Home-Garden Agro-Forestry Practices and Its Contribution to Rural Livelihood in Dawro Zone Essera District

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the home garden agro-forestry practices and its contribution to rural livelihood in the Essera district, Dawro zone. Systematic selection technique was used to select a total of 40 households for data collection. Evolution of the home garden agro-forestry practice, its current species composition as well as both economic and environmental contribution of this practice for societies in the study area were assessed. For this study sex status and occupation of the respondent households were studied to know the contribution of the home-garden agro-forestry system in the study area.  The study result showed that the population of the study area was benefited from home garden agro-forestry practices. Home garden Agro forestry has potential contribution to enhance the livelihood of the households. Farmers mainly practice home garden agro forestry for economic purpose such as household income, food for consumption, fuel wood etc. The study result also showed that the households give high priority to the development of home garden agro forestry and also the trend of practice is increasing. The study result shows that home garden agro forestry has a lot of contribution to solve livelihood problems of local peoples. Therefore, attention should be given to develop (practice) home garden for environmental contribution in addition to economic purpose.

Keywords: agroforestry, home garden, Essera