Agroforestry Practices and Biodiversity Management in Backyards in Hiwane, Hintalo Wejerat of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

In Ethiopia more than 85% of the population is involved in agriculture based profession. Farmers in Ethiopia have been practicing different agroforestry models since time immemorial. What is more, backyard (home garden) agroforestry practice is most popular in the northern part of the country. This backyard agroforestry (home garden) is practiced as a mixture of crops (vegetables, herbs) and trees (fruits and fodder trees) to provide diversified products to the cultivators. This study found over 40 species of plants maintained in home garden of the study area. Furthermore, agroforestry practice in backyard has a crucial role in the improvement of livelihoods to small scale farmers in the study area through direct subsistence production, indirect subsistence production (such as foods, fuel wood, fodder and shade to the cultivators) and income generation. Furthermore, it has helped to conserve many species of plants in a small areas with providing diversify needs to the farmers. We found that trees to have multiple roles in the study area where they provide significant economic and ecological benefits. Planting trees provide rural households with wood products for own consumption as well for sale and play role in decreasing soil degradation. Our findings also suggest that households consider a number of attributes in making decision to backyard agroforestry practice. These results can be used by policy makers to promote home garden agroforestry practice in the study area by creating conducive water supply and considering households’ backyard size and roofing system.