By KT Reporter
Livestock and crop farmers in Arua are still struggling to contain the spread of devil weed, eight years since it was first sighted in the district. Commonly known in West Nile as Garamba Weed because of its assumed origin in Garamba Forest, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the weed has spread to almost all parts of the district, including Arua City, neighboring districts, and Acholi sub-region.
Carla Ayikoru, a farmer in Ojibari Village Ajia Sub-County, said the garamba weeds have frustrated her for five years. Ayikoru, who has chosen cassava as her cash crop, said the weeds choke the crops plus other vegetation and spread faster than native weeds.
“The weed is worse than crop diseases. No matter how hard I work to contain them, they keep spreading,” Ayikoru said. According to Ayikoru, the two-acre piece of land, which used to produce good yields, is gradually becoming barren.
Studies have found that each plant of Garamba Weeds, scientifically known as Chromolaena odorata, can produce 800,000 seeds a year. In parts of Arua, farmers have named it “mbala ntuku mitano,” a Lingala expression that means 50 times, used to signify how fast the weeds can multiply.
Richard Buga another farmer in Ajia Sub-County, said he used to grow plenty of maize and groundnuts, but not anymore.
“The weeds grow aggressively, covering entire farms within weeks. They have taken over my garden and drained the soil of its nutrients,” Buga said.
Buga added that his goats no longer gain weight like before because the weeds smother the pasture that they depend on.
Nelson Adile, the Agriculture Officer of Arua District, acknowledges the frustration of farmers amid the invasive weeds, saying they have spread all over the country.
Adile explained that the Garamba weeds are costing the farmers a lot because they have to spend more money on weeding, yet the yields of the crops are also compromised.
Adile revealed that at the moment the agriculture department does not have a concrete solution to contain the weeds, except sensitsing the farmers about the weeds and advising them to uproot the weeds early, before they begin to flower.
Adile revealed that NARO is conducting research on the origin and control measures of Garamba weed and will at the right time give them their findings.
The weed, also known as Siam weed, bitter bush, or Jack in the bush, is a perennial shrub native to tropical and subtropical Americas, now an invasive weed in many regions including parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia.
The weed which are mostly found in fertile places has tiny leaves and start flowering within two months. According to a report by the O’ahu Invasive Committee, at the Hawaii Pacific University, the devils weed is an aggressive colonizer that thrives in cleared forests and clear farmlands. They impede the growth and regeneration of native species by creating dense thickets between 4-6 feet high, whose canopies shade out other plants.
They release toxins into the surrounding soil, which affects the growth of other vegetation and intoxicates livestock. They are also known to consume large amounts of water and negatively affect soil nutrient levels. Studies have found that in favorable conditions, the weed can grow 3 centimeters per day, and can regenerate from the roots.
Their seeds, which are as small as sand grains, are also dispersed by vehicles, water, machinery, animals, fodders, people, clothing equipment, and grains. The weed is listed in Global Invasive Species Database among the top 100 invasive species in the world-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
