Factors Influencing Farmers‟ Decision in implementing Sustainable Land Management Practices in Erosion- prone Areas of East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
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Date
2018-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A number of governmental and nongovernmental organizations have made efforts to reduce soil erosion and improve the productivity of land through sustainable land management practices. Despite all these efforts, East Gojjam Zone is still facing significant problem of soil erosion and agricultural land degradation. Systematic random sampling technique was employed to draw 188 sample household heads from two woredas of East Gojjam Zone. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches. The quantitative data was collected through structured questionnaires while the qualitative data was collected using direct observation, focus group discussion and a key informant interview. Binary logit model and descriptive statistic were utilized to analyze the factors influencing farmers’ decision in implementing sustainable land management practices. Descriptive result revealed that the level of farmers’ awareness about the advantage and disadvantage of sustainable land management practice were high. The major land management practices implemented by farmers’ were terracing, strip cropping, counter farming, and stone bund practices were the dominant land management practices implemented in the study kebeles. In addition, Fanya juu and animal dung or Compost physical conservation practices also practiced on the study kebeles. The result from Binary logit indicates that the off farm activities of household heads, land holding size, lack of attention, and lack of farm equipment are negatively affecting the farmers decision in implementing sustainable land management practices. While resource availability are positively affecting the decision of farmers’ to implement sustainable land management practices. The findings of this study recommend that dissemination of farm equipment or agricultural input to the farmers’ and strengthen continuous work of land management practices and information about sustainable land management practice should need.