Abstract:
Land degradation presents a serious threat to sustainable soil and water resources, primarily through erosion, declining soil
fertility, and extreme weather events. Addressing these challenges involves selecting appropriate Soil and Water Conservation
(SWC) technologies to mitigate soil quality decline and enhance agricultural productivity. Soil and water conservation
technologies have been promoted across various regions, especially in dryland areas for several decades with mixed outcomes.
Despite their positive impacts, the utilization intensity of these technologies at farm level remains low. Furthermore, there is
limited information on use and use intensity of the technologies among youth farmers, who are key to driving agricultural
transformation. This study investigates the socio-economic factors influencing the use and use intensity of SWC technologies
among youth farmers. A cross-sectional survey was employed to gather data from 396 youth farmers selected through a multistage
sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Cragg's Double Hurdle (DH) model. The
findings revealed that among 12 independent variables included in regression analysis education level, farm income, and
farming experience significantly determined the choice of using SWC technologies. Additionally, access to credit, marital
status, education level, farming experience, land size, technical knowledge, training participation, farm income, and land
ownership had significant effects on the intensity of use. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, such as
strengthening credit access, enhancing technical training, and expanding educational opportunities to promote broader adoption
and effective utilization of SWC technologies. Integrating these factors into policy and planning is essential to enhancing
agricultural productivity, resilience and sustainability among youth farmers in dryland regions.
