Analysis of farm-household adoption and choice of natural resource management innovation (Soil and Water Conservation Technologies) in Ethiopia: The role of poverty

The study examined factors that determine adoption and choice of SWC technologies under CGIAR-related agricultural innovations in Ethiopia, using data from Ethiopian Socioeconomic Survey (ESS4). Specifically, the study assessed the effect of poverty, socioeconomic and plot level factors on adoption and choice of SWC technologies. Poverty is found as an important factor in adoption and choice of SWC technologies by farm households. Household characteristics like head age, active labor, education, and head sex also significantly affected the likelihood of adopting and choice of SWC technologies by land owners. Similarly, plot level characteristics (size, slope, average annual rainfall) have significant effect on farm households’ adoption and choice decision. Conversely, cultivated land as compared to other land use types is positively associated with adoption of SWC technologies. Regarding choice of conservation technology, terracing followed by plough along the contour are most practiced method of soil erosion prevention by farm households. Adoption of terracing is positively associated with increased annual consumption per adult equivalence (poverty). The study emphasized that efforts targeting to increase adoption of NRM in general and SWC technologies in particular need to be augmented by policies that mitigate poverty both at household and community level.