Socio Economic Contribution of Lowland Bamboo (Oxythenanthera Abyssinica) in Pawe District, Ethiopia

Abstract

The Study was conducted in Pawe district, Benishangul-Gumuz National Regional State, northwestern Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to evaluate socio-economic aspects of low land bamboo (Oxythenanthera abyssinica). For this study, two villages were selected based on random sampling technique., Data were collected from a total of 136 households. Households were selected using simple random sampling technique. The collected raw data were systematically coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics. A weighed direct matrix likert scale ranking of species was used to evaluate low land bamboo and others tree species based on multipurpose value. Inferential statistical, linear regression model   was employed to find out the relationship between incomes generated from Low Land Bamboo and some selected socioeconomic factors (independent variables). The study result indicated that Out of the sampled households, 50 %  and 37.5% of the respondents  ranked Mangifera indica and Lowland bamboo (Oxythenanthera abyssinica) first and second, respectively while Melia azedirachta L. and Cordia africana were preferred third (8.1%) and fourth (2.9%), respectively. Among the socio-economic characteristics considered land holding size was positively and highly significantly related to income generated by households (p < 0.01). Therefore, the policies and strategies that improve the welfare of rural people especially the poor and the land less HHs and use of bamboo for natural resource conservation should be given attention. Additionally, government and NGOs should support and encourage cultivation of lowland bamboo and lowland bamboo based activities as part of the diversified livelihood strategies.

Keywords: Low Land Bamboo, socio economics, income.

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/10-9-03

Publication date:May 31^st 2020