Browsing by Author "SORI ALEMAYEHU"

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    TRADITIONAL HOME- GARDEN AGRO –BIODIVERSITY SYSTEMS, AGROECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND MANAGEMENTS IN WONDO DISTRICT, WEST ARISI ZONE, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA
    (HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, 2024-05) SORI ALEMAYEHU
    Agro-biodiversity is subset of biodiversity that includes all components of biological diversity which are used for agri-food production system. Traditional home-garden management techniques have become crucial for improving and diversifying the livelihood of smallholder farmer. The present study was car ried out in two different altitudes in Gutanama Kebele (highland) and Entaye kebele (midland) of Wondo District, West Arsi Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to assess agro-biodiversity in traditional home-gardens, agro-ecosystem services and management practicein. Multistage sampling techniques were employed to conduct the study. A total of 351 households (194 from mid altitude and 157 from highland) were randomly selected for the study. Ethnobotanical data were collected using homegarden observation, semi-structured interviews, preference ranking and direct matrix ranking .For species diversity and related parameters, plant species inventory were carried out in homegardens of 60 households.. Data were analysed by using descriptive and infferencial statistical methods.Besides Shannon-Weiner diversity index and Soreson`s index of similarity were used to analye by using Mi crosoft Excel 2010 and SPSS version 25 software. In the two study sites, a total of 104 plant species belonging to 41 families were idenitified. Of these crops, 58 species were idenitified in midland 29 spe cies were idenitified in highland and 18 species were idenitified in common. The difference was statisti cally significant (P=0.001. The socioeconomic benefit results show that 13 agroeccological survices were identified in both altitudes.. From the identified homegarden plants Poaceae was the most fre quently observed family (containing 11 species), followed by Fabaceae (containing ten species). The diversity indices value was higher for the middle (H”= 2.86) compared with the highland (H”= 2.35). Like wise the evenness index value was higher for the midland (E = 0.7) compared with the highland (E =0.6). The Soreson‘s index of similarity was 29%. Out of the 104 crops, 28.8% of species were food crops 14.2% were medicinal crops and 11.1%) were spices. Traditional knowledge was use to manage homegardens including weeding, watering, fencing and soil fertility management through adding or ganic and inorganic fertilizer. The major challenges were unstable market prices, poor access to mar ket places, and diminishing home-garden sizes poor extenstion surice and poor access to the main road. The traditional homegardens are rich in agro-biodiversity and are resvior of crop genetic and species diversity; delivers multiple agroecosystem services; and are managed primarly by indigenous knowledge. Moreover, midlands favour agro-bidiversity compared to highlands, reassing that agro biodiversity decrease with increasing altitudes and altitude- associated environmental conditions. To combat the challenge limiting the level of agro-biodiversity and agro-ecosystem service, all actors in cluding government, localy-based organizations and local communuities need to give more attention to harness the important perspectives of traditional home-garden agro-biodiversity systems.