The Effect of Some Socio-Economic Factors on Income of Small-Scale Irrigation Farming: The Case Study of Godino Peasant Association in Ada Woreda, Oromiya Region

Abstract

 The paper examines the effect of some socio-economic factors on income of small-scale irrigation farmers of Godino Peasant Association in Ada Woreda. It is based on the survey conducted in four villages covering 200 households. The survey revealed that shallot is the dominant crop, extensively grown by almost 91% of sampled farmers. The mean land area allocated for shallot was 0.28 ha. This occupied 47% of the irrigated land. Shallot has become an attractive cash crop because of rising demand and it has also greater price stability than other irrigated crops. The survey confirmed that farmers earned, on average, Birr 4805.60 per annum from farming, off and non-farming activities. Of which, about 67.8% came from small-scale irrigation, 28.7% from rainfed farming, and the rest from off and non-farm activities. One hectare of irrigated land, on average, generated an income of Birr 6030.80, whereas rainfed farming gave only Birr 1059.82 per hectare. To this effect, income from small-scale irrigation is significantly bigger (P=0.026) than rainfed farming. However, there is still a gap to access fertilizer, improved seeds and land resources to expand small-scale irrigation in the study area. These results pose major challenges for agriculture in the new millennium since access and distribution of resources are imminent for the production of small-scale irrigation farming.