Study area description
Yilmana Densa District (Woreda) is located at 11o 30׳ 0׳׳ N and 37o 20׳ 0׳׳ E in West Gojjam Zone (Fig. 2). It is bordered on the East by Abay River which separates it from the south Gondar Zone. The major town of this District, Adet, is 42 kilo meters far from Bahir Dar which is the capital of Amhara region. Quarit District is located at 11o 10׳ 0׳׳ N and 37o 15׳ 0׳׳ E in West Gojjam Zone, and it is bordered on the north by Yilmana Densa and on the east by East Gojjam Zone. The major town of the district is Gebez Maryam. Both Yilmana Densa and Quarit Districts have Weyna Dega and Dega agroclimatic Zones.
Approximately, 75.75% of Yilmana Densa District is Dega agroclimatic Zone [10, 11]. The main rainy seasons in both districts are May to October (Fig. 1). Both Districts have plains, mountains, valleys and undulating areas that consist of 16, 20, 8 and 56 percent of the area respectively. The soils are moderately fertile and they are traditionally classified into black soil, red soil and brown soil that consist of 20, 65 and 15 percent of the soil of the District respectively [11].
According to [12], Yilmana Densa District has a total population of 214,852, of whom 107,010 are males and 107,842 females; 19,169 or 8.92% are urban inhabitants. The majority (98.19%) of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity while 1.76% was Muslim. The largest ethnic group reported in the District was Amhara (99.94%). Amharic was spoken as a first language by 99.96%. Quarit District has a total population of 114,771. Among the total population, 56,767 are males and 58,004 are females respectively. The majority of the population resides in rural areas where as 4.14% are urban inhabitants. A population density of Quarit is 190.34 with a total area of 602.99 square kilometers. The District has also 25,402 households those result an average of 4.52 persons to a household, and 24,927 housing units. The District is inhabited by 99.9% of Amhara people, and 99.96% of the residents are practicing Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
Site selection and sampling method
The sites were selected during reconnaissance survey by discussing with the Districts’ administrators, the residence of the Kebeles, agricultural professionals, rural teachers, and by observation. Following the discussion twelve rural Kebeles from Yilmana Densa District and seven rural Kebeles from Quarit District were selected (Fig. 3). The sample Kebeles of each District and the key informants were selected purposively whereas the general informants were selected using systematic random sampling method. The 19 rural Kebeles were selected based on the presence of relatively dominant vegetation covers. For the determination of the sample size of the two Districts, the following formula was applied:
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Where n is the sample size, N is the population size (total number of households of the two Districts), and e (e=0.05) is the level of precision. This formula is a simplified way used to calculate the sample sizes at 95% confidence level and P = 0 [13]. After determining the amount of informants for the study, representative general and key informants of the Districts were selected using systematic random and purposive sampling (based on their relative better knowledge) approaches respectively as described by [14] and [15].
Therefore, the total number of general informants involved in ethnobotanical survey of wild edible plants of the Districts having two agroclimatic Zones (Weyna Dega and Dega) was 268 males and 127 females, separately 102 men and 45 women from Quarit District, and 165 men and 83 women informants from Yilmana Densa District respectively. Peer recommendations from community members, elderly people and knowledgeable inhabitants helped in nominating 95 key informants (68 men and 27 women). Separately 35 (25 men and 10 women) were from Quarit District and 60 (43 men and 17 women) were from Yilmana Densa District. The age of the general informants ranged from 20-81 years (139 were from 20-40 whereas 256 were > 40 years old). Informed consent was obtained from each informant who participated in this study after explaining the purpose of the study and assuring him/her of the most responsible legal use of information before the start of interviews.
Data Collection
Data were collected in different seasons over different years with the objective of including different Kebeles found in the two agroclimatic Zones of the Districts, and collecting plant specimens during the respective flowering seasons. Ethnobotanical data were collected during four different field visits conducted between 15 September 2016 and 30 June 2018. Market surveys were conducted between 10 December 2017 and 7 May 2018. Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, field observation and market survey were used to collect ethnobotanical data in the manner recommended by [14].
A semi-structured interview and focus group discussion were by using a checklist of questions prepared before hand in English, and presented by translating into Amharic which is the common language of the local community. Informants were interviewed individually in the local Amharic language. All semi-structured interviews were followed by independent walk in the woods exercises to pave a way for a detailed discussion with the informant and the practical identification of traditionally used wild edible plants in the natural environment.
Field observations were performed with the help of local guides, as well as some respondents of the local community. In addition, one focus group discussion (consisting of 7 participants) per Kebele was undertaken to gain detailed information on wild edible plants knowledge at the community level and to supplement the information collected through semi-structured interviews. The informants were asked about local names, habitats, parts used, the threats and traditional conservation practices of wild edible plants [16, 17]. The informants were also asked about over all use values of wild edible plants [16].
Preference Ranking And Direct Matrix Ranking
Data on use diversity of five multipurpose wild edible plants was evaluated by direct matrix ranking exercise. This involved six (four men and two women) key informants selected from both Districts as stated by [14]. The purpose of this exercise was to identify which of the multipurpose plants is most under pressure in the area and to evidence the corresponding factors that threaten plants. Participants were asked to assign values to different uses of wild edible plant species as firewood, construction, agricultural tool, medicine, charcoal, timber, food and fence, and based on the degree of uses (i.e. 5 = best; 4 = very good; 3 = good; 2 = less used; 1 = least used and 0 = no value). By adding the scores, it was possible to compare the multipurpose wild edible plants to identify the main contributing factor to the loss of respective species [17]. Sixteen key informants from two Districts were also involved to rank 8 wild edible plants (Dovyalis abyssinica, Rubus apetalus, Ficus sur, Cordia africana, Carissa spinarium, Rosa abyssinica, Ficus vasta and Rhus glutinosa) regarding their taste quality and income generation based on the personal preference or perceptions of the key informants following the procedure elucidated by [14] and [17]. Each rank was given a value of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. The procedure was stated by [14].
Use diversity study
Ethnobotanical data obtained using various ethnobotanical data collection methods were all documented to assess overall use values and use diversity of species following [18] and [19]. All informants of the study were interviewed at the same time for their knowledge on additional local use or use diversity of plants cited for one or more uses following the method of [14, 17]. Six key informants were also involved for direct matrix exercise of five wild edible plants (Acacia abyssinica, Carissa spinarum, Cordia africana, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata and Rosa abyssincia) with additional uses (environmental use, forage, fuel, medicine and social use). These species were ranked based on five use criteria (5 = Best; 4 = Very good; 3 = Good; 2 = Less used; 1 = Least used and 0 = No value). For exercise of direct matrix ranking focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted to know the degree of preference based on multipurpose criteria on the plants. The method of descriptive statistics was also applied to identify the number and percentage of species, genera and families of wild edible plants used, their growth forms, proportions of parts used.
Market Surveys
Market surveys were conducted at Adet, Dabi and Bir Gebeya whose market date is going on Saturday and Wednesday for the first two and Friday for the later respectively. The purpose of market survey was to record, document and analyze the availability, price and unit of measurement, extent of use and income - generating potential of wild edible plants found in these markets following the method of [16].