Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Research

Prioritization and selection of high fuelwood producing plant species at Boset District, Central Ethiopia: an ethnobotanical approach

Authors: Tinsae Bahru, Berhane Kidane, Amsalu Tolessa

Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine | Issue 1/2021

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

In Ethiopia, about 92.3% of all the fuelwood (firewood and/or charcoal) is consumed for cooking, heating and lighting purposes by domestic households and the demand is growing from 10 to 14%. However, there are little/no practical experiences or documented indigenous knowledge on how traditional people identify and select high fuelwood producing plant species with short rotation periods at Boset District. Therefore, the present study was aimed at: (1) selecting and documenting high fuelwood producing plant species at Boset District; (2) identifying major predictor variables that influence the prioritization and selection of species; and (3) develop a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) to predict the selection of species.

Methods

A total of 96 informants comprising 59 men and 37 women between the ages of 18 and 81 were sampled. Data were collected using structured interviews, guided field walk, discussions and field observations.

Results

Collected data indicated that 88.5% of the informants involved in firewood collection, while 90% practiced charcoal making. A total of 1533.60 Birr per household on average was earned annually from this activity. A total of 25 fuelwood producing plant species were identified and documented at Boset District. Of these, Acacia senegal, Acacia tortilis and Acacia robusta were the three best prioritized and selected indigenous high fuelwood producing species. Prosopis juliflora, Parthenium hysterophorus, Azadirachta indica, Calotropis procera, Cryptostegia grandiflora, Lantana camara and Senna occidentalis further grouped under introduced fuelwood species. Prediction of GLM assured sampled Kebeles and source of income generated from fuelwood species positively and significantly (p < 0.001) related to selection of species. Higher efficiency to provide energy and heat; little or no smoke or soot; easier to cut and split the wood and easier availability were some of the main selection criteria.

