Abstract: White lupin is a traditional crop mostly produced and consumed by smallholder farmers and is targeted for its grain and soil fertility maintenance values in Ethiopia. The objective of the present study was to review the biology, social and economic importance of white lupin and generate comprehensive technical information for different scholars who wish to study the crop in detail. White lupin can be used as source of protein for production of protein concentrates, for pharmaceutical purposes, due to the high alkaloid content as a natural component of plant pesticides and ectoparasite control, nitrogen fixation and crop rotation, livestock feed and pasture improvement, ornamentation, erosion control and soil stabilization, for fixing atmospheric nitrogen to soil, as a green manure contributing to improved soil structure, traditional alcohol production and hypertension treatment, live fencing and remediating polluted soils. Having these and other multiple uses, white lupin can contribute to sustainable livelihoods through household food security as it can widen the feed and food basket.