Biodiversity Management in Oaaddegoyo (Traditional Home Gardens) by Kaficho People of Bongaarea (Southwestern Ethiopia) : An Ethnobotanic Approach
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Date
2000-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study was conducted in three villages around 80nga (Southwest Ethiopia) to investigate the role
of the local people in managing biological diversity through agricultural activities. The Kafichos, the
indigenous people of the study area, are settled farmers who practice traditional home gardening.
Their enset based home garden, which consists of a complex mixture of annual and perennial plants,
is locally called Oaaddegoyo; and provides them with almost every thing required for subsistence.
Data on vegetation (species record, cover-abundance, number of individuals, and plant specimens),
and soil samples were collected from sample plots. Ethnobatanic information was gathered by
conducting open ended discussions with key informants, owners of home gardens and other family
members. The collected plant specimens were identified in the Niational Herbaruim (ETH). The
vegetation data was analysed using the computer program SYNTAX and five clusters were
recognixed: Ensete·Xanthosoma community, Ensete·Coffea community, Ensete·Brassica community.
Ensete·Xanthosoma·Saccharum community and Ensete·Xanthosoma·Nicotiana community. The
clusters were compared for the mean values of the soil chemical factors using the ANOVA test. A total
of 170 plant species were recorded from the 21 Oaaddegoyo (home gardens) of which 47% were
found to be protected or tolerated. Although a decrease in total number of plant species per village
with an increase in altitude was observed, the ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test result indicated no
sighificance difference among the three villages in the number of species per garden. The
Daaddegoyo whose framework is made by Ensete ventricosum is strongly linked to the other two
land·use systems: Kubbo ('managed forest") and Guudo (Inlact forest). It is a stable agroecosystem
that harbours a Significant biodiversity. and this has resulted from innovative processes by local
farmers over generations. Therefore, the Oaaddegoyo is an in·situ repository of crop germplasm and
deserves protection.
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bonga area southwestern Ethiopia