THE ROLE OF SMALL SCALE IRRIGATION ON RURAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME: THE CASE OF TENTA WOREDA, SOUTH WALLO, ETHIPIA.

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the role of small scale irrigation on the income of rural households in South Wollo Zone: Tenta Woreda. Stratified proportional sampling techniques were used for the selection of the sample Kebeles and sample respondents. Data were collected from 119 randomly selected household heads from two kebelle of the Woreda.By descriptive statistics were applied for analyzing the data. Frequencies, percentages, graphs and tables are the methods used to analyze the quantitative data. In general, the study found out that households with low levels of ownership of basic assets such as small number of oxen and livestock, small number of family size and active family labor force, low saving habits, small frequency of receiving training were found exposed to low level of income. The educational status, age of house hold, family size, active labor force, access to irrigation, remittance income, non farm and off-farm income, livestock , number of oxen, training service and saving habit were the major influencing factors of rural household income in the study area. The occurrence of large number of oxen were found as important factor for small scale irrigation and income gained from it. Based on the finding I suggest that providing trainings for non-users about water harvesting technology, how to utilize underground water to become irrigation, developing improved transportation networks, creating market accessibility, provision of better veterinary services and modernizing animal waste management.