Locally Preferred Woody Species and Their Management in Kiruhura and Arua Districts, Uganda
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ethnobotany Research and Applications
Abstract
Trees and shrubs are disappearing fast in anthropogenic
landscapes of Uganda. In order to promote their conservation
on-farm, there is need to involve farmers. Farmers’
involvement in tree/shrub management requires a clear
understanding of the households’ needs that trees can
satisfy, the priority species to satisfy these needs, as well
as tree management practices and challenges that hinder
tree planting. This study was carried out to satisfy these
information needs and to also determine species that are
locally threatened. The study was conducted in selected
villages of Arua and Kiruhura districts between June and
October 2012 using an ethnobotanical approach. Our results
indicate that farmers value tree products to satisfy
household welfare needs of accessing food (edible fruits),
generating income, and accessing construction wood.
The species are multi-purpose, and the most preferred
are Eucalyptus spp., Mangifera indica L., Persea americana
Mill., Carica papaya L., Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck,
Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck,
Annona senegalensis Pers., Pinus spp., and Tectona
grandis L.f. Most farmers maintain trees on their land
in courtyards, backyard gardens, or crop fields and ranches.
Tree species are threatened by destructive harvesting
and clearing land for agriculture. The key challenges to intensification
of tree cultivation are livestock damage, land
shortage, drought, and lack of financial resources. Farmers
suggested that in order to strengthen tree planting,
they should be provided with inputs including seedlings,
chemicals, and tools. In conclusion farmers prefer exotic
tree species to satisfy household needs. Intensification of
tree management will need to address a number of challenges
identified in this study.
Description
Keywords
Woody Species, Management, Uganda
Citation
Nyamukuru, A., Nabatanzi, A., Mpiira, S., & Tabuti, J. R. (2015). Locally preferred woody species and their management in Kiruhura and Arua districts, Uganda. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 14, 049-061. http://dx.doi.org/10.17348/era.14.0.049-061