Factors affecting farmer’s participation on Participation Forest Management; the Case of Yayo coffee forest Biosphere reserve Oromia Region, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

The global forest has been declining from year to year due to human and natural factors. The Yayo district in southwest Ethiopia which is a biodiversity hotspot area historically containing a rich diversity of wild Coffee arabica cultivars and Afromontane forest species of commercial and scientific values. To address the problems of deforestation and forest degradation in the area, different protection strategies have been implemented through government and community in a coordinated manner. PFM plays an essential role to contributes natural resource conservation, income diversification and enhancing welfare of smallholder farmers. This study investigated the factors affecting farmers participation on participatory forest management in Yayo coffee forest. Two stage sampling procedures were used to select sample households for data collection. A total of 120 sample households were randomly selected. Data collection were used through group discussion, key informant interviews and transect walks in the study area. Descriptive and inferential statistics Model were used to identify variables determining decision-making Behavior of small holder farmers and empirical estimation of the econometric model, multicollinearity test for both continuous and dummy/categorical variables were conducted to check possible associations among independent variables. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected from primary and secondary sources. The descriptive and inferential statistics models were used to analyze perception of household, and the level of participation in PFM, respectively. Among 12 explanatory variables hypothesized to determine farmer’s decision to participate participatory forest management, the major top five ranked constraints face sample household during participation process found to be statistically significant. The result shows that duration of residence, perception house hold, forest distance from home and market, total annual income were affected farmer’s participation. The study suggested the need tocreate a sense of ownership for farmers, strengthening existing benefit schemes and creating others benefit related to the forest resources improvement of rural infrastructures and timely providing information to improve household’s participation in PFM practices.