THE CONTRIBUTION OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES TO LIVELIHOOD AND LAND RESOURCES: THE CASE OF MERIBO AND HALU SUB WATERSHEDS OF WONDOGENT WOREDA SIDAMA REGIONAL STATE OF ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT This study is conducted in Meribo and Halo Sub-watershed Wondo Genet Woreda, Sidama Region. to examine the contribution of soil and water conservation practices to rural livelihoods and land resources concurrently. The study employed a cross-sectional research design with quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The required data were collected from 162 household heads selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The data collected through questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS software version 21. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were applied. Besides, inferential statistics such as independent t-test and binary logistic regression were used. The data collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussion was analyzed qualitatively using narrative for triangulation. The findings show that the main type of soil and water conservation measure was Fanjuu. The main biological types of soil and water conservation measures were agroforestry and crop rotation. The main soil improvement type of soil and water conservation measures was mulching. Soil and water conservation practices have a contribution to improve the livelihood of families in the study area. It improves households’ income, livestock amount, and crop production. The main contribution of soil and water conservation practices for land sources were increasing soil fertility, increase grass supply, increase the number of trees, increase water supply, decrease soil erosion, decreases flooding, and increases the availability of forage. The major determinant factors that affect soil and water conservation practice were labor force, educational level, land fertility, credit facility, distance, training, slop category, and income. Therefore, the study recommends that NGOs, Kebele, and woreda experts should construct physical soil and water conservation measures such as soil bund and fanjuu to support native plant species regeneration. Besides, farmers need to focus on maintaining and improving soil quality by increasing the soil’s organic matter content and highlighting its importance when providing biological soil and water conservation measures.