Abstract:
Aridity and climate change are the main problems faced by farmers who rely on rain fed
farming.Food security has remained a challenge in semi-arid SSA countries. Rain fed
agriculture need to be supplemented/augmented by irrigation but development of alternative
means of water sources have been questionable in Kalu woreda. This paper aimed to
analyses the determinants that affect RWHTs adoption and intensity in South Wollo of Kalu
woreda at Bosena, Abecho and Aba-Hellima kebeles. The research employed ccommunity
based cross-sectional mixed method. Simple random sampling technique was used to recruit
the study subjects. A total of 323 farmer households were assessed in this study and data was
collected by using structured and semi-structured questionnaire. Data was entered SPSS
and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was
used to identify the confounders and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to
identify significant factors associated with RWHTs adoption. Finally, results were presented
with appropriate tables, figures and graphs as well as adjusted odd ratio (AOR) and 95%
confidence interval. The prevalence of the level and rate of adoption of RWHTs among
households in the three Kebeles of Kalu woreda were 20.0 % and 66.6% respectively at
(95% CI: 0.01,0.10). Age group of 28-39 years (AOR= 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01-0.-10), training
(AOR= 0.02, 95% CI: 10.0-0.09), access to information (radio) (AOR= 0.02, 95% CI: 0.010.09)
credit access (AOR=0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.41) and farmland size (AOR=0.28, 95%
CI:0.09-0.93) were found to be significantly associated with RWHTs adoption. In this study,
the prevalence (rate) of adoption of RWHTs among households whose age ranges between
28-39 was higher but the level of practice of RWHTs was lower. Furthermore, being in the
age range of 28 – 39 years, access to training, credit and information via radio and having
large farm size were positively and significantly associated with RWHTs adoption. It was
therefore recommended that agricultural offices, RWHTs extension workers and farmers
better give priorities and focus on both the rate and level of adoption of the technologies.
Regarding this, interrelated factors, which were age, finance, access to training, credit,
information, and farm size were found to be positive determinant factors to adopt RWHTs,.
