Impact of Small Scale Irrigation on Resettled Household Food Security: The Case of Hora, Gorrea & Shenkora Small Scale irrigations in Sasiga District of Wollega, Ethiopia

Abstract

Small Scale Irrigation plays a substantial role in advancing agriculture by increasing productivity and enhancing household food security. The Objective of the study is to see factors affecting resettled farmers' participation decisions in Small scale irrigation and to analyze the impacts of small scale irrigation on household food security. The study used cross-sectional data with a multistage stage sampling technique of 262 and 77 non-irrigation and irrigation user resettled households were interviewed. Binary probit models, Heckman sample selection model two-step is employed in the analysis of the study. The study showed that resettled households with a strong perception on land productivity utilize modern agricultural input, more perception on soil fertility, more access of extension service and with the previous landholding on the site selected for irrigation have more likelihood of participation decision in small scale irrigation than that household with less access and perceptions. Contrary to that resettled households of large land Size holding, more perception on irrigation land repossession and more awareness on irrigation regulation are found to have less likelihood of participation decision in small-scale irrigation. The ordinary least square using adult Equivalent expenditure on food as outcome variable revealed that as Age of resettled households, distance from the market, tropical livestock holding, and crop diversification increases the resettle household food security increases. While Awareness of households on irrigation regulation & modern farm input utilization was found to harm resettled household food security. As per the study finding holding large land size, less awareness on irrigation regulation, and fear of repossession of irrigation land in case of defaulted farming are found to be the challenging factors to influence resettled household participation decision in small scale irrigation and while as the farmers adopt more input on rain-fed land and develop less awareness on irrigation regulation coping capacity to food security was challenged. This is due to farming input cost escalation, soil fertility deterioration, and poor land preparation, acidisty of the soil due to heavy rain fall and poor crop management practices and hesitation for land reposition incase of irrigation land preparation default. The study recommended a concerned body and stockholders to revisit irrigation regulation for amendment, soil, and water conservation practice to be taken as an intervention package and further study to exceed the scope of the study.