Dual perspectives: a remote sensing- and survey-based exploration of the determinants of irrigation use in Northern Ethiopia

Abstract This study addresses the need to improve agricultural productivity and enhance the resilience of small-holder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through irrigation. Using Amhara and Tigray regions in Ethiopia as a case study, we investigate the factors that impact farmers’ use of irrigation through two distinct analytical approaches: a survey-based approach that leverages Ethiopia’s 2018/2019 Socioeconomic Survey, and a remote sensing-based approach that integrates multiple remote sensing products. While previous research has relied primarily on surveys to understand technology adoption in agriculture, we demonstrate how nighttime light imagery for electrification detection and multispectral imagery for irrigation mapping can complement survey data. We examine infrastructure factors (electricity access, road accessibility), environmental variables that influence irrigation costs and efficiency (soil salinity, slope, groundwater depth, topographic wetness index, proximity to surface water), and farming practices (crop type, fertilizer use). Despite the common assumption that infrastructure development will drive agricultural technology adoption, we found that access to electricity and all-weather roads are not strongly associated with farmers’ irrigation decisions in these regions. We identified a cropland area of about 97 760 ha in Amhara and 28 830 ha in Tigray that is electrified but does not use the electricity for irrigation purposes. Instead, environmental variables emerged as significant determinants, with favorable physical conditions (proximity to surface water, gentle slopes, shallow groundwater) showing positive associations with irrigation use. Additionally, the cultivation of permanent crops and the application of fertilizers are found to be positively associated with irrigation use. By validating remote sensing results against survey data, we demonstrate the potential of remote sensing as a cost-effective technique for understanding agricultural technology adoption in data-scarce regions. We conclude by presenting strategies to facilitate the use of irrigation in SSA.