An ethnobotanical study was conducted on enset (Ensete ventrcosum (Welw.) Cheesman) in Angacha Woreda, Kembata Tembaro Zone, South Region, Ethiopia. The study was aimed at documenting indigenous knowledge and practices on use and conservation of enset local varieties in South Region, Ethiopia. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, discussion, direct field observation, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking and paired comparison techniques. A total of 154 locally known enset local varieties were documented. Nine enset local varieties ('Sisqela', 'Geshera', 'Direbo', 'Leqaqa', 'Sebera', 'Ongame', 'Gembewa', 'Abatmerza' and 'Sheleqe') were found to be the most popular local varieties, cited by more than 80% of the key informants. Direct matrix ranking showed that 'Ongame', 'Direbo' and 'Sisqela' as the top most culturally important enset local varieties. Diversification was found to be the traditional management and conservation strategy of the local people. Sixty two percent of the key informants cultivated and maintained about 15-56 enset local varieties to meet with their diversified demands (nutritional, fiber, fermentative quality, high yield and disease and drought resistance). The results in the present study indicate that the local people in the study areas have a rich knowledge on use, management and conservation of enset local varieties. Therefore, in situ conservation of enset local varieties in association with their uses should be encouraged and strengthened to ensure sustainable use of this multi-purpose plant.

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Biodiversity has major economic value. Most of these values are often not captured by the market. Hence, the potential of biodiversity is often underestimated. Such an underestimation is considered as one of the factors for rapid depletion of biodiversity and loss of habitats and species. Valuation of bio-resources would facilitate in identifying the real value of genetic resources and obtaining a reasonably better share of the overall benefits of genetic materials to the local communities, who are involved in its management. Accordingly, the Economic Valuation of Lippia adoensis was conducted implication for ABS. The result of this study identified the direct and indirect use values of Lippia adoensis. Majority of the respondents (98.33%) were willing to pay for use values of Lippia adoensis. Moreover, (80.8%) of the respondents were willingness to pay for Conservation of Lippia adoensis. Furthermore, 95(79.2%) of the respondents were willingness to pay for non-use value of Lippia adoensis in the study areas. The cumulative estimates of willingness to pay for use of values Lippia adoensis were 30,437.50 birr with an average annual willingness to pay of 253.64±275.63 birr for Lippia adoensis. The maximum willingness to pay was 1000 birr while the minimum WTP was 125 birr with range 875 birr. The value of R2 for linear function (model) was 0.541, semi log R2=0.452 and double log R2=0.291.From the given result the linear regression function (R2=0.541) the one with the best performance. The R2=0.541or 54.1%, this means that the dependent variable can be explained by the independent variable. In this study, household size (Sig.0.000), income level (Sig.0.000), number of Lippia adoensis (Sig.0.044) and distance of the market (Sig. 0.051) of the respondents made a unique and statistically significant, contribution to the prediction of willingness to pay for Lippia adoensis. Of the nine variables, household size of the responders makes the largest unique contribution (beta=0.490), followed by income level of the respondents (beta -0.396). Therefore, because of its prospect for the production of many preservative, spices, aromatherapy, medicine and pharmaceuticals industry, bio prospecting companies require to access the genetic resources following the Ethiopian legislation of Access and Benefit Sharing.

Abbreviations: SNNPR, south nation nationality people regional state; SPSS, statistical package for social science; ABS, access and benefit sharing; FAO, food and agriculture organization; GZFED, gedeo zone finance and economic development; SZFED, sidama zone finance and economic development. AbstractBio prospecting or biodiversity prospecting is the exploration, extraction and screening of biological diversity and indigenous knowledge for commercially valuable genetic and biochemical resources. Ethiopia is lucky to be gifted with rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge that could pioneer successful for bio-prospecting. Ethiopia holds a rich genetic diversity of tropical root and tuber crops which have tremendous medicinal and industrial potential. However, their bioprospecting potential for Access and Benefit Sharing has not been determined. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the bioprospecting potential of Dioscorea Species for Access and Benefit Sharing in selected districts of Gedio and Sidama Zones of SNNPR, Ethiopia. A total of 120 respondents, 10 from each kebeles were selected purposively to the semi structured interview. The results of this study showed that Dioscorea species is the most abundant among root crops in the study areas. It has several traditional medicinal uses such as stomach ache occur during delivery, itch, abscess, ringworm/fungal diseases, brain tumor, hypertension, stomach bloating and kidney infections. Based on the traditional use of Dioscorea species as base line and other related experimental studies, the essential extracts of Dioscorea species used by the local people of the study area might have industrial applications for pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetics industries for Access and Benefit sharing (ABS).