The latest article from Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine.
Ethnobotanical study of homegarden plants in Sebeta-Awas District of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia to assess use, species diversity and management practices
Abstract
Background
Homegardens in Ethiopia are currently facing different threats mainly due genetic
erosion, loss of traditional knowledge on their use and management and drought. On
the other hand, research and documentation works on homegardens in the country are
very limited. There is no previous report indicating conduct of ethnobotanical study
on homegardens in selected study district. The present study thus attempted to document
knowledge on uses and management practices of homegardens by people in study district.
Methods
The study was conducted in Sebeta-Awas District, Southwestern Shewa Zone of Oromia
Region, Ethiopia, between March and September 2009 to assess use, species diversity
and conservation status of homegardens in the District. Data were collected using
semi-structured interviews as well as through homegarden visits, market surveys and
different ranking exercises. For the semi-structured interviews, 42 homegarden owners
were selected randomly from seven sampled kebeles (smallest administrative units in
Ethiopia), six from each kebele. For different ranking exercises, 14 informants (10
males and 4 females) were sampled using convenient sampling method from among homegarden
owners that already participated in semi-structured interviews.
Results
In total, 113 plant species belonging to 46 families were recorded from the study
area, of which 45 (39.8 %) were herbs, 34 (30.1 %) were trees, 26 (23.0 %) were shrubs
and 8 (7.1 %) were climbers. Fabaceae had the highest number of species, followed
by the families Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Solanaceae. The cash crops Catha edulis, Rhamnus prinoides and Ruta chalepensis were the most frequently encountered homegarden plants. Cupressus lusitanica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Faidherbia albida were the most abundant tree species that had the highest densities of occurrence.
Of the recorded plant species, 25 % were used as sources of food, 13 % as medicine
and 10 % as household tools.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that homegardens in the study area are rich in crops and, therefore,
significantly contribute to the agrobiodiversity of the study District, in particular,
and Ethiopia, in general.
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