Impacts of small-scale irrigation on rural households' income in north eastern Ethiopia

Irrigation is one means by which agricultural production can be increased to meet the growing food demand in Ethiopia. Small-scale irrigation is becoming the main mechanism in livelihood enhancement discourse especially in recent times when the rainfall pattern is becoming erratic in the country. Small-scale irrigation is a policy priority in Ethiopia for rural poverty alleviation and growth, as well as climate adaptation. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of small-scale irrigation on income of rural household in the North Eastern Ethiopia. The study used Taro proportional sampling techniques formula to get 200 sampling respondents of irrigation and non-irrigation users. Econometric model such as Propensity Score Matching method and binary logistic regression model were used to study the specific objectives, impact of use of small-scale irrigation on households' income and determinants of smallholder farmers' decision to participate in small-scale irrigation water use, respectively. The Propensity Score Matching model using logit estimate indicated that family size, credit access and subsidy with productive safety net program were found positive significant effect. The logit model discovered that sex, livestock holding size, dwelling distance from irrigation farm, and subsidy by productive safety net programme and credit access have determinant effect on decision participation in small-scale irrigation. Therefore, attention should be given by the government in expanding of modern irrigation practice and constructing improved storage house should be given priorities.