Distribution and Socio-economic Impacts of Invasive Alien Plant Species in Ethiopia: A Review

This paper is a review of various articles and documents on distribution and socioeconomic impacts of invasive alien plant species. It provides information on distribution and problems posed by these species. The spread of invasive alien species is neither easy to manage nor easy to reverse, threatening not only biodiversity but also economic development and human wellbeing. There are about 22 invasive alien species were identified in Ethiopia and prioritization of invasive alien species was done by considering facts such as the magnitude of invasiveness, threats to local biodiversity, socio-economic and human health impacts. Priority species are Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorous), Mesquites (Prosopis juliflora), Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), Lantana (Lantana camara), and Acecia species (A.drepanolobium and A. mellifera). These invasive alien plant species pose the biggest threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction and also pose a serious threat to agriculture, livelihoods and human health in many parts of the country. Because of their unique characteristics they do not need special environmental requirement for seed germination, to have rapid seedling growth and produce seeds for longer period of time as long as environmental condition permit. These alien species outcompete, infect or transmit diseases, compete, hybridize with the native ones or attack them and these leads to sound effects on social instability and economic hardship, placing constraints on sustainable development, economic growth, poverty alleviation and food security. Therefore, the country should evaluate regularly the distribution and socioeconomic impact of these species to take proper protection measures and to prevent further introduction and spread of the invasive alien plant species in new areas that are not yet infested.