Smart Village Irrigation Systems in Ethiopian Rural Areas: Metrics and Farmer Satisfaction

This study explores the implementation of smart irrigation systems in Ethiopian rural villages to enhance water efficiency and farmer satisfaction. A mixed-method approach was employed, including pre- and post-installation assessments using a validated irrigation efficiency metric (η) and structured farmer satisfaction surveys. Water usage decreased by an average of 15% in treated areas compared to controls, with farmer satisfaction scores increasing by 20% on a Likert scale. The smart irrigation systems demonstrated significant improvement in water efficiency and enhanced farmers' livelihoods. Further research is recommended to assess long-term sustainability and scalability of these systems across different climatic zones. smart irrigation, water efficiency, farmer satisfaction, Ethiopian rural areas Model estimation used θ̂=argminθ∑ᵢ(yᵢ,f_θ(xᵢ))+λθ₂², with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.