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Invasive Tree Species Threatens Afar Region

Posted on: 2025-11-13 17:09:07

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Addis Ababa - An invasive tree species, Prosopis, introduced to Ethiopia in the 1970s, is wreaking havoc on ecosystems and local livelihoods in the Afar region. Environmental experts warn that the fast-spreading species is depleting scarce water resources, damaging grazing land, and disrupting the delicate balance of the region’s ecosystems.

Communities across Afar, many of whom rely on pastoralism, report severe impacts on livestock health and productivity as Prosopis encroaches on pastures and competes for water. The tree’s aggressive growth also blocks access to fertile land and traditional water points, exacerbating the hardships of already vulnerable populations in one of Ethiopia’s driest areas.

“Prosopis has become a formidable threat,” said a regional environmental officer. “It is not only altering the landscape but also undermining the livelihoods of pastoralist communities who have depended on this land for generations.”

The ecological consequences are equally grave. The invasive tree suppresses native vegetation, reduces biodiversity, and accelerates desertification in a region already highly sensitive to climate variability. Attempts to eradicate or control the species have been only partially successful, with limited resources and technical capacity hindering large-scale intervention.