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

T7ze paper examines the effect afsome socia-economic factors on income of smal/scale
irrigation farmers of Godino Peasant Association in Ada Woreda. It is hased
on the survey conducted in four villages covering 200 households. 77le 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
hecause 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, olf 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 rain/ed farming gave only Birr
1059.82 per hectare. To this ejJect, income from small-scale irrigation is
significantly bigger (P=0.026) than rain/edfarming. 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 agricullLlre in
the new millennium since access and distribution of resources are imminent for the
production afsmall-scale irrigation farming.