Abstract:
This research work aims to investigate the impact of koga irrigation scheme on farmer’s livelihood, in
Mecha woreda. The study used both primary data and secondary data to answer research questions.
The primary data was collected from 265(105 treated group and 165 control group) respondents using
multistage sampling technique. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis were used for the
study. The study used descriptive, inferential, and econometrics analysis. The study undertook logit
regression model to identify determinants of participation decision. Propensity score matching method
was also used to analyze the impact of irrigation scheme on crop income, livestock asset, agricultural
input expenditure, and assets accumulation.
The result of logit regression indicated that education status of household head, family size, land size,
credit, and distance from irrigation schemes were identified as determinants of irrigation in the study
area. Propensity score estimation technique showed that net crop income of irrigation participant
households increased on average by ETB 26,703.810 per year than non-participants and agricultural
input expenditure of irrigation participant households increased on average by ETB 5,679.71 per year
than non-irrigator households. Likewise asset accumulations of irrigation participants have increased
on average by ETB 24,968.95 compared to non-users. In contrast, no statistically significant difference
in livestock resource holding was found. So, overall it can be concluded that participation in irrigation
has robust and positive effect on most of the livelihood indices and the study recommends that non-
irrigators have to be addressed and encouraged to participate in irrigation to increase income and
improve farm household’s livelihood.