ISSN: 2360-7831

 International Journal of English Literature and Culture
 

International Journal of English Literature and Culture

Vol. 8(5), pp. 123-133. August, 2020

 ISSN: 2360-7831

DOI: 10.14662/IJELC2020.080

Full Length Research

Traditional environmental knowledge and practices often make indigenous people and local communities highly skilled in environmental protection. Local and indigenous languages are repositories and means of transmission of this knowledge and the related social behaviors, practices, and innovations. Accordingly, this study was targeted on assessing indigenous knowledge of Ethnic groups   in biodiversity conservation in the State of Benishangul Gumuz region, Ethiopia. In this study, mixed research method was employed with quantitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. The required information were collected in seven woredas from the targeted population- elders and residents of the woredas, who have different background and experience through semi- structured interviews that was interpreted and analyzed qualitatively and questionnaires which was presented quantitatively. The result of the research reveals that, even though communities have the adequate traditional knowledge of conserving biodiversity, the government employees of agriculture, environmental protection   and culture and tourism offices erroneously perceived that the indigenous people have no knowledge about biodiversity conservation. Native forest types and crops   unable to be regenerated and artificial forests are dominating the area where as some are on the way to extinct. The other repercussion that followed the disregard of indigenous knowledge in biodiversity conservation was development of destructive outlook of the community towards saving nature. As a result, the current status of biodiversity conservation is at its infant stage. In conclusion, the people of the region had their own indigenous way of maintaining their environment which could contribute much in perpetuation of nature. However, the deficient of understanding of this indigenous way of maintaining environment by educated employees of local government sector has resulted in low level of applying knowledge of indigenous people in biodiversity conservation at ground. Thus, this implies intensive and extensive awareness creation for woreda environmental protection, and agriculture bureaus employees has to be given about the potential role and indispensability of indigenous knowledge in biodiversity conservation. Besides policy makers need to mainstream indigenous knowledge of people in to environmental policy and proclamations both at regional and national level. 

Key words: Biodiversity, indigenous knowledge, conservation, and implementation

Cite This Article As: Atnafu M., Shewa B., Abebe A (2020). Investigating Indigenous Knowledge of Ethnic Groups in Biodiversity Conservation and its Implementation in the State of Benishangul Gumuz Region. Inter. J. Eng. Lit. Cult. 8(5): 123-133