Conclusions

This study provides valuable information in selecting and documenting of high fuelwood producing plant species for proper management and sustainable use at Boset District. The three most selected species (A. senegal, A. tortilis and A. robusta) should be further evaluated at laboratory to determine their calorific value and combustion characteristics.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Kaale BK. Highlands of energy problems in East Africa. In: Siren G, Mitchell CP, editors. Proceedings of the “Forest energy and the fuelwood crisis”. IUFRO project group P1.09.00 meeting in Uppsala, Sweden June 8–9, 1984; 1985. p. 29–40.
2.
UNEP. Sustainability of biogas and solid biomass value chains in Ethiopia: Results and recommendations from implementation of the global bioenergy partnership indicators. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Paris, France. 2019.
3.
WBISPP. A National Strategy Plan for the Biomass Sector. Wood Inventory and Strategic Planning Project (WBISPP), Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 2005.
4.
Hill AF. Economic botany: a textbook of useful plants and plant products. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company Inc; 1952.
5.
Kochhar SL. Economic botany in the tropics. 2nd ed. New Delhi: Macmillan India Ltd.; 1998.
6.
Abbiw DK. Useful plants of Ghana: West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate technology publications. London: the Royal Botanic Gardens; 1990.
7.
Cotton CM. Ethnobotany: principles and applications. Chichester: Willey; 1996.
8.
Emrich W. Handbook of charcoal making; The traditional and industrial methods. Solar Energy R&D in the European Community Series E, Volume 7 Energy from Biomass. D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, the Netherlands. 1985.
9.
FAO. Industrial charcoal making. FAO Forestry paper 63. Mechanical Wood Products Branch Forest Industries Division, FAO Forestry Department. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. 1985.
10.
FAO. Simple technologies for charcoal making. FAO Forestry paper 41. Mechanical Wood Products Branch Forest Industries Division, FAO Forestry Department. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. 1983.
11.
ILO. Fuelwood and charcoal preparation: An illustrated training manual on simple tools and techniques for small-scale enterprises. International Labour Office (ILO), Geneva, Switzerland. 1985.
12.
Silayo DA, Katani JZ, Maliondo SMS, et al. Forest plantation for biofuels to serve natural forest resources. Research and development for sustainable management of semiarid Miombo woodlands in East Africa. Working papers of the Finnish Forest Research Institute 2008;98: 115–124.
13.
Steenackers V, Strobl S, Steenackers M. Collection and distribution of popular species, hybrids and clones. Wood. 1990;1990(22):1–20.
14.
15.
Khider TO, Elsaki OT. Heat value of four hardwood species from Sudan. J For Prod Ind. 2012;1(2):5–9.
16.
Nasser RA, Aref IM. Fuelwood characteristics of six Acacia species growing wild in the southwest of Saudi Arabia as affected by geographical location. BioResour. 2014;9(1):1212–24.CrossRef
17.
Hundera H, Berhan G, Bewuket W. Remote sensing and GIS based agricultural drought risk assessment in East Shewa Zone, Central Rift Valley Region of Ethiopia. J Environ Earth Sci. 2016;6(7):2224–3216.
18.
CSA. Summary and Statistical Report of the 2007 Population and housing census: population size by age and sex Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Population Census Commission Central Statistical Agency (CSA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 2008.
19.
BDANRO. Socio-economic information of Boost Wereda. Boset Wereda Agricultural and Natural Resources Office (BDANRO), Boset, East Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. 2017.
20.
Jacobs MJ, Schloeder CA. The Awash National Park Management Plan, 1993–1997. Nyzs-The Wildlife Conservation Society International and the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Organization. Ministry of Natural Resources Development and Environmental Protection, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. NYZS-The Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, USA and the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 1993.
21.
White F. The vegetation of Africa. Paris: A descriptive memoir to accompany the UNESCO/AFTAT/UNSO. UNESCO; 1983.
22.
Sebsebe D, Friis I. Natural vegetation of the Flora area. In: Hedberg I, Friis I, Persson E., editors. Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea.Vol. 8. General part and Index to vols 1–7. National Herbarium, Biology Department, Science Faculty, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Department of systematic Botany, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; 2009. p. 27–32.
23.
Bahru T, Asfaw Z, Demissew S. Indigenous knowledge on fuel wood (charcoal and/or firewood) plant species used by the local people in and around the semi-arid Awash National Park. Ethiopia J Ecol Nat Environ. 2012;4(5):141–9.
24.
Bahru T, Asfaw Z, Demissew S. Ethnobotanical study of forage/fodder plant species in and around the semi-arid Awash National Park. Ethiopia J For Res. 2014;25(2):445–54.
25.
Cavendish W. Quantitative methods for estimating the economic value of resource use to rural households. In: Campbell BM, Luckert MK, editors. Uncovering the hidden harvest: valuation methods for woodland and forest resources. Earthscan Publications Ltd: London; 2002. p. 17–65.
26.
Cardoso MB, Ladio AH, Dutrus SM, et al. Preference and calorific value of fuelwood species in rural populations in northwestern Patagonia. Biomass Bioenerg. 2015;81:514–20.CrossRef
27.
Cunningham AB. Applied ethnobotany: people, wild plant use and conservation. People and plants conservation manuals. London and Sterling VA: Earthscan Publications Ltd.;2001.
28.
29.
Fahrmeir L, Tutz G. Multivariate statistical modelling based on generalized linear models. New York: Springer; 1994.CrossRef
30.
Moroda GT, Tolossa D, Semie N. Food insecurity of rural households in Boset district of Ethiopia: a suite of indicators analysis. Agric Food Secur. 2018;7:65.CrossRef
31.
Vollmer F, Zorrilla-Miras P, Baumert S, et al. Charcoal income as a means to a valuable end: Scope and limitations of income from rural charcoal production to alleviate acute multidimensional poverty in Mabalane district, southern Mozambique. World Dev Perspect. 2017;7–8:43–60.CrossRef
32.
AFREA. Wood energy Development for Sub-Saharan Africa: Issues and approaches. Africa Renewable Energy Access Program (AFREA). Washington, D.C.: the International Bank for Construction and Development/the World Bank Group; 2011.
33.
Girard P. Charcoal production and use in Africa: what future? Unasylva. 2002;211(53):30–5.
34.
Feyisa BN, Feyssa DH, Jiru DB. Fuel wood utilization impacts on forest resources of Gechi District, South Western Ethiopia. J Ecol Nat Environ. 2017;9(8):140–50.CrossRef
35.
36.
Sedano F, Silva JA, Machoco R, et al. The impact of charcoal production on forest degradation: a case study in Tete. Mozambique Environ Res Lett. 2016;11:094020.CrossRef
37.
Balemie K, Kelbessa E, Asfaw Z. Indigenous medicinal plant utilization, management and threats in Fentalle area, Eastern Shewa. Ethiopia Ethiop J Biol Sci. 2004;3(1):37–58.
38.
Zerihun W, Mesfin T. The status of the vegetation in the Lakes Region of the Rift Valley of Ethiopia and the possibilities of its recovery. SINET Ethiop J Sci. 1990;13(2):97–120.
39.
Onekon WA, Kipchirchir KO. Assessing the effect of charcoal production and use on the transition to a green economy in Kenya. Trop Subtrop Agroecosyst. 2016;19:327–35.
40.
Hunde D, Asfaw Z, Kelbessa E. Use and management of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants by indigenous people in ‘Boosat’, Welenchiti Area. Ethiop J Biol Sci. 2004;3(2):113–32.
Metadata
Title
Prioritization and selection of high fuelwood producing plant species at Boset District, Central Ethiopia: an ethnobotanical approach
Authors
Tinsae Bahru
Berhane Kidane
Amsalu Tolessa
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1746-4269
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-021-00474-9

Other articles of this Issue 1/2021

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 1/2021 Go to the issue

Research

Exploring the historical distribution of Dracaena cinnabari using ethnobotanical knowledge on Socotra Island, Yemen

Correction

Correction to: Ethnobotanical characterization of medicinal plants used in Kisantu and Mbanza-Ngungu territories, Kongo-Central Province in DR Congo

Research

The use of medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19 in Nepal

Research

Uses, abundance perception, and potential geographical distribution of Smilax aristolochiifolia Mill (SMILACACEAE) on the Totonacapan Region of Puebla, Mexico

Research

Preserving for the future the — once widespread but now vanishing — knowledge on traditional pig grazing in forests and marshes (Sava-Bosut floodplain, Serbia)

Research

Ethnobotany of the Aegadian Islands: safeguarding biocultural refugia in the Mediterranean