Smallholder farmers’ decisions to the combined use of soil conservation practices in Tiwa watershed, Northwest highlands of Ethiopia

Soil erosion by water is a critical problem in the northwest highland of Ethiopia. The limited decision of farmers to the combined use of soil conservation practices is one of the main accelerating factors to soil erosion by water. The study aimed to identify determinants influence farmers' decision to the combined use of vegetation stabilized terracing and composting under legume-cereal crop rotation on particular croplands in Tiwa watershed, northwest highlands of Ethiopia. The survey was conducted among randomly selected 155 household heads. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to identify the determinants. Farmland ownership status, plot distance from home, soil fertility status, and technical fitness of terraces were major influential factors for farmers’ decision to the combined use of vegetation stabilized terracing, compost, and legume-cereal crop rotation on a specific field. Therefore, to promote the combined use of soil conservation practices in the broad context, the policy should be recognized these institutional, technical, and plot-level factors influence farmers' decision to adopt over time.