FARMERS’ PERCEPTION ON THE EFFECTIVENEES OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN GAMO HIGHLANDS THE CASE OF DITA WOREDA, SOUTH WESTERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

A number of soil and water conservation methods were introduced. Consequently, the government has invested in sustainable soil and water conservation (SWC) measures. This study was conducted at Dita Woreda in south West GamoGofa zone of the Southern, Nation,Nationalites Regional State. The study area is typical for the high potential barely production, mixed farming, and cereal crops in the Southwestern Ethiopian highlands. Land is a precious natural resource which demands efficient management in order to use it in a sustainable manner. The objective of the study was Farmers perception on the effectiveness of soil and water conservation practices in Gammo highlands and to evaluate how well implemented measures address to specification and to describe tradition and improved concentration measure. Survey questionnaire were administered to 130 farmers selected from the study area and 8 respondents for interview and 6 respondents for focus group discussion. Data collection tools included questionnaire, focus group discussions, key informant interview and field observation include data analysis. The results indicate that majority of sample farmers have good opinion on soil and water conservation. It was found that farmer’s decision to adopt and use SWC measures is influenced by different factors. Farmer’s positive attitude towards SWC technology, farmer’s participation SWC trainining high erosion problem ,steep slope, farmer’s perception of erosion as problem have significance positive influence on farmer’s adoption of SWC technologies. Consequently, the result shows that the majority of the respondent farmers participated in the SWC their will. farmers well understood the results of severe soil erosion on their farms and recognized as loss of topsoil, reduction of yield over time, loss of vegetation cover and grasses, Structural soil conservation measures practiced in the study area included cutoff drains, soil bunds, waterways, check dams. Yet farmers have been using biological and agronomic soil conservation measures either separately or in combination with structural soil conservation measures. Practices of structural soil conservation measures have been influenced by many factors. Among these factors such as farmers’ experience, educational, gender, lack of training, income of hous hold, government policies and strategies and physical factors were observed. Therefore, the most important factors that require immediate consideration for SWC activities in the study area are participation of the household farmers has to be through their own conviction regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of the soil conservation structures. The government should be implemented clear policy and strategies about SSWC as well as the communities’ are also should take the responsibility natural resource protection by participating in SWC