Out of the sample of 333 female-headed households, only 113 (33.9%) participate in irrigation. Hence, this study was intended to identify the determining factors influencing female-headed households' participation in periurban modern small-scale irrigation projects in Kobo town, Ethiopia. To achieve this objective, a cross-sectional survey method was used on 333 participant and non-participant households. Descriptive and econometric techniques were employed for data analysis. The binary logit model was used to identify determinants of participation. The chi-square and t-test result of this survey shows that participants and non-participants exhibited a significant variation with regard to age and educational status of the household head, family size, livestock holding, distance to irrigated land, distance to the nearest market centres and access to credit facilities. Furthermore, the binary logit model analysis discloses that educational status of the household head, family size, livestock holding, access to credit services and distance from the nearest market centres have a significant and positive impact on participation. In contrast, age of the household head and distance to irrigated farm are significantly and negatively associated with participation. Hence, for better participation of female-headed households, development of irrigation projects should take the above-mentioned determinant variables into account. (c) 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
