Abstract:
The distinctive contribution of agroforestry practices is to obtain products from farm, which
are tree, crop and livestock products in increased and substantial manner. There is limited
scientific research on traditional agroforestry practices in Mareka District. A study of
indigenous agroforestry knowledge and practices in Mareka Woreda, Dawuro Zone, Southern
Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State, Ethiopia, was carried out from December
1/2017 to March 29/2018. The objective of this study was to investigate agroforestry practices
in Mareka Woreda focusing on diversity of plant species of the agroforestry systems,
management practices and associated knowledge of Mareka Woreda so as to bring better
understanding to the systems and contribution to its conservation. The study district was
purposefully selected and 180 household heads were used as representatives of the
community. Interviewed and observed data on traditional knowledge of agroforestry practices
were analyzed using Statistical Packaging for Social Sciences version 16.0. Shannon’s
diversity index was calculated for plant species data and traditional agroforestry data were
analyzed using direct matrix ranking, preference ranking and pair-wise ranking. The results
revealed 57 useful plant species which belong to 51genera and 33 families. It was noted that
planting, pruning, lopping, coppicing and thinning were some of traditional plant
management practices of study area. Farmland shortage, poor land usage, animal damage on
plants and lack of transports were the major constraints of agroforestry practice of Mareka
Woreda. Also age is an important factor that can affect traditional agroforestry knowledge
and practices in study area. Cordia africana was the best preferred tree species of the study
area. Eventually, community of study area should be encouraged and promoted to enhance
the traditional knowledge in agroforestry practices and, bring positive attitude on planting
indigenous tree species on their agroforestry systems.
