The Impacts of Khat Cultivation (Catha edulis) on Socioeconomic and Plant Diversity in Woliso District, South West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Khat production is a profitable activity that may benefit a large number of people, but it is also highly dependent on market conditions. The study of the impact of Khat Cultivation (Catha edulis) on the socioeconomic and Plant diversity was carried out in Woliso district in 2023 in four randomly selected kebeles(Korke, Jallisa cheka,Dildila mangura and Derare ebicha). The purpose of the study was to investigate the socioeconomic impact of Khat cultivation and its effect on Plant diversity in Woliso district. The target population of the study was 4565. The study used a sample size of 98 respondents. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. According to the result of the study 11.2 %( 11) of the Cultivators were neither benefited nor harmed socially from Khat Cultivation, 38.8 %( 38) of the Cultivators were harmed by Khat Cultivation socially and 50 %( 49) of the Cultivators were benefited socially from Khat Cultivation. The study indicated that 18.37% (18) of the Cultivators were neither benefited nor harmed economically from Khat Cultivation, 30.61% (30) of the Cultivators were benefited economically from Khat Cultivation and 51.02% (50) of the Cultivators were harmed economically from the Khat Cultivation. The study indicated 71.4 %( 70) of the total Cultivators were used deforesting or clearing other crops for their Khat cultivation expansion and this in turn affect the food security seriously, 5.1 %( 5) of the total Cultivators were used the modernized Khat production methods in order to scale up their production capacity and 23.5(23) of the total Cultivators were used intercropping with other plants like that of Enset ventricosum. Khat cultivation on a large cover of land created monoculture and affect Plant diversity. The smaller the amount of available land, the more complicated it becomes for farmers to maintain their customary diversified cropping regime. As a result, this contributes for the reduction of food security. Therefore, alternative intercropping method should be created with other plants in the study area in order to sustain Plant diversity in a healthy manner.