Pollination and pollinators provide important ecosystem service for human well being. Identifying and managing diversity of pollinators in Ethiopia have significant effect on the conservation and improvement of agricultural yield in terms of quality and quantity on farms. Thus, improvement of yield needs understanding of farmers' perceptions and knowledge on pollination services and the importance of insect pollinators' for agricultural production among other key production and management factors considered. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate and document farmers' perception on the importance of insect pollinators, their current status, distributions and farmers' knowledge of the role of insect pollinators in a farmland habitat of the area. Transect sampling, household surveys of 131 house hold heads, focus group discussion, and direct field observation method was used to collect data. The result showed that most farmers 94 (77%) had no knowledge on pollination and the importance of insect pollinators. In addition more than half 76 (62.3%) revealed that they did not know insect pollinators except honeybee. There is also significant difference in their views. Eighty three (68%) of the respondents could not identify the role of honeybees and other insect pollinators in agricultural seed set with a significant differences. More than half of the respondents 76 (62.3%) were unaware that insect pollinators feed or drink from the plants. Education, knowledge on pollen and/or nectar, and source of information significantly affected knowledge of farmers about pollination and the importance of insect pollinators. However, more than half of the respondents 75 (61.5%) revealed that they have knowledge of the impact of agricultural input (insecticides and herbicides) on insect pollinators' activity. Most farmers 103 (84.4%) thought that insect pollinators population show a declining trend from year to year and 78.7% perceived that the trend was due to spray of herbicides and insecticides, coupled with drought and deforestation. The study revealed that most of the farmers lack knowledge of pollination and the importance of insect pollinator in agriculture production. Therefore, awareness creation on the importance of pollinators and pollination is urgently needed for the farmers to conserve pollinators.

Summary An exploratory survey to phenotypically characterize indigenous chicken populations was carried out in Metekel zone of Northwestern Ethiopia in April 2013. A total of 69 males and 244 females were sampled to record their qualitative and quantitative traits. Eight quantitative and 16 qualitative variables were measured. Sampling included three districts representing different agroecological zones. Coefficient of variation for quantitative variables ranged from 6.38 to 52.37 percent in male sample populations and 4.59–21.4 percent in females. The chi-square tests for plumage colour of the neck, ear lobe colour and skeletal variant type were highly significant (χ 2 < 0.05). The correct classification percentage from discriminant analysis was 93.73 and 98.41 percent for male and female sample populations, respectively, indicating the homogeneity of the chicken populations within districts. The stepwise discriminant analysis identified five variables for male and three variables for female sample populations, which had the highest discriminating power. Canonical analyses showed that differences in body measurements between indigenous chicken populations were highly significant (P <0.0001). The results obtained from on-farm performance evaluation indicated that the average age at first lay of hens, number of chicks weaned and mean number of eggs laid per bird per year were 5.5 months, 6.5, 50.1, respectively. This information will constitute the basis for further characterization and development of conservation strategies for indigenous chicken populations of Northwestern Ethiopia.

Fourteen morphological and eight morphometric traits on a total of 456 adult cattle (354 cows and 102 oxen) from five purposively selected districts were recorded to characterize the cattle populations in eastern Ethiopia. Frequency, general linear model, and multivariate analysis procedures of Statistical Analysis Software (SAS 9.0) were used to analyze the data. The morphological similarities among the cattle populations from Tulo, Jarso, and Fedis districts confirm the presence of a unique cattle breed which was previously referred to as Harar cattle. The same was observed for the cattle populations from Jigjiga and Kebri Beyah districts which were previously referred to as Ogaden cattle. The Harar cattle are characterized by their forward-oriented, widely spaced, and medium-length horns while the Ogaden cattle possess upright-oriented, narrowly spaced short horns. The majority of the Ogaden cattle had gray body color while the Harar cattle possess multiple body colors where red and its combination with white and black colors are observed frequently. Most of the morphometric measurement values were higher for the oxen, while the cows had longer horns. Moreover, Ogaden cattle had higher morphometric measurement values than the Harar cattle. According to the multivariate analysis results the cattle populations in the study area were separated into two breeds; the Harar and Ogaden. However, these results only showed the phenotypic differences which might not necessarily be due to genetic differences. Therefore, further genetic characterization is recommended to understand their level of relationships which in turn helps to design conservation and breeding programs.

Ethnozoology and Zootherapeutic research is very limited and little attention has been given in Ethiopia. The study was designed to investigate and document traditional knowledge associated with medicinal animals in West Gojjam Zone of Javitenan, North Achefer, and Bahir Dar Zuria districts. Ethnozoological data were collected using structured questionnaires and use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), preferential ranking, and paired comparison were analyzed. A total of 26 animal species were identified and recorded as a source of medicine to treat 33 types of ailments. Animal-derived medicines of Bos indicus, Trigona spp., and Apis mellifera were frequently reported species to treat various ailments. Bos indicus, Trigona spp., Apis mellifera, Hyaenidae carnivora, and Labeobarbus spp. were the most frequent usevalue reports (84%, 52%, 43%, 37% 36%) respectively. Informants reported 25 animal parts to treat ailments. Honey and meat took the highest frequency use report followed by purified butter, Milk, Liver, fatty meat, and Cheese stored more than 7 years were described with an average ICF value of 69%. A maximum degree of consensus was developed for the remedy of the evil eye (88%) followed by dry cough, swelling, and hepatitis 82% each. Use of animal-derived medicine from Liotrigona spp. used to relive dry-cough tend to have the highest FL (80%); followed by Labeobarbus spp. for swelling (33%) and Trigona spp. for dry-cough (30%). Paired comparisons revealed that purified butter > 2 years, Cheese > 7 years, honey of Liotrigona spp. (YetinignTazma), and honey of Trigona spp. (Tazma) was the most popular and efficacious animal-derived medicines to cure malaria and ranked 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th , respectively. Results of this study recorded the most popular animal-derived medicine to cure various ailments. Thus, the government must strengthen traditional healers with training, club formation, material and financial support, and improve means of protecting their intellectual property rights. Moreover, chemists and pharmacists should undergo a detailed study to identify which chemical constituent of animal and animal products is responsible for the respective treatment of ailments in the study area.

The study was conducted on a total of 144 randomly selected households of goat keepers from Boset district of Oromia region and Minjar Shenkora district of Amhara region. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative data, and the data were organized and analyzed by using SPSS, version 23. The main purposes of keeping goats in the study area were mainly for cash income and meat production with an index of 0.37 and 0.23 in Boset and 0.44 and 0.23 in Minjar Shenkora district respectively. The fast growth rate, body size, and coat color of the animal were ranked as major selection criteria for breeding buck across the study area. Body condition score was considered as the first reason to cull breeding male (0.35) and female (0.31) in Boset district. Whereas, poor fertility and growth stand first as culling criteria for breeding females and males in Minjar Shenkora with an index of 0.37 and 0.32 respectively. Predator (with an index of 0.32) and shortage of grazing lands with an index of 0.28) were the major constraints of goat production in Boset and Minjar Shenkora districts. Therefore, any conservation and improvement program strategy that is intended to be implemented in the study area should consider the practical variation of the existed system, and the interest of the farmer