ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS OFFICE REGIONAL AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES • The Role of Irrigation Development in Enhancing Household Food Security: A Case ofTI1ree Small-Scale Irrigation Scl1emes ill SOlltl1eru Natiolls, Natiollalities ami Peoples' Regioll. By Nigussie Taffesse Henkaro Addis Ababa May 2002 RLDS N4R6 2002 L...... ___ t~-- ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS OFFICE REGIONAL AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES The Role of liTigation Development in Enhancing Household Food Security: A Case o/Three Small-Scale Irrigation Schellles ill SOllthel'll Natiolls, Natiollalities (lJ/{1 Peoples' Region A Thesis Presented to the School of Graduate Studies, Addis Ababa University, in partial Fullillment for the Degree of Master of Arts in Regional And Local Development Studies By Nigussie Taffesse APPRO VED BY BOARD OF EXAMINE RS: SIGNATU RE I. Tegegn GI Egziabher (PH D) Chairman, Graduate Committee 2. Dagnew Eshete (PhD) Advi sor 3. Yared Amare (Ph D) Internal Examin er 4. Mulat Demeke (Ph D) External Examiner IX ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS '" 1-/011' call J repay lite Lord{or all his goodlless to me?" Pis.}} 5: J 2 NIV First and foremost, [ would like to thank God for his kindness all the way to the completion of this work. Secondly, 1 am very thankful and dedicate this report to my organization, Co­ SAERSAR for its continuous support and encouragements. Very much thanks to The Netherlands Government, AAU-RLDS and its staffs for their assistances and encouragements during our stay in the campus. I acknowledge, with great thanks, my dear advisor, Dagnew Eshete (PhD) for his sincere concern to my success and effort made from the time of proposal to finali zation of this work. I would Iik e to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and witness that he is dependable consultant with rich experience in development consultancy and research practice. I am also thankful to my mother Kebebush Soboka for her kind material and prayer suPpOtt as well during my study. Many thanks to my colleagues Ato Tesfaye Wolde, Ato Anteneh Gulilat, Ato Kasahun Argew and Ato Desalegn Worku for their deep concem to take care of th e continuations of my study. My friends Ato Taddesse Fantaye, Abera Abebo, Wlro Worke Matewos and EI-Shaddaai Evangelical outreach ministry for their material support and advice during Ill y study. I would also like to thank Ato Tsegaye Gudisso, Ato Tagesse Sugebo, Wlro Martha Baddi and Wlrt Yeshemebt Demissie for their devoting valuable time for editing and typing the m anuscri pI. La st, but no t least, 1 would li ke to express my indebtedness to my sisters Wlro Zenebech Taffesse, Wlro Emabet Mekonnen and Witt Genet GIMichael for their material support and concern for my success and well-being. Thanks are owed to all individuals involved in this research mainly enumerators (Negalign Bobas, Filimon Daka, Tesfaye Anjulo, Lukas Qabule, and Thomas Fancho) and all households and key informants who participated kindly in giving va luabl e information. Regional Investment Office, DPPB, POBED, and Planning and Programming Service of the COSAERSAR deserve gratitude. Nigussie Taffesse May 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS J\c~ llo\v l e d ge lll e llt .................... ............................................... ... ... ............. I r l ~ Jb l es or Cont ent ...... ................. ........................ .... .. .................................... ... ......... .......... ......... ............ ii List ol'Tablcs .... ... ............................. ........ .. ..... IV L is t or Figures .............................................. ............ ......... .......... ............ IV List of iVlaps ................................... /\LTonynls .......... ....... ................................................ ........................... ...................... .................................. v Abstract ...... ........................ .............................. .... .......... ..... ..... ..... ... ................ ..... .... ....................... ......... Vl C hapter O ne: INTRODUCTION ............... ................... .......... ........................................ J 1.1 Ai m and Scope of the Study ................................................................................. 1 1.2 Justificati on o f the Study ......................................................... ................. ...... .... .. 2 1.3 Objecti ves and Hypoth esis ............ .. .......................... .. .. .......... .. ..... ...... .... ............ 3 1.3.1 Research Objective ................................. ........................................... ... ...... 3 1.3.2 Hypothesis .. ................................................. .. ........ ..................................... 4 I A Mcthodology of the Study ....................... ....................................... .............. ........ 4 1.4. I Rcsearch Methodology ...................................... .. .. .................................... 5 1.4.2 Samplc Selection Methods and Procedures ........................ ...................... 6 1.4. 3 Data Collection ~nd Analysis .................................................................... 8 IA.4 Lim itations oflhe Study ..................................................... ............. .......... 9 1.4.5 Organization ofthe Paper.. ........................................................................ 9 C hapter Two: STUDY AREAS ...................................................................................... 10 2.1 Introduction to the Study Areas ...................................................... .................. 10 2.2 Specific Study Areas .......................................................................................... 12 2. 2.1 Bi ssare Small-scale Irrigation (SS I) .................... ....... ...... .. ............. ... ..... 12 2.2.2 Lebu Small -scale Irrigation (SSI) ...................... .. .. ................................. 13 2. 2.3 Weyibo Small-scale Irrigation (SS1) .................................................... ... IS C hapter T hree: R EV IEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE ..... .... ............................ 20 3.1 Irri gati on Development Concepts and Experience ............................................ 20 :1.1.1 De fin ition and Concept ...................................... .. ................................... 20 3. 1.2 Adva ntages of Irri gation Developl1l elll.. ............................................. .... 21 3. 1.3 Types of Irrigation and Methods of Selection ......................................... 24 3.IA Factors Affecting Irrigation Development Activities ......... .......... .. ........ 27 3.1.5 Ways of Tappin g the Irrigation Potentials ................................ .. ... .. ....... 28 :1.2 Ethiopia 's Water -Resources Potential and Government Strategies ..... ..... ......... 30 3.2 .1 Water Resource Potential ...................................................................... .. 30 3.2.2 Government Po li cies & Strategies to Water developlllenL .......... ... ...... 3 1 :1 .2.3 \"' at er Resources Development Experience in Ethiopia ............. ............ 32 3.2.4 I rri gali on Developmcnt Experience and Potential in SNNPR ............... 3 3.3 Food Security/ Insecurit y .................................................................................. 34 3.3 .1 CO ll cepls and Definitions ......................... ............................ ............ ........ 34 3.3.2 Types of Fooel Security ............................... .......................................... 35 3.3.3 Food Security Situation ........... .. ............ ............. ........ .... ............ .............. 36 3.3.4 Factors Negatively Affecting Food Security at Different Levels ............ 40 3.3.5 Government Food Securil y Strategy and P rogram .................................. 4 1 3.4 Thc Relevance o f liTi gation in Enhanci ng Food Security .................................. 42 3.4. 1 Relevance of Irri gation in Enhancing Food Security ....... .. ..................... 43 C hapter Four: FINDINGS OF THE STUDy ......................... ................. ..................... 47 4. 1 Introdu ct ion ..... ................................... .. .............. .. ...................................... ... .... 47 4.2 ItTigation , and Household food supply ............................................................... 49 4. 3 Irrigation, and Asset Holding and Engagement in Farm Activities ................... 56 4.4 Irri gation and Household Food Security ..... ... .... .. ............ .. ............ .. ........... ....... 59 4.4. 1 Avai labi lity/food suppl y ....................................................... .. ................ 59 4.4.2 Access and Utili zation ............... .... ... .... ........ .. .................................. .. ..... 61 4. 5 Effects of Irri gation on Women's Ro les ........................................................... 71 4. 7 Major Factors A ffecti ng Irri gati on Practices at Household Level .................... 72 4.8 Constraints in Developing Irri gation Projects in the Study Areas ..................... 75 C hapter Five: CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY SUGGESTIONS ............................. 77 5.1 Co ncl usion s .... .... ... .. ........................... ... ... ... ... ......................... .. ........ .. .... ........... 77 5. 2 Po licy Sugges ti ons ..... ........................................... .. ......... ................ .. ................ 80 References .... .. .