Assessment of woody species diversity in homegarden And associated traditional knowledge in alarigta Kebele in adiyo and beyemmo kebele in gimbo districts Of kafa zone, south western

Abstract

Homegardens are important reservoir of diversity of woody species and have immensely contributed to in-situ conservation of plant genetic resources and provide a multiple contribution for household. Traditionally, local communities’ carried out homegarden woody species management practice in their garden, and have accumulated a vast indigenous knowledge in managing homegarden woody species. The present study was carried out in two different altitudes in Alarigeta Kebele (highland) and Beyemmo kebele (midland) of Kafa Zone, South Western Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to assess woody species diversity in homegarden and traditional knowledge of woody species management practices. A total of 104 households from both study sites were randomly selected for the study by considering wealth category. Management related data were collected by using both informal and formal surveys. For species diversity and related parameters, woody species inventory were carried out in homegardens of xiii 104 households. Accordingly, 10 m x 50 m rectangular sized plots established in the homegardens of sampled households. In each sample plot, all woody species with DBH ≥5 cm at breast height were measured using caliper, diameter tape and recorder. Woody species having less than 5 cm DBH and ≤1. 3 height at each plot were also counted to check regeneration potential. In the two study sites, a total of 77 woody species that belong to 68 genera and 35 families were identified and recorded. When considered separately, 39 woody species belonging to 37 genera and 25 families were recorded in Alarigeta (highland) site, whereas 63 woody species under 55 genera and 31 families were recorded in Beyemmo (midland) site. Tweenty six of the identified woody species were common to both study sites.The basal area of the two study sites are 1.69 m 2 per plot and 33. 87 m2 per ha and 2.21 m 2 per plot and 44.24 m2 per ha for Alari geta and Beyemmo study site, respectively. This result shows that, the basal area value per plot and per ha of Beyemmo (midland) study site is greater than that of Alarigeta (highland) study site. Traditionally, both midland and highland agro ecology local communities’ carried out woody species domestication and management in their homegarden in the two kebeles. This is because of the fact that farmers have accumulated indigenous knowledge in managing homegarden woody species and management knowledge gained by experience and transferred one generation to next generation. The assessment result shows that 18 and 3 exotic woody species introduced and domesticated in Beyemmo and Alarigeta study sites respectively.