article · Trees Forests and People
Wild edible plants represent underutilised resources that can support communities during periods of food scarcity, yet environmental pressures are driving a decline in both these species and local indigenous knowledge. An ethnobotanical investigation in the Ensaro District of Ethiopia documented forty-three wild edible plant species, recording that Moraceae, Fabaceae, and Tiliaceae were the most prevalent families. Most identified plants were shrubs, with fruits being the primary edible component. Indigenous knowledge of these plants correlated positively with most informant sociodemographic characteristics, although household income showed no such correlation. The greatest plant diversity was found at mid-altitudes between 1500 and 2000 metres above sea level. While several documented species are consumed during normal periods, specific plants such as Snowdenia polystachya, Eleusine coracana, Urtica simensis, and Medicago polymorpha serve as critical food sources during times of famine.
Wild edible plants provide a crucial nutritional safety net for rural communities facing extreme weather, poverty, or acute food shortages. Because environmental change threatens these species and the traditional practices linked to them, recording this botanical knowledge is necessary to prevent permanent loss. These findings help regional environmental managers and local communities establish targeted conservation measures that maintain biodiversity whilst protecting famine-relief food sources.
This research is at an early, descriptive stage that identifies uncultivated food plants rather than market-ready commodities. The findings could inform future domestication programmes, famine mitigation strategies, or agroforestry initiatives led by public land administrators and agricultural extension services. Because the study does not evaluate agronomic cultivation, food processing, or market supply chains, the documented plant species remain distant from direct commercial application.
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Even though our world is home to a wide variety of plant species, only a small portion have been used by humans as food. This shows that many plant species in our world have not been successfully domesticated and explored. Wild edible plants are among these underutilized plant resources. Wild edible plants are often consumed, particularly during times of food scarcity, poverty, extreme weather, or political unrest. However, due to various environmental factors, wild edible plants and the related indigenous knowledge are currently in decline. Therefore, documenting such potentially valuable underutilized resources must be an urgent issue in order to implement conservation actions. This study aimed to determine the diversity of wild edible plants, the parts of the plants that are used, the methods of preparation, and the time of harvesting and consumption in Ensaro District, North Shewa Zone, and Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data on the diversity of wild edible plant species, their growth habits, the parts of the plants that are used, preparation methods, habitats, and factors that pose a threat to them. The socioeconomic characteristics of the informants were also documented. SigmaPlot software version 15 was used for statistical analysis. Analysis of Variance (P < 0.05) was used to examine the correlation between sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics and the indigenous knowledge of informants regarding wild edible plants. Forty-three species of wild edible plants were documented in the study area. Moraceae, Fabaceae, and Tiliaceae were the most popular families of wild edible plants. The most prevalent plant growth habits were shrubs, and the most commonly utilized plant parts were fruits. Indigenous knowledge was positively correlated with the socio-demographic characteristics of informants, with the exception of household income. A higher number of species, genera, and families of wild edible plants were recorded at mid-altitudes (1500-2000 meters above sea level). The use of wild edible plants is still common in the study area. Some wild edible plants are utilized during normal times when staple food is available, while others such as Snowdenia polystachya, Eleusine coracana, Urtica simensis, and Medicago polymorpha are consumed during times of famine. If wild edible plants are managed properly, they can be used for food security. Therefore, local communities must collaborate with natural resource administrators to effectively manage wild edible plant resources before they become critically endangered.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.tfp.2023.100453
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