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This study assesses the food security condition of Acacia-based agroforestry (ABA) user and non-user households in Awi Zone highlands, Ethiopia, using a composite approach. Purposive and random samplings were employed to select sample districts and households. Data were collected through questionnaires, discussions, and interviews, and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results showed that 42.2% of the households (46.9% ABA-users, 37.5% non-users) were food-secure, while 57.8% were food-insecure. ABA-users' composite food security index was significantly higher than non-users (P<0.05), signifying ABA's contributions. Livestock and farmland size, participation in off-farm activities, irrigation access, plantation experiences, and perceived soil quality positively affected food security, while age, family size, credit access, and market distance negatively impacted it. Addressing lavish sociocultural practices, and intensifying agroforestry helps to combat food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the size of Senegalia mellifera seeds and determine the most effective scarification techniques to improve germination. The experiment, conducted at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, involved ten presowing treatments, including control, nicking, soaking in sulphuric acid for different durations, and boiling water for varying periods. A completely randomized design (CRD) was used for the experiment. Germination data was transformed using arcsine to meet normal distribution requirements and then analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the presowing treatments had a statistically significant effect on germination (P<0.00001). Seeds treated with sulphuric acid, nicking, and those left untreated exhibited the highest germination rates, while seeds treated with boiling water showed the lowest germination percentages. These findings indicate that the seed coats of S. mellifera are permeable to water and air, and presowing treatments do not show any significant effect on the successful germination of S. mellifera seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seeds of Guibourtia coleosperma serve as potential source of nutritious food for rural communities in northern Botswana though underutilized. The objective of this study was to determine the proximate and mineral composition of G. coleosperma seeds collected from northern Botswana. Seed samples were collected from Shakawe and Kasane areas in northern Botswana. The proximate composition and mineral contents of the seed were determined following standard procedures. The data were analyzed using T-test. Seeds collected from Shakawe had average moisture (%), crude fat (%), crude fiber (%), crude protein (%), ash (%), total carbohydrate (%) and energy (kcal/100g) contents of 8.48 ± 0.29, 9.24 ± 0.31, 4.72 ± 0.60, 15.34 ± 0.48, 2.40 ± 0.02, 59.81 ± 1.00 and 383.80 ± 4.81, respectively. The corresponding values for seeds collected from Kasane were 9.00 ± 0.10, 10.17 ± 0.37, 7.13 ± 0.21, 16.44 ± 0.43, 2.45 ± 0.02, 54.80 ± 0.58 and 376.50 ± 2.22, respectively. Seeds collected from Kasane had significantly higher (p< 0.05) crude fat, crude fiber, crude protein and ash contents than seeds collected from Shakawe. However, the total carbohydrates content of seeds collected from Shakawe was significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those collected from Kasane. No significant differences (p> 0.05) were observed for moisture and energy contents between the seed samples collected from the two locations. The predominate proximate component in the seeds was total carbohydrate followed by crude protein and, therefore, the seeds can serve as good sources of energy and protein. The average zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium (mg/100 g) and phosphorus (mg/g) contents of seeds collected from Shakawe were 2.96 ± 0.53, 2.40 ± 0.27, 116.80 ± 2.82, 468.69 ± 19.28, 316.70 ± 21.15, 1.21 ± 0.67 and 1.35 ± 0.04, respectively. The corresponding values for False Mopane seeds collected from Kasane were 2.53 ± 0.31, 3.34 ± 0.18, 173.65 ± 5.83, 460.86 ± 10.53, 367.59 ± 15.37, 3.51 ± 0.44 and 1.45 ± 0.12, respectively. The values for iron, magnesium, calcium and sodium were significantly higher (p< 0.05) for seeds collected from Kasane than those collected from Shakawe. However, no significant differences (p> 0.05) were observed between the seed samples collected from the two locations for zinc, potassium and phosphorus. Quantitatively, the predominant mineral observed in seed was potassium followed by calcium. The seeds could serve as good source of magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium and potassium since they contribute higher proportions of the recommended daily intake of these minerals. The results showed that location has a significant effect both on the proximate composition and mineral contents of False Mopane seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An ethnomedicinal study was conducted to document the indigenous medicinal plant knowledge and use by traditional healers in southwestern Ethiopia from December 2005 to November 2006. Data were collected from 45 randomly selected traditional healers using semi-structured interviews and observations. Sixty-seven ethnomedicinal plant species used by traditional healers to manage 51 different human ailments were identified and documented. Healers' indigenous knowledge was positively correlated with their reported age but not with their educational level. High degree of consensus was observed among traditional healers in treating tumor (locally known as Tanacha), rabies (Dhukuba Seree) and insect bite (Hadhaa). The use of more than one species was significantly cited for remedy preparations. The reported abundance of the ethnomedicinal plant species varied significantly with respect to the presence of multiple uses of the reported species. Our results showed that ethnomedicinal plant species used by healers are under serious threat due to several factors, which indicates the need for urgent attention towards their conservation and sustainable utilization.