Abstract:
Soil is very important natural resource for the growth of plants. But lack of appropriate
conservation techniques, soil in Ethiopia is severely degraded. The present research examines
determinants of the adoption of physical soil bund structures including the major factors
influencing the adoption process. The studyis aimed to evaluate the design/layout of soil bund
conservation structures on field measurement by deferent tools and instruments; and to analyze
demographic, socio-economic and institutional factors that determine adoption ofsoil bund
conservation structures on cultivated field in Debark woreda. TO achieve these objectives, data
was collected from primary and secondary sources. Survey questionnaire, focus group
discussion, key informants interview, field observation and measurement were means of
collecting primary data. 133 sample households were selected randomly from 3 kebelesin
Debark woreda. T-test, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression model were used to
analyze the data. The result of this study indicated suchaserosion adoption, design/layout and
determinants (socio-economic, Physical and institutional) factors.The chi-square test results
showed that distance from farm land, slope of the farm land, land size of household, family size,
age group, gender, design type, farmers’ recognition of soil erosion as a problem were found to
have significant relationship with the conservation structures. However binary logistic
regression result revealed the 5 (five) variables such as variables slope, distance, education,
design compatibility and land size were found to influencethe soil bund conservation structures
significantly. On the other hand, of all measurement and observation of soil bund conservation
structures in the study area, all design/layout parameters except slope gradient of soil bunds
were found incompatible with technical standards. Thus, the poor design might be the main
source of poor conservation structure, which could affect other factors as well. Experts and
other concerned bodies should give attentions to improve the layout /design based on the standard
