Adoption of soil and water conservation measures and smallholder farmers' perception in the Bench-Sheko Zone of Southwest Ethiopia

Ethiopia has implemented various soil and water conservation measures. However, not all smallholder farmers practice soil and water conservation on their own parcels. Physical soil and water conservation practices that smallholder farmers implement on their own farmland are determined by a variety of factors. As a result, the objective of this research was to identify the factors influencing the adoption of physical soil and water conservation measures and perception towards physical soil and water conservation practices in the Bench Sheko Zone of Ethiopia. The study used both primary and secondary data sources. For data collection farmers in the study area were divided into adopters and non-adopters. Primary data were collected from 423 randomly selected smallholder farmers. The data were analyzed using binary logistic regression model, descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of study reveals that the adoption of physical SWC measures is significantly and positively influenced by the frequency of extension contacts, farmland slope, and awareness about the importance of SWC measures. The odds ratio for these variables were 4.738, 2.764, and 9.613, respectively. Age of smallholder farmers and the distance between farm plots and the home of the farmer were negatively and significantly influenced adoption of these practice. The study also found that the majority of smallholder farmers perceive that physical SWC measures are essential for preserving soil fertility and boosting productivity. Thus, increasing the frequency of extension contact, especially for the younger smallholder farmers will increase adoptions in the study area