DETERMINANTS OF ADOPTION OF INTRODUCED LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SANA WATERSHED, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

In Ethiopia, soil erosion is a severe problem and a major cause of the decline of land productivity. A number of soil and water conservation practices were introduced in south central highlands of Ethiopia to combat land degradation and for sustainable land management. However, the adoption of these practices is far below the expectation. The objective of this study was to examine factors affecting adoption of introduced land management practices in Sana watershed, Southern Ethiopia. Mixed research design methods were employed in order to conduct this study. Questionnaires, focus group discussion, in-depth interview and f ield observation were used to collect data. A binary logistic regression model was employed to analyze the collected data and to interpret the result. The result showed that sex of house hold heads, education status of house hold heads, access to extension services and training were positively correlated at significant level with the adoption of the introduced land management practices. On the other hand, the age of house hold heads, and distance of farmlands from home steads influenced the adoption of introduced soil and water conservation practices negatively. The finding showed that the identified environmental, demographic, economic, and institutional factors influence the adoption of land management practices. This implies that the regional and local administrates should consider these factors to improve farmers’ acceptance of introduced land management practices and to promote agricultural productivity and environmental quality. Extension and training services on the introduced land management practices for the farmers and agricultural extension service workers should also considered by the regional and local administrates. Keywords: Adoption, Land management, Sana Watershed, Soil Erosion