Ethnobotanical Study, Conservation Practices and Threats of Medicinal Plants among Menja Community: In The Case of Gimbo, Kaffa Zone, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and their use by indigenous cultures are not only useful for conservation of traditions and biodiversity, but also for healthcare and drug development in the present and future generation. The main objective of this study was to identify and document medicinal plant species used by Menja community to treat human and livestock disease in Gimbo District, Keffa Zone of Southwestern Regional state of Ethiopia. A total of 92 sample respondents were selected by using simple random sampling technique. The data were collected by using semi-structured interview, focus group discussion with the selected 16 key informants and field observation. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, Informants consensus and informant Consensus Factor. A total of 59 medicinal plant species belonging to 36 families were identified. The most abundant growth forms of the medicinal plants were herbs and the least forms were climbers. About 44.1% were used to treat human, 33.9% species were used to treat livestock and the remaining 22% of species were used to treat both human and livestock. The most abundant families from the collected species were Asteraceae 11.9% followed by Fabaceae 8.5%, Apiaceae, Poeaceae and Rutaceae contained 5% of species in each and others were also identified in study area. The major threatening factors to medicinal were agricultural expansion, wood extraction, charcoal production, climate change, construction, over grazing, illegal encroachments, industrialization and urban expansion. It can be concluded that the study area is rich in various types of medicinal plant species and Menja communities of the study area are highly dependent on medicinal plant resource for themselves and their livestock health care. Menja communities of the study area are highly dependent on medicinal plant resource for themselves and their livestock health care. Traditional healers of Menja community should have to conserve the medicinal plants on their garden and teach the way to conserve to their neighbors in order to expand the knowledge of conservation.