The extent of small-scale irrigation has successfully increased the food security of households in ruralrnEthiopia. However, it is not well understood that households face a food insecurity problem due to naturalrninduced hazards. The households in Merewa and Mutifecha area introduced small-scale irrigation tornimprove food security. The main aim of this study was to examine the contribution of small-scale irrigationrnto the food security of rural households and to identify the factors that limit participation in irrigation. Datarnwas collected from 202 irrigation users and non-users selected randomly by taking from two sampled ruralrnKebeles of Merewa and Mutifecha. Survey questionnaire, focus group discussions, observations and keyrninformantsâ€™ interview were used to collect the data. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statisticsrnand econometric models using SPSS version 20 and STATA version 14. Statistical Techniques, including thernt-test and the X2rn-test, were used to analyze the descriptive results, while the probit and poison regressionrnmodel was used to determine the determinant of participation in small-scale irrigation and its role in thernIdentify household food security. The finding of the study revealed that, the status of food security using FCSrncut-off point was 61.39% with adequate food consumption, 30.69% with borderline food consumption andrnthe poor food consumption householdsâ€™ being 7.92% for irrigation participants which was higher than nonirrigation participants 25.49% adequate,33.34% borderline and, 41.17% poor FCS andrnstatistically significant at 5% level. The Study also found Education, access to market information, access torntraining, male gender in the household, total livestock size are the main factors that largely explain ruralrnparticipation and access to irrigation significant at 5% which that there are statistically significantrndifferences in the use of improved seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, as well as in the production of diversifiedrnagricultural products, between irrigation users and users who do not use 5% irrigation. Market access, lackrnof capital to buy agricultural products, frequent diseases Infestation, lack of knowledge of the use of modernrnirrigation technology, and lack of supply of irrigation inputs were the five main restrictions for participatingrnin small-scale irrigation practices within the study area. The study recommends market access, thernexpansion of appropriate crop protection mechanisms, provision of education and awareness of farmersrnthrough extension experts and the provision of other complementary services in order to increase thernparticipation of irrigation to improve food security. Therefore, the Woreda Department of Agriculture, therndivision of natural resources and crop production should meet in coordination with interested developmentrnpartners in order to promote funding development of these small irrigation schemes.