Abstract:
Eucalyptus is one of the most often planted plants in both developing and developed countries.
As a result, the primary goal of this study was to determine how rural households in the study
area viewed the Eucalyptus tree. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 180 randomly
selected sample households in this study. The district of Jeldu was purposefully chosen, and four
of its Kebeles, Tullu Gura, Chillanqo, Kilbe Abo, and Bedase Koricha, were chosen using simple
random sample techniques. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to
acquire the data. Focus Group Discussions and key informant interviews were used to acquire
qualitative data, while a structured interview schedule was used to collect quantitative data. The
data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage and frequency distribution. The
study revealed that farmers in the area are planting Eucalyptus for greater revenue, construction
materials, and fire wood requirements, as evidenced by questionnaires, interviews, and field
observations. The farmers were encouraged to develop the Eucalyptus plantation on their crop
land at a rapid rate because of the benefits derived from it. The area's croplands are being
converted to Eucalyptus plantations.Crop fields are shrinking year after year, resulting in a loss
in food crops in the area. Increased plantation would put agricultural food crops and Eucalyptus
trees in conflict for land, major resources like water, nutrients, and light.Eucalyptus is also said
to have a negative impact on crop output and long-term land use. This is due to the anticipated
indiscriminate use of resources, which leads to soil fertility decline and water scarcity. In a short
period of time, the plant produces more biomass while taking a large amount of water and
nutrients from the soil.Water and nutrient shortages have dominated other plant species and
crop plants. Other plant species, on the other hand, are controlled by its shade impact and
allopathic compounds generated by various portions of the tree. If plantation expansions
continue at the current rate, the people in the study region may face food security issues. As a
result, all stakeholders in the area should join together to prevent the spread of Eucalyptus on
