A study aimed at improving the management and utilisation of Cordeauxia edulis was conducted in Boh district, Ogaden, Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia between April 2007 and October 2009. The study had five major objectives: to analyse traditional knowledge of C.edulis; to determine the ecological, biological characteristics of the species and nutritional composition of its fruit; to determine population status and associated tree species growing with C. edulis; to develop efficient propagation methods; to develop appropriate village level harvesting and storage methods and improved market possibilities for nuts of C. edulis. C. edulis was found to occur in ten villages in Boh district and all were included in the study. Indigenous knowledge was investigated using PRA tools including structured and semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and field observation. Soil characterisation and nutritional composition of the nuts were conducted by laboratory analysis. Phenological study was carried out on 100 randomly selected mature C.edulis shrubs (10 from each village) of C. edulis . For the study of the population structure of C .edulis a total of ten plots (10 x 10 m) were laid out at 100 m intervals along a transect of 1 km in each population. Experiment on propagation from seeds was conducted in Jijiga while vegetative propagation from stem cutting was carried out both at the study site (Boh) and Jijiga in non-mist propagators, nursery and lath house. The results of the study showed that C. edulis is a multipurpose shrub species used for food, construction, fodder, fuel wood and medicine by the local communities. The fruit of C.edulis is sold in local markets generating a household income ranging from 50 % to 56 %. C .edulis is a communal resource with no management or control of utilisation which has led to overexploitation of the species by overcutting, overbrowsing and nut overharvesting. Soil analysis of the study site showed that the soil is sandy loam, slightly alkaline and poor in organic matter and essential nutrients such as, available phosphorus, potassium and total nitrogen. Nutrients including Ca, total N, and organic matter were higher under the C.edulis than further away, moreover and with exceptional Ca were higher in the soil surface than in the subsoil. Phenological study indicated that C.edulis flowers and produces fruit twice a year due to two rainy seasons (March to June and September to December) and showed strong positive relationship with seasonal precipitation. The result of the nut analyses revealed that it is characterized by high carbohydrate (36%) and fat (13%) contents. C.edulis density varied from 30 to 110 clumps ha· \ no seedling was recorded in six of the populations studied and only one seedling was recorded in one plot in each of the remaining four populations. The most common associated species were Acacia spp, Commiphora spp and Boswellia neglecta. Propagation from seed was the most efficient method whereas vegetative propagation was not a success. Seed germination (%) and growth performance were significantly enhanced by seed pretreatment. The highest seed germination (72%) and growth performance were recorded in seeds pretreated with boiling water, sown in the study site soil (Boh) and watered once a day. Harvesting physiologically matured fruits and treating them with biopesticide (Leaf of Neem tree) extended the shelf life of the fruits by one year in storage, while fruit harvested in premature stage were all attacked by insect pests within six months. Immediate actions are needed using information generated by the present study to save the species from extinction.