Prosopis is replacing the native vegetation in Afar. Photo: Øystein Nedrebø/Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis AbabaProsopis juliflora is considered a noxious invader in the Afar region, where it was introduced in the 1970s. Its aggressive growth leads to a monoculture, denying native plants water and sunlight. The plant is not suitable as feed for livestock, thus having a negative impact on livelihoods in the region.
Prosopis control and management are among the goals of the Norwegian-supported United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) programme implemented by the Development Fund in partnership with local and international non-governmental organisations.
Simply cutting Prosopis is not a viable clearing strategy as it only spawns quick re-growth. Photo: Øystein Nedrebø/Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis AbabaAs part of FARM Africa’s Afar Prosopis Management Project (APMP) ways of managing and clearing Prosopis are being researched and large areas are being cleared of the shrub and opened for productive use by pastoralists and farmers. As part of the project, and in collaboration with the Ethiopian Institute for Agricultural Research, a research site has been established where the effectiveness of different methods of clearing the weed are tested and assessed. The new knowledge is to be disseminated to authorities and other organisations engaging with the Prosopis problem.
The Norwegian Embassy recently visited the APMP and other parts of the UNCCD programme sites together with the Development Fund. Click here to read more about the UNCCD project.