Table 2 Farmers' reasons for considering enset as an important crop in their livelihood and agricultural systems
Reasons | Importance |
|---|---|
● Socio-cultural significance as status symbol | Very important |
● High household material culture benefits | Very important |
● Flexibility in farming systems as an intercrop with annual and perennial crops | Very important |
● Drought tolerance | Very important |
● Suitability for preparation of staple and high social values dishes | Very important |
● Storability of enset products for long periods | Very important |
● Possibility of harvesting at any time of the year | Very important |
● Use for integration of crop-livestock system | Very important |
● Use for production of high quality fiber | Very important |
● Use as water source from pseudostem | Important |
● Use as firewood source mainly from dried plant parts | Important |
● Generating income from sales of propagules, processed food products and fiber | Important |
● Medicinal purposes for humans and livestock (e.g. abortifacient, use for placenta delivery) | Important |