ASSESSMENT OF SMALL SCALE IRRIGATION USE AND ITS CONTRIBUTION ON HOUSEHOLD FARM INCOME IN TERCHA ZURIA WOREDA, DAWURO ZONE, SOUTH WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Agricultural production in Ethiopia is mostly dependent on seasonal rainfall. This has made the agriculture-based economy of the country extremely vulnerable to the influences of climatic change. Therefore this study was conducted to assess the use of small-scale irrigation and its contribution to household farm income in Tercha Zuria Woreda. In order to achieve the objective of the study employed, Amulti-stage sampling techniques were used. The Primary data were collected from 321 sample households selected by using a simple random sampling method, while the secondary data were collected from different documents. Data analysis by both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were applied for analyzing the collected data. In addition econometric models such as Binary Logistic and multiple linear regression model were adopted, the result of the descriptive statistical analysis showed that out of the total irrigation user respondents (115), 22.61% access water through the traditional river, 46.96% through concrete canal river diversion mechanism, 4.35% through a hand pump, 9.56% through the motorized water pump and 16.52% uses shallow, constructed well and hand-dug bucket. The binary logistic regression analyze showed that household size, educational level, land holding size, training on irrigation, and credit access, had significant and positive effect on the use of irrigation water at p<0.05 significantly, however age of household head and distance from the water source had significant and negative effects on the use of irrigation water at p<0.05 significant. Average total household income shows that use in small scale irrigation increased mean household income by 7297.65 ETB non-use households. The multiple linear regressions model analyze showed that participation in irrigation, age of household head, education level, total livestock ownership, are significant and positive effect on household total annual farm income at p<0.05 significant, The distance from the water had significant and negative effect household total annual farm income at p<0.05 significant. Based on the current findings it can be concluded that the use of small-scale irrigation is one of the vital solutions to improve the household income and living standard in the study area. From the current findings, it can be recommended that governmental and non governmental organizations should expand access to small-scale irrigation to the cultivable lands of small households to increase crop productivity and improve their farm income.