Gender Difference in Soil and Water Conservation

Land degradation in the form of soil erosion and nutrient depletion presents a threat to food security and sustainability of agricultural production in many developing countries. Governments and development agencies have invested substantial resources to promote soil conservation investment practices as part of an effort to improve environmental conditions and reduce poverty. However, few rigorous empirical studies have produced mixed results on factors influencing farmers' decisions to adopt soil conservation practices. This study investigates the factors influencing smallholder female headed (FH) and male headed (MH) households’ decisions to adopt soil conservation and the intensity of adoption in the Ethiopian highlands, in Tigray. The results of this study amplify the gender-specific nature of determinants influencing the decisions to adopt soil conservation practices. The research confirms that selecting priority intervention for soil conservation investment practices should be done by considering various socio-economic, institutional and physical factors of householders.