Potential Contribution of Wild Edible Plants To Urban Safety Net Beneficiary Households and Determinates of Collection and Consumption of the Plants in Addis Ababa.
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Globally, wild edible plants (WEPs) have remarkable contribution to poverty alleviation as well as
food security. However, its availability is rapidly declining because of decreasing traditional
knowledge.Forest related knowledge contributed for metropolitan cities to fight hidden
hunger.Nevertheless, households’ inadequate traditional knowledge and poor perception results
underutilized and ignorance through urban dwellers. The objective of this thesis was to examine the
factors affecting the households’ decision to participate as collector of WEPs.The study was
conducted between December 2019 and May 2020. Data coolection tools such as focus group
discussion, guided field walk, and semi-structured questionnaire were employed in ordert to collect
primary data. Data was analyzed using constant comparison technique, descriptive statistics and
probit model. In and aroung Gulele Botanic Garden, a total of 105 useful plants were identified and
of whom 84 plants were edible while 21 plants were used for medicinal purpose. On the other hand,
women were idenfied on average of 5 plant species while men were idenfied merely 1(one) plant
species. Therefore, in this case, women respondnets had better traditional knowledge than men .In
the total households, 51% of respondents were agreed that wild edible plants can be used as an
alternative food sources during food shortage. Of whom, WEPs’ colectors were accounted as 96%.
In a total of 145 households, 42 respondnets were collector of WEPs in the study area. Compared
with men, Female households had 20 % probability to participate in collecting WEPs than men. For
every addition of one family member, the probably of households to collect edible plants was
increased by 17 %. The probability of food taboos affected the informants’ decision to collect WEPs
by 15%. As recommendation, one important method of conserving such vital traditional knowledge in
the new generation is through incorporating it to school curriculum or at least hosting the idea as an
extracurricular school activity. It is important to design activities that would help in recovering the
disappearing of traditional practices. Local associations, school clubs and societies of interested
groups can contribute to that end;
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Keywords
Gulele, Safety net, Wild, Edible, Plants, Non- timber, forest, product