Abstract:
Wild edible plants are crucial resources with multipurpose uses and indigenous people have ethnobotanical knowledge
of their use and management. Ximenia americana L., is among the preferred multipurpose use wild edible plants (WEPs).
These uses and managements were inadequately documented. Ethnobotanical studies can explore the uses and management
of this species and associated indigenous knowledge (IK). Ethnobotanical and socioeconomic studies were carried out in
Fantalle (Galcha, Qobbo, Dheebiti) and Boosat (Xadacha, Trii Bireti and Diglau Tiyo) districts in Ethiopia. The main data
collection methods used were, field inspection by guided walks, focus group discussions with 14 key informants taken from
transhumance pastoralists and settled framers of the two districts, and systematic field observations along six transects.
Indigenous people have explained 7 major uses of X.americana (Food, medicine, fuel wood and others). Food value was the
highest. Ten major threat factors have affected the species, of which agricultural expansion ranked highest. All (100%)
indicated that there was no domestication of the species indicating that people collect the fruits from the wild. The
indigenous people have knowledge of the use and management of X.americana. The fruits were used for food while roots
and other pats of the species were used for medicine and source of income. However, because of overexploitation, the
species became rare in the study area. This can lead to erosion of associated indigenous knowledge on the use and
management of X.americana. Its multipurpose uses can contribute to livelihood of semiarid people and calls for urgent
rehabilitation by closure of the natural habitat by complementing with domestication of the species.
