Abstract:
Wild edible plants (WEPs) are native species that grow and reproduce naturally in their
natural habitat without being cultivated and vital sources of foods. People in Guduru District
consume different parts of wild edible plants. The purpose of the study was to identify the use
and management of wild edible plants with their edible parts, uses, threats and management
practices in Guduru District, Horro Guduru Wollega, Ethiopia. A total of 98 informants
were selected from four study sites. Questionnaires, Semi-structured interview, focus group
discussion, market survey and field observations were tools of data collection methods.
Descriptives methods of data analyse was employed to analyse gathered information or data
on wild edible plant species. In this study site, 15 major wild edible plants were identified. Of
which Shrubs were (46.66%), followed by trees (40%), herbs (6.667%) and climber
(6.667%).The abundance of wild edible plants in the study area now day was decreasing and
threatened due to their multipurpose use; agricultural expantion ,over grazing, timper
production and charcoal making. The most preferred wild edible plants were Cordia
africana. The majority of wild edible plants in the study area were not common sold in the
local market except Syzygium guineense (Wild.) DC. Subsp. Guineense (Goosuu), Syzygium
guineense (Wild.) DC. subsp. afromontanum F.White (Baddeessaa), Flacourtia indica, and
Ficus sur. From different parts of wild edible plants, fruit was the most wild edible plant
parts that used for food in the study area that account 13(86.66%). Majority of identified and
assessed WEPs were collected in autumn season (33.33%) season, while some of them in
harvested winter season. Major collector and consumer of the WEPs were children followed
by youngsters as well as poor families, Based on the results and subsequent discussion,
Cordia africana, Ficus sur and Syzygium guineense (subsp.afromontanum) were
multipurpose wild edible plant species widely used by the local communities. The major
threat factors to WEPs in the study area were agricultural expansion and cutting of trees for
different purposes. However these multipurpose use of wild edible plants leads to the
depletion and extinction in study area.
