Socio-economic importance of the bamboo resources in the Lower Beles River Basin, north-western Ethiopia

Shiferaw Abebe (), Amare Sewnet Minale and Demel Teketay
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Shiferaw Abebe: Bahir Dar University
Amare Sewnet Minale: Bahir Dar University
Demel Teketay: Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN)

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2022, vol. 24, issue 10, No 29, 12162-12181

Abstract: Abstract Ethiopia is one of the largest bamboo resource bases in Africa. However, a dearth of reliable data on bamboo resources has impeded the proper management of bamboo forests and limited their potential in providing more socio-economic and environmental benefits. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the socio-economic importance of O. abyssinica in the Lower Beles River Basin, north-western Ethiopia. Datasets were collected from both primary and secondary sources. A combination of techniques: descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis, was employed for data analysis. The results showed that a total of 10 services were identified as important socio-economic uses of bamboo. Bamboo as construction material, traditional furniture, income, food, and medicine were the top five uses of bamboo as perceived by respondents and confirmed through quantitative analysis. Differences in views among respondents of different ethnic backgrounds concerning some socio-economic uses of bamboo, namely food, medicine, and musical instruments, were statistically significant. Despite the wide range of services bamboo provides, the management practice is so unsustainable and rudimentary, which impedes the sustainability of the resource and livelihood of people relying on it. Therefore, concerned bodies should provide the priority attention that the resource deserves to curve the unsustainability spiral as well as properly utilize and conserve the bamboo resource.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Lower Beles River Basin; Management practice; O. abyssinica; Socio-economic uses (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01938-4

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