Illegal Plant Genetic Resource Trafficking in the Border Villages of Kafta Humera Wereda, Tigray Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

A survey to identify illegal plant genetic resource trafficking was made from February 2017 to March 2017 inKafta Humera wereda, Tigray regional state, northern Ethiopia. Semi-structured interviews, structured questionnaires; focus group discussion and document analysis were used for data collection. A total of seventy one informants from local security, local community federal policies and custom and revenue officers were interviewed. Snowball sampling was used to select the local community and local security while the rest informant was purposely selected. Microsoft excel spreadsheet and Spss version 20 was used to analyze data. The Leave of Rhamnus prinoides together with its fruits, and fruits of Adansonia didgitata are the frequently exported plant and plant derivatives through illegal route. These plant biogenetic resources are exported to Sudan and Eritrea both by illegally and legally coverage. The awareness of the informants participated in the interview on illegal biogenetic resource trafficking varies from site to site and from sector to sector. The main illegal route whereby illegal traffickers use to export plant and plant derivative are Maytselot, Menkerker, Awezruf, endaaboy Tewelde garden and Haji Abdugarden. Most of the traffickers are unemployed youth that live in and around the border. The existing gap in community awareness needs awareness raising and alternative job opportunities creations. The link between different stakeholders also needs solidarity to accomplish consistent controlling mechanism.