Abstract

Natural resources have been degrading due to intensive agricultural activities in many developing countries. To rehabilitate the degraded natural resources watershed management practices has become the key approach to minimize loss of such resources. The study examined the contraints of watershed management practices on smallholder farmers’ livelihood in Hidabu Abote Woreda, North Shewa, Oromia regional State, Ethiopia. The study employed a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was generated through household (HH) survey, key informant interview and focuses group discussion. The quantitative data were generated from 266 household, where the sample sized detrained by standard method. Tables and narrative method, was used to examine the contraints of Watershed Management practices of smallholder farmers. The study results revealed different factors constrained the Watershed Management practice that include lack of training and low quality of trainings given either for extension or farmers, lack of appropriate technology, open grazing, deforestation, limited maintenance of SWC structures, inadequate extension services, insufficient (small) farmland holding, shortage of cash income to cover agricultural input costs, poor (traditional) agricultural practices, fearing reduction of farmland size due to land closure for conservation. The policy makers and actors emphasize on the solving the limitation through providing technical or action oriented training and awareness creation through considering indegineus knowledge, allocation of extension service and provide materials (tools) used Soil Water Conservation are the key reccomondation finded.

Keywords: Hidabu abote woreda; Contraints of watershed management practices; Smallholder farme