The study was conducted in three villages around 80nga (Southwest Ethiopia) to investigate the rolernof the local people in managing biological diversity through agricultural activities. The Kafichos, thernindigenous people of the study area, are settled farmers who practice traditional home gardening.rnTheir enset based home garden, which consists of a complex mixture of annual and perennial plants,rnis locally called Oaaddegoyo; and provides them with almost every thing required for subsistence.rnData on vegetation (species record, cover-abundance, number of individuals, and plant specimens),rnand soil samples were collected from sample plots. Ethnobatanic information was gathered byrnconducting open ended discussions with key informants, owners of home gardens and other familyrnmembers. The collected plant specimens were identified in the Niational Herbaruim (ETH). Thernvegetation data was analysed using the computer program SYNTAX and five clusters werernrecognixed: EnseteÂ·Xanthosoma community, EnseteÂ·Coffea community, EnseteÂ·Brassica community.rnEnseteÂ·XanthosomaÂ·Saccharum community and EnseteÂ·XanthosomaÂ·Nicotiana community. Thernclusters were compared for the mean values of the soil chemical factors using the ANOVA test. A totalrnof 170 plant species were recorded from the 21 Oaaddegoyo (home gardens) of which 47% werernfound to be protected or tolerated. Although a decrease in total number of plant species per villagernwith an increase in altitude was observed, the ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test result indicated nornsighificance difference among the three villages in the number of species per garden. ThernDaaddegoyo whose framework is made by Ensete ventricosum is strongly linked to the other twornlandÂ·use systems: Kubbo ('managed forest") and Guudo (Inlact forest). It is a stable agroecosystemrnthat harbours a Significant biodiversity. and this has resulted from innovative processes by localrnfarmers over generations. Therefore, the Oaaddegoyo is an inÂ·situ repository of crop germplasm andrndeserves protection.