Enset plant (Ensete ventricosum) for socio-economic and environmental uses in Gurage area of Ethiopia

Abstract

Enset plant is cultivated as a food crop in Africa and Ethiopia largely. Enset can be grown with other crops as inter-cropping. Populations dependent upon the enset could not suffer from famine and drought due to the existence of the enset. The main objective of this study was to show the socio-economic and environmental importance of enset. The sources of the data were field measurement, laboratory analysis and socio-economic survey. Samples of kocho in sequential years were taken from households and soil samples were also taken at three land-use systems. Enset’s potential productivity districts were selected to collect socio-economic data using socio-economic tools. The analysis shows that soil nutrient was higher in the intercropping of enest, compared with non-enset plantation. Kocho stayed for a maximum of 8 years in the pit with a depth of 3 m. The local communities used kocho during harsh times since it can stay a long time in the pit. In the first year, fat, carbohydrate and protein contents were lower in the fourth year but fibre was lower in the first year than in the fourth and fifth years. Age correlation indicated that kocho stored in the pit was shown directly proportional to nutritional contents. However, it was inversely proportional to the amount of kocho stored in the pit. Enset is helpful to improve soil fertility and maximizes the productivity of other crops, which are growing in the vicinity of enset. This indicates the enset plant has contributed to food security and sustainable development.