Abstract
In Ethiopia, Prosopis juliflora (P. juliflora) becomes one of the worst invasive alien species threatening the livelihood and thus food security of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities. However, up to the present, there have been few studies on the social aspects of the problem. This study explores households’ perceptions about the effects of P. juliflora invasions in Amibara district of Afar National Regional State, Ethiopia. The study used cross-sectional data collected from 130 randomly selected households based on probability proportional to household size. To measure households’ perceptions, a perception index was constructed based on a five-point Likert scale, and a two-limit tobit regression model was used to determine factors affecting households’ perception. The abundance of P. juliflora was perceived to have increased since its introduction in the study area, mainly due to the mobility of dispersal agents and the species’ ability to resist the harsh environment. Between the time when the first trees were planted and today, households’ mean perception about the effect of P. juliflora invasion has experienced a significant shift; whilst initially some 78% of the sampled households were in favour of the tree species, today, less than 1% still favour the tree and some 90% disfavour it. Empirical evidence indicates that gender, market distance, extension service and livelihood strategy had a significant negative influence whilst proximity to the bush land had a significant positive effect on households’ perceptions about the effects of P. juliflora invasion. Almost all sampled households had applied some form of control measure on their individually own land, including uprooting of seedlings or cutting and burning of trees. We recommend that government bodies should, in collaboration with other stakeholders, design P. juliflora management programmes, which take into account the households’ interests, demographic and socio-economic characteristics and institutional settings.
Highlights
Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. is among the most invasive plant species in Ethiopia, the reason for which the federal government has declared the need for its control (Taye et al 2007)
A study conducted in Dupti area of Afar region shows that parameters such as SOC, total N, available P, electrical conductivity, sand fraction and exchangeable cations’ (Ca, Mg, and K) content were found to be highest in the P. juliflora land than in others, i.e. without P. juliflora, and pH was lowest under P. juliflora land, whilst pH, CEC and clay content were highest in the cultivated land without invasion history (Merkineh and Tsegaye 2017)
Even if P. juliflora was intentionally introduced into the study area through coordinated efforts between the community and foreigners for some intended purpose, it became invasive and households’ main livelihood strategy, livestock rearing, was highly harmed by its invasion
Summary
Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. is among the most invasive plant species in Ethiopia, the reason for which the federal government has declared the need for its control (Taye et al 2007). Kannan et al 2008; Mwangi and Swallow 2008) This is because invasive species (like P. juliflora) have differing characteristics offering a variety of services to farm households in developing countries. This inconsistency of interests led to explicit calls from both science and policy for research on communities’ perceptions, in order to gain public support for invasive species management programmes (Fischer et al 2011). This study examined rural households’ perceptions about the effects of P. juliflora invasion on rural communities and the determinants of their perceptions in Amibara district of Afar region of Ethiopia
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