Enset Landrace Diversity and Ethnobotanical Uses in the Gedeo Zone: A Living World Cultural Heritage Site

A comprehensive survey of enset landraces in the Gedeo zone, Ethiopia—a UNESCO-recognized Living World Cultural Heritage Site—reveals 37 previously undocumented landraces, bringing the total to 57, over 100% higher than prior estimates. This diversity underscores the cultural and ecological significance of enset (Ensete ventricosum), a monocarpic perennial plant central to local livelihoods, food security, and traditional medicine. While only four to six landraces dominate cultivation, each serves distinct needs, highlighting the importance of conserving rare and regionally adapted varieties. The study, involving 120 households across 4 districts and 12 kebeles, employed interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to assess conservation status and ethnobotanical uses. However, socio-ecological threats such as climate change, pest outbreaks, and land use intensification pose risks to this biodiversity, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable conservation efforts.

Muanenda, M., Haile, G., Tekelu, B., Agegnehu, G., & Lemenih, M. (2025). Enset Landrace Diversity and Ethnobotanical Uses in the Gedeo Zone: A Living World Cultural Heritage Site. Advances in Agriculture, 2025(1). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1155/aia/4915656