Investigate, Capture and Codify Indigenous Knowledge practices to Manage and Conserve Wild Coffee Forest: the case of Kafa Zone in Ethiopia

Abstract

The thesis has attempted to capture and codify Indigenous Knowledge on managing and conserving of wild coffee forest at two woredas (Gimbo and Decha) in two kebeles (Keja araba from Gimbo and Mankira from Decha) in Kafa Zone, examine the local socio-cultural values, ritual practices and traditional beliefs which helped them to conserve and manage natural resources and made them to deserve international recognition by UNESCO as Kafa wild coffee Biosphere. The communities involved were the Kafecho (indigenous people). The study Woredas and kebeles was selected purposively. The justifications were relative existences of the existence of wide wild coffee forest and mother coffee, which got recognition by UNESCO. Data were collected from March to April, 2014 from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected from in-depth interview of selected informants, focus group discussions, field observation and questionnaires were distributed to stakeholder organizations. Secondary data were collected from published and unpublished materials which are available in the form of books, journal articles, websites, reports, research papers prepared and presented for policy discussions and conferences, and other relevant documents from the concerned stake holder organizations. Quantitative data collection techniques were employed to collect the required information on the indigenous knowledge for conservation and management of wild coffee forest in the study area. Data were analyzed using content analysis method for the data gained by field observation , focus group discussion and in-depth interview about available indigenous knowledge on conservation and management of wild coffee forest .Descriptive statistics used to questionnaire and responses considered using frequency to understand the attitude of respondents towards existence, sharing, accessibility and preservation of indigenous knowledge in Kafa Zone .The analysis indicated that above most of the respondents confirmed that there are various indigenous knowledge in the form of tacit which helped and will help for manage and conserve wild coffee forest. According to the local community view and knowledge about the available ritual practices, socio- cultural values and traditional beliefs made them to manage and conserve natural resources especially Wild coffee forest in the study area. Thus, indigenous knowledge for manage and conserve wild coffee forest are Deejjooo sheeree, shoowoo (Guudo ) and Ancient grave yards .These indigenous knowledge also supports to alleviate the problems like gullies formation and soil erosion, loss of biodiversity especially plants, animals, interruption of water flows, and also climate changes. So, government and stakeholders should consider such indigenous knowledge when they produce different policies and rules and give recognition for those indigenous knowledge.