Analysis of Factors Affecting Adoption of Soil Conservation Measures among Rural Households of Gursum District, Ethiopia

Abstract

     Land degradation in the highlands of Ethiopia is reaching an irreversible state. It has become increasingly difficult to maintain the current level of production of basic food items. Government and nongovernmental organizations have attempted to promote soil conservation technologies. However, their attempts have not succeeded in activating voluntary adoption to the expected level. This paper examines the main determinants of farmers' adoption decisions and the use intensity of level bund soil conservation measures using a cross-sectional sample of 280 farm households in the Gursum district of Eastern Ethiopia. Tobit analysis was employed to analyze the data. The results showed that highland agro-ecological location, slope, educational level of the household head, extension service, land tenure security, access to credit, and offfarm income are important factors that positively influence the adoption and intensity of use of level bunds in the study area, whereas livestock holding had a negative influence. This study suggested that to assure voluntary soil conservation adoption, the government needs to entrust land tenure security to farmers, promote formal and informal training on land management and utilization, and establish a targeted credit scheme that would integrate crop production and soil conservation in the study area.