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Proceedings of the International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2022, 12(3): 144-156
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Article

Exploring factors that affect adoption of storage-based rainwater harvesting technologies: The case of Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Adem Sunkemo, Mohammed Essa
Department of Economics, Werabe University, Werabe, Ethiopia

Received 9 March 2022;Accepted 30 April 2022;Published online 31 May 2022;Published 1 September 2022
IAEES

Abstract
Intra-seasonal rainfall variability in terms of amount and distribution coupled with increasing temperature aggravates recurring drought incidences in the Central Rift Valley drylands of Ethiopia. Water harvesting and storage techniques can mitigate the adverse effects of droughts. The objective of this study was to assess the perceived causes of agro-meteorological droughts and the potential effects of storage-based rainwater harvesting technologies. In the study, secondary and primary data collected via a survey of 120 farming households from three Kebeles of the Dalocha district. Descriptive statistics such as percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to describe sampled respondents in terms of some desirable variables. Binary logit model was used to analyze the factors that affect storage-based rainwater harvesting technology adoption. Hence, 34% of the last 32 years were severe droughts for livestock. Only 32% of the last 32 years were neither moderate nor severe droughts for livestock. Severe (34% of the years) and moderate (31% of the years) droughts for maize farming were the results of both late onset of the rainfall season and long dry spells. Only 6% of the years (2 out of 32 years) were severe drought for both livestock and maize farming implying that mixed crop and livestock farming reduces farmers' vulnerability to drought as the drought years for one farming may be good years for another. Logistic regression analyses revealed that Sex of household head, land holding size, extension service, and access to training, Total Tropical Livestock Unit (TTLU), farmers' perception and Non-farm income had significantly affected the SBRWH technology adoption decision of households in the study area. Out of both the traditional and recently introduced SBRWH technologies, the Boretta were found to be the most accepted technologies as they can store 1000-30,000 m³ of water and the water can be used for 4-5 months of dry season. Although there were significant differences between adopters and non-adopters of SBRWH technologies in the perceptions about the benefits of, the majority of respondents perceived that these technologies can help to mitigate the adverse effects of droughts. The finding of this study indicated that, if storage-based rainwater harvesting technologies were properly implemented in large scale structures like Boretta, have the potential of improving water availability for dry spell and drought proofing.

Keywords adoption;rain water harvesting;smallholder farmers;technology.

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