale irrigation. The result indicates that, participation in small-scale irrigation is influenced by education status of the household head, sex of the household, family size, labor size in man equivalent, total cultivated land and by frequency of extension contact from these, five variables were affect participation decision positively and significantly but one variable (total cultivated land) is affect negatively but significant at 5% significance level. Average treatment effect on treated (ATT) result shows that participate in irrigation schemes increase banana production approximately by 209.58 quintals per hectare. However, there are factors that hinder households to use irrigation water in the study area, which needs attention. Therefore collective actions are advisable to improve and sustain the positive impact of irrigation on banana production in the area.