Impact of Prosopis juliflora on People’s Livelihoods and Rangeland Ecosystem: Its Control and Management in Kabridahar, Somali Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Prosopis juliflora is a multipurpose tree of different functions. However, most of its benefits are not well known in non-native places, particularly in pastoralist dominated dry lands of sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, this invasive alien tree has shown a rapid expansion into rangelands affecting local livelihoods leading to conflicts between pastoralists. However, little is done to either control or manage it properly. This paper examined the impact of Prosopis juliflora on pastoralist and agro-pastoralists’ livelihoods and rangeland ecosystem and the subsequent control and management options in Kabridahar woreda of the Somali regional state, Ethiopia. In order to investigate the spatial and temporal rangeland dynamics, the researchers selected land SAT ETM+ for 2007 and 2017 based on the bench mark given by the local communities who agreed that visible land-use/land-cover changes occurred, particularly, through the expansion of Prosopis juliflora. Surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were held to collect primary data. Prosopis invasion in Kabridahar affected people’s livelihood and significantly reduced size of grazing land. Despite the extent and magnitude of the tree’s expansion, the application of management and control options was little.