Understanding the ethnobotany of a native tree *Dracaena ombet* (Kotschy and Peyr.) and associated indigenous knowledge of the local people in the Afar drylands, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Dracaena ombet is part of the dragon tree group, native to Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Egypt, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia, with several social, economic, and environmental uses. The study identified the ethnobotany of D. ombet; including the indigenous knowledge of local people related to its uses and associated factors in Afar, Ethiopia.

Methods: Data collection tools, including semi-structured interviews, observations, and focus group discussions, were used to collect ethnobotanical and socioeconomic data. Econometric models were employed to evaluate the relationship between indigenous knowledge of the local people and socioeconomic variables.

Results: Findings recognized indigenous knowledge of pastoral and agropastoral communities on the uses of D. ombet, and D. ombet was utilized to produce utensils, beehives, construction materials, medicine, gum, resin, food, and fodder. The stem part is used to make the majority of the products. The most preferred product by the communities was food plates. Findings indicated a relationship between the household heads’ socioeconomic profiles and their level of ethnobotanical knowledge. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) association between ethnobotanical knowledge of the households to use D. ombet and the age of household heads, household size, size of livestock, wealth status, and access to extension services was recorded.

Conclusions: The findings revealed that the local people are endowed with an ethnobotanical knowledge of the uses of D. ombet. Therefore, this knowledge should be developed at the grassroots level for the sustainable conservation of multipurpose plants in particular and biodiversity in general.

Keywords: Ethnobotany; endangered species; socioeconomic factors; conservation, Erebti