Influence of climate change on the diversity and distribution of Enset (Enset eventricosum) (Welw) Cheesman) in Ethiopia: Implication for conservation

Abstract

The patterns of enset genetic diversity and distribution are crucial for breeding, sustainable utilization and conservation. Different reports depicted that there were a lot of enset diversity having wider and narrow environmental adaptability where majority of them grown in the highland parts of Ethiopia. However, recent study showed the decrement of enset diversity and distribution from growing region by different factors mostly due to climate change which affect directly or indirectly the livelihood of the societies. Climate and agriculture are the two highly interlinked in which one affect the other directly or indirectly. Fluctuation of climate, that is unpredictable rainfall, distribution and amounts of rainfall have serious impact on economic, social and environment which resulted favors of persistence and existence of different diseases and insect pests which constrain enset distribution. One of the countries among the world highly affected by climate change is Ethiopia where its agriculture is fully climate dependent. There were diversified enset types in producing areas of Ethiopia. But, recent efforts conducted on climate related enset diversity revealed that distribution and diversity of enset were in declining rate as compared to previous status mostly due to climate change. So, future effort and emphasis should render in reforming moderate climate and reforesting deforested areas so that the distribution and diversities of ecosystem become reclaim.