Ecological Impact of khat(Catha edulis) cultivation in Silti Woreda, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Southern Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2016-08
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
An investigation of the impact of khat (Catha edulis) cultivation was carried out in Silti woreda
in 2015/16 in four purposively selected kebeles. (Boze, Yeteker, Asano, and Senena). The
purpose of the study was to investigate the ecological impact of khat cultivation in Silti woreda.
In order to accomplish this study objectives were to examine the current status of Khat
cultivation in selected Kebele of Silti woreda, Analyses the ecological impact of Khat
cultivation, Identify the problems of chemicals uses for cultivation khat and to recommend actions to
be taken to improve stakeholders’ engagement in Khat cultivation through identifying its
negative ecological impact. The research used descriptive method and data were collected using
questionnaires, interview and document analysis. Data were analyzed descriptive statistics and
response compared with using ANOVA test for different variables. The target population of the
study was 1280. From this study uses a sample size of 128 respondents. The survey result has
shown that 107 of the respondents has increased their khat cultivation land by performing forest
declining, which shows almost all of the respondents have experienced this action as a means
of expanding agricultural area for khat cultivation. The study indicates (84%) of the respondents
uses different chemicals to prevent pests which attack khat, Most farmers uses chemicals like
DDT and other effective chemicals to prevent damage of khat by pests but as data taken from the
respondents it has its own contribution for ecological and health impact. Khat cultivation on a
large cover of land created a monoculture of vegetation and destroyed any other plants.
Therefore, alternative intercropping method should be created with indigenous plants in the
study area.
Key word; Ecological impact, khat, intercropping, monoculture, indigenous plants
Description
Keywords
Ecological Impact, Khat, Intercropping, Monoculture, Indigenous Plants