Structure, floristic composition and ethnobotany of rural homegardens in New Juaben municipality of Ghana

B.Sc. Priscilla Owusu

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This study examines the design, floristic makeup and ethnobotanical value of home gardens in Ghana's New Juaben District. Home gardens are a crucial part of traditional agricultural land use practices in Ghana and have enormous cultural and ecological value. Data from 50 home gardens in the New Juaben District was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire in order to assess the floristic composition and diversity of plant species. Ethnobotanical knowledge of home gardeners on the uses of plant species on their plots was also collected. Findings showed that there are a variety of home gardens in the district, with fruits, vegetables, cocoa and timber plants making up the majority of the plant life. We also found that, biodiversity is negatively influenced by age and size of home gardens. However, biodiversity improved as gardeners gained more experience. A number of notable plant species with high cultural and medicinal purposes were also discovered by the research and is identified in Table 4. These plants were used by many for food, medicine and/or for commercial purposes. The results of this study may be significant for preserving plant diversity and promoting sustainable agricultural methods in Ghana. In addition to highlighting the value of home gardens to the individual home gardeners and cultural traditions, the study sheds light on more impactful benefits of home gardens such as food security, climate change mitigation and rural development.

Keywords

Biodiversity, Vertical and Horizontal Structure, Ethnobotany, Floristic composition

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 23. 4. 2023

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 29. 5. 2023
• Vedúci: doc. Ing. Zbyněk Polesný, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Petr Němec, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme:
Tropical Crop Management and Ecology