Assessment of tree species, diversity distribution pattern and socioeconomic uses on farmland in Oromia regional state: the case of East Shewa zone

The study presents analysis of farmland tree species composition diversity, distribution pattern and socioeconomic uses in East Shewa Zone of Oromia National Regional State. With the intention of well characterizing tree diversity in terms of crop/tree management systems five Kebeles were selected from five purposively selected Woredas of East Shewa Zone and 20 HHs in each Kebele were selected randomly. From the selected 20 households 4 of them were selected randomly to survey all plots owned by them and for the remaining 16 households, plots investigated were those with the main homestead. All trees and shrubs for all the farms owned by the selected households were surveyed. A total of 172 farm plots were surveyed in the study area and 76 woody plant species, representing 63 genera and 23 families were recorded. The Family Fabaceae with twenty species had the highest number of species. Homestead planting, boundary planting, mixed with crop, grazing land, small scale woodlot and hedge row planting were land use practices that were observed in the study sites. Maximum richness and abundance were recorded in homesteads followed by boundary plantings and on-farms having Shannon diversity index value of 3.05, 3.02 and 2.43 respectively. There were significance relationship between land holding and number of individual trees however; land holding with species richness, Shannon diversity and evenness index didn’t show significant relationship. Better management strategies and approaches would improve the existing agroforestry system.