Socio-economic Drivers and community perceptions on Invasive Alien Plant Prosopis juliflora in Northern Tanzania

Abstract

Prosopis juliflora (P. juliflora) is an invasive plant introduced in Tanzania for restoration and greening the degraded sites. Since its introduction in Tanzania, there has been no assessment about its associated socio-economic drivers and community perceptions in those areas of introduction. In this study, we generated information on socio-economic drivers and community perceptions on this invasive alien plant in Northern Tanzania. We employed multistage stratified random sampling technique for obtaining the sites for data collection within the effective study area. We used Focus group discussion (FDG) to collect data on social economic drivers and community perception on P. juliflora. The results indicate that, community had variation on knowledge about P. juliflora. However, its presences in block A, D, E, F, G and H are driven by the need of shade tree and fuel wood. Community perceive that it is causing effect like displacement of other plants, injuries to both human and domestic animals especially to those blocks (D, E, F and G) with its high density. Together with those effects, communities perceive not to eradicate P. juliflora in their environment unless there will be a substitute species with comparable characteristics and providing similar services obtained from it. In conclusion, the economic and social services obtained from P. juliflora are the major drivers of it to be embraced in the invaded area and majority of communities has decided to live with it in Northern Tanzania. We recommend quick awareness creation to the communities in those invaded areas is inevitable.