Assessment of Existing Irrigation Practice in Guji Zone of Mid and Low-Land of Southern Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Irrigation survey was conducted in lowland and midlands of Guji zone of Southern Oromia, to generate information on irrigation activities as a zone in low and mid-land agro ecologies. The studies were conducted in selected representative areas of Adola Rede, Liban, Odo Shakiso, Seba Boru, and Wadera districts. In sampling techniques the cluster sampling techniques was applied, depending on the agro-ecologies of the districts. In two agro-ecologies five districts were selected, three of them were categorized under low-lands and two under mid-lands. From each districts two to three representative PA`s were randomly selected. From each selected PA`s of the district’s 30 households were taken as respondents. Among them 15 person were householders used irrigation in each selected PA`s, 15 person were householders not used irrigation are interviewed in doing this survey, 18 person were agricultural and irrigation office expert and thirteen (13) development agents are participated in doing questionnaires (31 key informants). Questionnaire distribution for key informants such as experts and DA’s, personal interview for farmers and field visit were used to gather the data. Both primary and secondary data were collected. Soil samples were taken from the representative selected PA’s in each districts at the area under irrigation those selected for research and was analyzed in the laboratory to collect parameters such as: - soil ph, soil texture (soil type), soil organic carbon (organic matter), total nitrogen, available p, exchangeable K, Ca, Mg, Na and CEC. The major findings of the research were come up with both opportunities and constraints to expand irrigation farming. And the result shows there were more constraints compared to the opportunities as the study areas. These were more common in lowland than midland.