Diversity of farmers’ varieties of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in northeastern and southwestern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Lack of research on intraspecific diversity of faba bean and its management in Ethiopia could lead to the loss of farmers’ varieties, limiting the contributions of local genetic resources. This study assessed the diversity of farmers’ faba bean varieties and local knowledge related to their use and management across multiple cultural and agroecological contexts. We conducted 288 structured and 48 semi-structured interviews in five agroecological zones and four cultural areas in northeastern and southwestern Ethiopia. A total of seventeen farmers’ varieties were identified and documented based on phenotypic descriptors. The tepid sub-moist mid-highlands of South Wollo had the highest number of varieties (five) of any area sampled; however, the humid mid-highlands of Jimma had a higher Shannon-Wiener diversity index based on the area planted to each variety. Most farmers reported that they had originally obtained their traditional varieties from family members, whereas new varieties were typically purchased from local markets. According to farmers, both male and female adults participated in the production and processing of faba bean, with some distinct differences among cultural areas. Understanding the diversity of farmers’ varieties has important implications for on-farm conservation strategies to enhance the use value of this multipurpose leguminous crop.

KEYWORDS:

• Agrobiodiversity
• ethnobotany
• farmers’ variety
• intraspecific diversity
• use values

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the McKnight Foundation’s Collaborative Crop Research Program for financial and technical support under CCRP Grant 15-258. We appreciate support from our partners in the Legume Diversity Project from Mekelle, Jimma, Haramaya, Addis Ababa and Wollo Universities in Ethiopia and Cornell University in the USA. We would like to thank the farmers we interviewed and the zonal, district, and sub-district administrators who facilitated the field research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).