US body to help curb toxic weed
What you need to know:
- The weed, ‘Parthenium hysterophrus,’ was identified to have spread in Arusha Region in 2010 and experts have said it can cut down crop production by between 40 to 90 per cent.
Arusha. An American organisation called PeaceCo will support Tanzania in efforts to contain a toxic weed causing havoc among farmers in various parts of the country.
The weed, ‘Parthenium hysterophrus,’ was identified to have spread in Arusha Region in 2010 and experts have said it can cut down crop production by between 40 to 90 per cent.
The plant was also said to lead to death of livestock when consumed by the animals, especially goats and sheep, according to Ramadhani Kilewa, an expert with the Arusha-based Tropical Pesticides Research Institute (TPRI).
He added that the American organization and Cabi, another plant research body from Kenya, would assist the institute in curbing the menace.
According to Mr Kilewa, ‘Parthenium hysterophorus’ originated in the Americas, specifically the US, Mexico and Argentina.
In Tanzania, the vicious plant, locally known as Gugu karoti, has spread to Arusha, Geita,Manyara, Kagera and Kilimanjaro. Besides the farms, it can also be found along road sides.
Other local research institutions involved include the Nelson Mandela University, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (Tawiri), the Sokoine University of Agriculture (Sua) and ECHO, a non-governmelal organisation based in Arusha.
The acting TPRI director general, Dr. Eliningaya J. Kweka, said the institute embarked on devising ways of countering the spread of the weed after realising its dangers to agriculture and livestock.
