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Invasive species threatening African agriculture
Written by Maina Waruru
Invasive plant species are taking over millions of hectares of African farmland and grazing fields, reducing Africa’s crop yields by an average of 30 percent annually and costing farmers hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. “There has been very little research into the impact of these weeds in Africa despite the fact that they have invaded millions of hectares of land and are still spreading,” explains Arne Witt, head of the Invasive Species Programme at CABI Africa. “Some invasive plants such as Parthenium can reduce yields of crops like sorghum by up to 97 per cent in unmanaged lands.” Invading weeds are also displacing indigenous vegetation in natural pasture, and are posing a threat to biodiversity conservation in Protected Areas. However, only a handful of governments in Africa have developed national action plans or committed funds to fight these species, which are affecting millions of landowners.
South Africa is the only country in Africa with a comprehensive long-term programme aimed at containing and managing the spread of invasive plant species. But despite investing more than US$60 million every year, Witt warns that this level of investment is still inadequate considering that more than ten million hectares in South Africa have been invaded. CABI has just completed a UNEP-GEF project in Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia and Ghana, where, in collaboration with national agencies, it strengthened policy, increased awareness and built capacity to manage these species. “While these governments have committed funds to manage the weeds, a lot remains to be done,” Witt adds. “Governments need to invest more and – even more importantly – implement policies.”
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