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VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2 (AUGUST 2025) | Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources

Coordinated and published by The Grassroots Institute, the Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources (GJNR) is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancements in natural resources throughout the world. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists, social scientists, policy analysts, managers and practitioners (on all academic and professional levels) all over the world to promote, discuss and share various new issues and developments in different arenas of natural resources.

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2 (AUGUST 2025)

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M – 00594Research Article

Economic Valuation of Medicinal Plants Along Socio-Cultural and Agro-Ecological Gradient in Southwestern Ethiopia

Kalkidan Tadele*1, Simon Shibru2, Tigist Wondimu3, Dawit Woubishet4, Yalemtsehay Mekonnen5

1Department of Biology, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia. Email: tadelekalkidan6@gmail.com

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3893-9083

2Department of Biology, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia. Email: simonshibru@yahoo.com

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2673-3272

3Department of Plant Biology & Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia. Email: twtigistw@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2212-3362

4Environment and Climate Research Center, Policy Studies Institute (ECRC/PSI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Email: dawitwmulatu@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4758-1220

5Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Email: yalemtshay.mekonnen@aau.edu.et | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8640-2171

*Corresponding author

Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 8(2): 980-1001. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080245

Received: 25 July 2025

Reviewed: 11 August 2025

Provisionally Accepted: 13 August 2025

Revised: 15 August 2025

Finally Accepted: 19 August 2025

Published: 31 August 2025


                                    

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Editing Work

Ethical Declarations

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants are vital to both traditional healthcare systems and biodiversity, yet their conservation remains undervalued in economic terms. This study employs the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to estimate households' willingness to pay (WTP) for the conservation of medicinal plants, utilizing both double-bound and open-ended follow-up questions. With the help of a multi-stage sampling method, 366 households in Chencha, Arba Minch Zuriya, and Gardula districts were questioned. The analysis utilized an amended probit model, revealing that 89 percent of respondents demonstrated a willingness to pay for the conservation of medicinal plants. The significant predictors of WTP were the level of education, the income of the household, the closeness of one household to the forests, and the bid amount. The average WTP of households was considered to be 3.80 USD per annum, and the total amount of it was calculated to be about 28,890 USD per year within the scope of the study area. These results show the economic and cultural significance of the medicinal plants and the importance of the local communities in terms of sustainable conservation practices. Besides, the research proves that the greater level of education and income, and the proximity of the forest, act as major aids in conservation support. This monetary estimation offers insight to the decision-makers and aids in ensuring the sustainable use of medicinal plant resources, as well as rationalizing the economic understanding of biodiversity conservation.

Keywords

Conservation; Contingent valuation method; Medicinal plants; Probit Model; Willingness to pay

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HOW TO CITE THIS PAPER?
Harvard Style

Tadele, K., Shibru, S., Wondimu, T., Woubishet, D. and Mekonnen, Y. (2025). Economic Valuation of Medicinal Plants Along Socio-Cultural and Agro-Ecological Gradient in Southwestern Ethiopia. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 8(2): 980-1001. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080245

APA Style

Tadele, K., Shibru, S., Wondimu, T., Woubishet, D., & Mekonnen, Y. (2025). Economic Valuation of Medicinal Plants Along Socio-Cultural and Agro-Ecological Gradient in Southwestern Ethiopia. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 8(2), 980-1001. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080245

ACS Style

Tadele K., Shibru S., Wondimu T., Woubishet D., Mekonnen Y. Economic Valuation of Medicinal Plants Along Socio-Cultural and Agro-Ecological Gradient in Southwestern Ethiopia. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 2025, 8 (2), 980-1001. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080245

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tadele, Kalkidan, Shibru, Simon, Wondimu, Tigist, Woubishet, Dawit, Mekonnen, Yalemtsehay. 2025. “Economic Valuation of Medicinal Plants Along Socio-Cultural and Agro-Ecological Gradient in Southwestern Ethiopia”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 8 no. 2: 980-1001. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080245

AAA Style

Tadele, Kalkidan, Simon Shibru, Tigist Wondimu, Dawit Woubishet and Yalemtsehay Mekonnen. 2025. “Economic Valuation of Medicinal Plants Along Socio-Cultural and Agro-Ecological Gradient in Southwestern Ethiopia”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 8 (2): 980-1001. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080245

ABSTRACTING LINKS
Crossref: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.080245
EuroPub: https://www.europub.co.uk/articles/775284
Scilit: https://www.scilit.com/publications/aa478c5f728c43b0b52e4b24a8ac0324
Academia.edu: https://www.academia.edu/144241824/Economic_Valuation_of_Medicinal_Plants_Along_Socio_Cultural_and_Agro_Ecological_Gradient_in_Southwestern_Ethiopia
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Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/document/1000757805/Economic-Valuation-of-Medicinal-Plants-Along-Socio-Cultural-and-Agro-Ecological-Gradient-in-Southwestern-Ethiopia
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395331657_Economic_Valuation_of_Medicinal_Plants_Along_Socio-Cultural_and_Agro-Ecological_Gradient_in_Southwestern_Ethiopia
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Economic+Valuation+of+Medicinal+Plants+Along+Socio-Cultural+and+Agro-Ecological+Gradient+in+Southwestern+Ethiopia&btnG=

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