On Farm Woody Specious Diversity Management and Uses to Small holder Households. The case of Basketo District, Southern Ethiopia.

This study is conducted in Basketo District of southern Ethiopia to examine the contribution of retaining and/or planting trees on farmland (home garden, woodlot and crop lands) in enhancing the woody specious diversity and ecologically to conserve the natural forest with the main objective of assessing and analyzing the role of Farm Tree diversity use and management to small holder farmers. Socio-economic survey and field inventory were conducted to collect data through a series of household surveys and key informant interviews. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statically tools such as frequency, percentages, and graphs by using SPSS analytical software version 20 and Microsoft excel; as well linear regression analysis used. To consider the various ecological values measurements were taken from total of 45 on-farm plots measuring 0.0125 ha per plot for determination of on-farm tree composition, stocking, richness and diversity.Shannon-Wiener Index of diversity as well as the Important Value Index (IVI) were applied. The type of forest products collected from natural forest were assessed in a 100 m transect from the boundary by identifying and counting the number of cut trees and building poles. The results revealed that farm trees and their products contributed higher status to farmer’s income. The findings also indicated that, farm size (P<0.05), household size (P<0.05) and household income (P<0.05) were the dominant socioeconomic factors that determine household farmer’s decision to retain and/ or plant trees on their farmland. Species composition and woody plants played great role in ecological sustainability of the study area. Furthermore, the result indicated that the respondents in the study area had awareness on the ecological benefits associated with trees on their farmlands and their attitudes towards trees planting were mostly positive. It was revealed that farmer’s decision to retaining and/ or planting trees on their farmlands was driven by their socioeconomic characteristics. Therefore to overcome these factors that confront farmers to retaining and/or planting trees on their farms should be considered with the concerned bodies. Moreover, Forest National Corporation (FNC) should consider the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers as essential in any tree planting programs in the study area.