Informal Trees Germplasm Dealers and Their Germplasm Source to Ensure Role of Trees in Climate Change Mitigation in Case of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Nurseries demands for trees germplasm remains unfulfilled and supplying quality trees germplasm were inconsiderate of informal trees germplasm dealers. It could worsen the quality of seedlings and their trees. This study was aimed to identify and describe the informal trees germplasm dealers and their germplasm sources. Thus total of ten nurseries were observed and 56 respondents were selected and interviewed. The analysis of variance was used for analysis. From total number majority of germplasm suppliers were General agro-dealers and farmers. The trees germplasm supply were the major source of income for licensed forest experts. Seed and vegetative propagative were types of planting material supplied to nurseries. Majority of tree seed were supplied by General agro-dealers while vegetative propagative were by Investors. The highest amount of tree seeds were supplied for fodder (28.4%) and watershed management (22.5%) whereas vegetative propagative were for fruit (85.1%). The main suppliers and source of tree germplasm for different uses was different. For example, majority of fruit seed and vegetative propagate were supplied by investors and licensed forest experts. The leading source of fruit and timber trees seeds were farmland and planted forest respectively. Right agro ecology, easy accessibility, secure source and cheap price were highly considered in selection of trees germplasm source. Germplasm quality were not of high priority to most of the informal germplasm dealers when procuring germplasm due to scarcity of high quality source, and low attention of many and awareness of few dealers to select high quality source. Awareness creation for informal trees germplasm dealers and facilitating the establishment of trees germplasm orchards are very important for quality trees germplasm supply.
Keywords: Informal germplasm dealers, Seed source, Vegetative propagative