The Effectiveness of Rain Water Harvesting for Sustainable Practices in West Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Dejene Teressa,Hailu Mosisa

doi:10.11648/j.es.20210601.11

Abstract

This study was conducted in West Hararghe Zone, Oromia regional state to evaluate rain water harvesting Effectiveness for sustainable practices. The data were collected from a total 336 household selected randomly. The data’s obtained were analyzed qualitatively. The study reviled that Rain water harvesting is one of the most important means to increase agricultural productivity and source of a domestic water supply for drought prone of Western Hararghe Zones. Specifically, in selected kebeles of Miesso district there is no access of perennial spring and river. Ground water also found at very deeper and can’t be extracted by their current economic and educational status. In line with this about 83.6% of the farmers were implemented rain water harvesting practices on their farm land and communal land to minimize the risks associated with scarcity of rainfall. From these value 97.3% were in Miesso district. In agreement with this, 54.8% of the house holders have been using roof top water harvesting system in this study area. Specifically, about 25% of the respondents use roof top water harvesting system in Miesso district. Additionally, about 30.1% of the farmers were constructed family pond on their farm land for vegetable/horticultural crop production, cash crops (chat) and also for livestock. Contour ridges were implemented by 89.3% and 92.4% of the farmers in Miesso and Habro districts, respectively. Similarly, 73.8% of the respondents in the study area were implemented flood water diversion to their farm land. Accordingly, 30.8% and 20.5% of the respondents from Habro and Miesso district state preferred flooding WH system than others techniques.

Highlights

Agriculture is the most important sector and central to the survival of millions of people in many sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Rain water harvesting is a single most important way of water accessibility for drought prone area [13]. In line with this about 83.6% of the farmers were implemented rain water harvesting practices on their farm land and communal land to minimize the risks associated with scarcity of rainfall
In Miesso district 97.3% of the households were engaged in Rain-water harvesting (RWH)

Summary

Introduction

Agriculture is the most important sector and central to the survival of millions of people in many sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Most agriculture production in these developing countries is carried out on small land holdings, with approximately 80% of poor people continuing to depend on the agricultural sector for their livelihoods. The populations of these countries are the poorest and most vulnerable. They suffer from recurring and increased ranges of natural and human-made shocks that act as effective barriers to productive and sustainable livelihoods and demote a majority of the population to a state of chronic poverty [9]. The capacity to manage climate change is limited, due to the wide spread of recurring droughts, inequitable land distribution, and the dependence on rain-fed agriculture [11]

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion