FEDERALDEMOCRATICREPUBLICOFETHIOPIAMINISTRYOFLIVESTOCKANDFISHERIES

NATIONALSTRATEGYONPROSOPISJULIFLORAMANAGEMENT

JANUARY2017ADDISABABA

ETHIOPIA

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TABLEOFCONTENTS

Acronyms......................................................................................................................................................i

1.0INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 1

1.1Background .......................................................................................................................................... 1

1.2Pastinterventionsandlessonslearned .................................................................................. 3

1.3AstrategicframeworkforProsopismanagement ............................................................. 7

2.0STRATEGICACTIONFORPROSOPISMANAGEMENT......................................................10

2.1BiologicalcharacteristicsofProsopis .....................................................................................10

2.2InterventionsforProsopiscontrolandmanagement .....................................................11

3.0MONITORING,INSTITUTIONALARRANGEMENTS&KM..............................................34

3.1Monitoring ..........................................................................................................................................34

3.2MainstreamingofProsopisinlanduseplanninganddevelopmentactivities .....35

3.3Prosopisandlandsecurity ..........................................................................................................38

3.4Managementstructures,rolesandresponsibilities ........................................................37

3.5Legalactivitiesandpenalties .....................................................................................................40

3.6Knowledgemanagement..............................................................................................................41

3.7Resourcesrequired.........................................................................................................................41

References..................................................................................................................................................43

Annex1........................................................................................................................................................44

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ACRONYMS

EIAR EthiopianInstituteforAgriculturalResearchEDRR EarlydetectionandrapidresponseETB EthiopianBirr(approximately20ETB:1US$)FAO UNFoodandAgricultureOrganizationFPMC FederalProsopisManagementCouncilSecretariatGEF GlobalEnvironmentFacilityGIS GeographicalinformationsystemIAS InvasivealienspeciesIGAD Inter-GovernmentalAuthorityforDevelopmentKM KnowledgemanagementMOANR MinistryofAgricultureandNaturalResourcesMOEF&CC MinistryofEnvironment,ForestsandClimateChangeMOFPDA MinistryofFederalandPastoralDevelopmentAffairsNGO Non-governmentalorganizationNISSAP NationalIASStrategiesandActionPlanNPMC NationalProsopisManagementCouncilNSTAG NationalScientificandTechnicalAdvisoryGroupPRM ParticipatoryrangelandmanagementPCDP PastoralCommunityDevelopmentProjectPMC ProsopisManagementCouncilPSNP ProductiveSafety-NetProjectPRIME PastoralistsAreasResilienceImprovementandMarketExpansionRPMC RegionalProsopisManagementCouncilSLM SustainableLandManagementTOR TermsofreferenceIUCN WorldConservationUnionUNEP UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramWPMC WoredaProsopisManagementCouncil

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PublishedJanuary2017

Copyright©2017MOLF

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Acknowledgements

TheMinistryofLivestockandFisherieswould like to acknowledge themany individualsand organizations that have directly and indirectly contributed to the success of thisstrategicdocument.ThisdocumentwasproducedbytheFederalMinistryoflivestockandFisheries with the support of the Rangeland Management Platform and differentdevelopment partners. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries acknowledge: TheEthiopianSocietyofAnimalProduction/ESAPfortechnicalsupportandfacilitationof theworkshops PRIME /CARE, USAID and ILRI for financial support of the process andpublication.

MembersofNationalTechnicalTaskforce

MrGifawessenTessemaMOLFMrRezeneFissehaEIARDrkidaneG/MeskelEIARDrLemmaGizachewFAOMrDubaleAdmassuUSAIDDrDanielTemesgenESAPMsFionaFlintanILRIMrAlemayehuMengistuESAP

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Preface

InEthiopiaProsopisjuliflora(henceforthcalledProsopis)isaninvasivealienspecies(IAS)causing,economicandenvironmentalharm.Ithasinflictedhurttorangelandsand farm lands and in particular is threatening pastoral and agro-pastorallivelihoods. Prosopis has invaded parts of wildlife reserves and National Parksthreatening biodiversity. There are small scale initiatives in the utilization of thespecies and limited systematic efforts in its control, and management. TheGovernmentofEthiopia(GoE)recognizestheimportanceofastrategicapproachtocontrol and manage this invasive species particularly in pastoral areas. In thisregardstheGoEhasdevelopedthisdocumentasstrategicguidancefordealingwiththeproblem.

The objectives of the Strategy are to i) prevent the expansion of Prosopis to un-invadedareas,ii)toreclaimandrestoreinvadedareasafterProsopisclearanceandiii) sustainably manage Prosopis for productive use and increasing biodiversitythrough the regulation and coordination of Prosopismanagement initiatives. ThisStrategy was produced through a consultative process including federal andregional representatives,academiaandresearchers,privatesector,NGOsandcivilsociety.ARangelandManagementPlatformestablishedbytheMinistryofLivestockand Fisheries under the Pastoral Areas Livestock Development Directoratefacilitatedaseriesof technical forumsandtwonationalworkshops toprovide theopportunityforpolicymakers,developmentpartnersandpractitionerstogivetheirinputandopinions,whichhavebeenincorporatedinthefinaldocument.AnationalTaskforce of experts in pastoralism and themanagement of Prosopis coordinatedthedevelopmentofthedocument.

The end beneficiaries of the Strategy are pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in therangelands,whowillbenefiteconomicallyfrommoreproductivelivestockresultingfrommoreproductiverangelands.Developmentpartners,governmentexpertsandotherpractitionerswillsupportpastoralistsandagropastoraliststoimplementtheStrategy for collectively benefit from improved understanding and a moreharmonizedapproachtoProsopiscontrolandmanagement.

Onbehalfof theMinistryofLivestockandFisheriesandmyself, I amveryglad tothanktheNationalTechnicalTaskforcemembers,RegionalAgriculturalandPatoralDevelopment Bureaus (specifically the Afar Regional Government, Afar RegionAgricultural Pastoral Development Bureau, Oromia Pastoral Areas developmentCommission,thethenSomaliregionLivestockandCrop,RuralDevelopmentbureau,and SNNPR Pastoral Affairs Bureau), Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research,

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Ethiopian Institute of Biodiversity, Development partners and civil societies andparticipantsofthedifferentconsultationsandnationalandregionalworkshops.

DrGebreegziabherG/YohannesStateMinsterMinistryofLivestockandFisheries

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1.0INTRODUCTION

1.1Background

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are species that are non-native to a particularecosystem and whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, economic orenvironmental harm. Invasive species are characterized by rapid growth rates,extensive dispersal capabilities, large and rapid reproductive output and broadenvironmental tolerance. IASdisplacenatural vegetation, reducebiodiversity, andcompete for resources with crops and livestock so reducing productivity ofagricultural systems. They can also causephysical harm to humans, livestock andwildlife.Thelossofinfestedlandmeansthatlandusesaredisplacedtoelsewhere,socontributingtogeneralpressuresonlandandconflictsrelatedto landandlanduse. Prosopis juliflora (hereinafter referred to as Prosopis) is one such invasivespecies,whichhasbecomeasignificantprobleminruralareas,andinparticularinrangelands. In 2000 IUCN rated Prosopis as one of the world’s top least wantedspecies(Loweetal2000).ProsopiswasintroducedintoEthiopiainthe1970sasasoilconservationmeasure,withhighdrought tolerance.Thiswasdonewithoutdue attention to the invasivenatureoftheplant,andasaresultitrapidlyspreadthroughoutthecountryandinparticular in drylands and along water courses overtaking critical dry seasongrazingareasandirrigableland.InAfarregiontheplanthasspreadfromitsoriginalsourcesacrosstheMiddleandUpperAwashRiverValleysand isnowcoveringover1.2millionhectareswith20outof32woredasinvaded(FARMAfrica2012).Theplantcontinuestospreadatarateofbetween20-50,000hectaresperyearinAfarregionalone(TilahunandAsfer2012).Theplant isalso invading fromneighboringcountries,and isnowfound inSouth Omo zone, SNNPR, southern Oromiya and Somali regions. Pockets ofadditionaldistributionarefoundinRayaAzoboandKobAlamataPlainsinsouthernTigrayaswellasthenortheasternpartofAmharaRegion,amongstmany.Some benefits have been realized from Prosopis through its use in for example,charcoal production, house/fence construction, livestock feed (through mixinggroundpodswithlivestockmeal),anditalsohasplayedaroleinsoilconservation(theoriginalpurposeforwhichitwasplanted)andinthefixingofnitrogeninthesoil.Prosopiscanresultinacoolerlocalmicro-climate,andwheretheplantisabletogrowtoatree,shadeisprovided.Thereisalsoanunderstandingofthepotentialfor developing other uses including using the wood for apiculture, woodchips,

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flooring,and timber,and forusing thebiomass for fueland thepods for livestockfeedonacommercialbasis.However, in Ethiopia, Prosopis tends to grow as impenetrable thickets that havecompletely blocked access to vast tracts of land, particularly riverine areas.Palatable species in grasslands and indigenous multi-purpose (including fodder)shrubsandtreesarelost.Sharpandpoisonousthornscauseinjurytohumansandlivestock.Theincidenceofmalariaissaidtohaveincreasedduetoamoistermicro-climatethanbefore.Asaresultlivelihoodshavebeencompromisedandbiodiversityhas been lost. A study on the economic impacts of Prosopis on agropastoralhouseholds of Dire Dawa Administration showed that invasion had significantlydecreased annual income of agropastoralist households from livestock and theirproductssaleby781Birr(28.82%).Peoplehaveturnedtocropfarming instead–where land had been cleared from Prosopis the soil was fertile (Haji andMohammed2013).PastoralistsandagropastoralistsinparticulararecomplainingofProsopisinvasionin their lands, theadversenegativeeffectson their livelihoods, lossofunderstorygrassgrowthandforage,itsnegativeimpactonanimalhealth(whentheyconsumelarge amounts of seed pods) and unforeseen effects including harboring cattlerustlers inrustling-proneareasorwildanimalssuchashyenasthathaveattackedwomen and children). Communities have invested time, energy and resources inclearingProsopiswithlittleeffectonitsspread.StudiesconductedinpartsofAfarand Somali region have confirmed that the pastoral community favors completeeradicationofProsopis.Prosopisinvasionhasalsodisplacednativetreesandplants,withbothbiodiversityandeconomic implications. Invadedsiteshavebeenshownto includesignificantlyless plant (grass, herbs, shrubs, trees) diversity and species richness than less ornon-invaded sites (Getachew et al 2012; Alemayehu et al 2010). This includes inNational Parks and other conservation areas, not only threatening conservationgoalsbutalsonegativelyimpactingontourism.As such, and after careful consideration of the effect of Prosopis, there is generalagreementamongstgovernment,technicalexperts,communitiesandpractitioners1thatthedisadvantagesandcostsofProsopisforlocallivelihoods,rangelandhealth1AsreflectedintheconclusionsofthenationalRangelandManagementPlatforminJune2014,whichbroughttogethergovernment,technicalexpertsandpractitioners.

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andbiodiversity,andforthenationaleconomyduetoreducedlivestockproduction,outweighthebenefits.1.2PastinterventionsandlessonslearnedTherehavebeenanumberofpositive initiatives thathavetriedtocontroland/orutilize Prosopis. Important lessons have been learnt from these initiatives, whichguidefurtherdevelopmentsandactions.Between 2006-2008 local expert studies coordinated and lead by the EthiopianInstitute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) through a GOE – UNEP/ GEF Project“Removing Barriers to Invasive Plants Management in Africa”, developed sixnational IAS management guidelines that include: National IAS Strategies andActionPlan (NISSAP);CostRecoveryMechanismProcedures for IASManagement;NationalIASCommunicationStrategy;RiskAssessment,EarlyDetectionandRapidResponse Procedures for IAS Management; Generalized Training Modules andGuideline for Integrating IAS Issues into Curricula of Learning Institutions bytargeted and extensive stakeholder input for invasive plant species includingProsopis.Theseguidelinesareintheprocessofapprovalandnotenactedyet.TheNISSAPhavebeenusedasakeyinputintothisdocument.DevelopmentagenciesandNGOshavealsosupportedactivitiestoeradicateand/orutilizeProsopis.However,thesehavebeenfragmentedintheirapproachanddonelittle tostemtherateofProsopis invasion.Cost-effectiveness isalsoan issue–aninitiative by the Awash Basin Authority (1995-2002) to clear Prosopis regularlyover36-kmlengthsof irrigationanddrainagecanalsusingbulldozerscostaroundETB188,100 per year). In order to try and improve the cost-effectiveness theAuthoritychangedtomanuallabor(2002topresent),whichhelpedreducethecosttoETB54,000peryear in2008.Ata largerscale,suchas in theentiredistrict,anassessment concluded that the cost of clearing, even using local labor, isunaffordable to the local government or other nongovernmental developmentorganizations operating in the region (Haregeweyn 2013). In addition theseinitiatives have paid insufficient attention to the rehabilitation of the landafterwards and to preventing Prosopis reinvasion. The land needs to be usedimmediately after Prosopis has been removed.Where theProsopis has only beencut, and the root left in the ground, the stumphas quickly coppiced and inmanycases has resulted in aworse situation than before. As such there is a need for alocal regulatory body to ensure that plant is properly removed, and that the re-invasionisprevented.

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Initiativesthathavesupportedincomegenerationhaveshownthatsomeeconomicbenefitscanbederived,andthiscanbequitesubstantialinsomecases.However,itis not usually those who have lost the land to Prosopis that gain from theseinitiatives.Ratherittendstobetraders,urbandwellersoryouthwhobenefit: it istheindividualwhotendstoaccumulatethemoneyraised,ratherthansharedwithothers in the community. Some successhasbeen shown inmobilising communitylabour for clearing Prosopis through public works of PSNP or through NGO-supportedprojects–howeverthesehavebeenshowntobeofgreatersuccesswhenthey are part of long-term community development or rangeland managementplans, and where communities have committed to the implementation of thesewithoutpayment.Inpartsofthecountrywherelarger-scaleclearingoperationsarelaunched,itcostslandusersover3,500ETBtoreclaimahectareofProsopisinfestedland(GizachewandMuhie2012).However though theseactivitieshavehadsomesuccesses, theyhave been scattered, uncoordinated, lacked urgency and ultimately failed incontrollingProsopisspread.Reasonsforthisinclude:- A lack of coordination in the response so that that activities have been

haphazard,one-offsandfragmented.- TherehasbeenalackofintegrationofProsopiscontrolintointer-andintra-

sectoralinitiativesandactivities.

AfarregionissuedaregulationforthecontrolofProsopisinvasion,howeverithasnot been implemented due to insufficient awareness and capacity of the regionalgovernment and local communities, lack of human as well as logistics resourceswithinthegovernmentsystemtoimplementtheregulationandlackofcoordination,and commitment among stakeholders. Better implementation of such regulationsrequire, among others, critical awareness creation on the invasion and controlstrategiesparticularly inareasatriskof invasion,capacitybuildingon thecontrolstrategies, allocating the required financial, human, and material resources toworedaofficesforthecontrol initiativerequireshigherattentionandcommitmentfrom the government and development partners. Moreover, the judiciary systemshouldbesufficientlyexercisedtodisciplinelocalpeople/usersofProsopiswhodonotcomplywiththerequirementsofthestrategy.

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1.3AstrategicframeworkforProsopismanagementTheGovernmentofEthiopia(GoE)hasdeclaredProsopis tobeadangerousplant,which should not be cultivated or planted, and requires containment, control,management and ultimately its removal. The government at federal and regionallevelsiscommittedunderinternationalconventionstoprotectitsbiodiversityandenvironment.In1992thethenMinistryofAgriculturewasgivenextensivepowersto control imports and exports, disposal, inspection and survey and treatment oflandwithregardtoimportedplantsandplantproducts(underthePlantQuarantineCouncilofMinistersRegulationNo.4/1992).Todate,thegovernmenthasattemptedtofightProsopisinvasionatdifferentlevelshowever, there has been a gap in a strategic approach to control and manageinvasivespeciesparticularlyinpastoralareas.Therefore,thereisanurgentneedforcoordinated,well-plannedandstrategicactiontodealwiththeproblem.This document provides policy and strategic direction for the control of Prosopisinvasion,technicalguidanceandlaysouttheinstitutionalarrangementandhumanandphysicalresourcesrequiredfortheimplementationoftheStrategy.Itprovidesdifferent responses for different activities including preventing establishment,control and removal, and utilization of Prosopis either as part of its removal orwhere it is currently economically inefficient to invest in its removal. It isanticipated that itwill guide theproductionand implementationofmorecontext-specificstrategiesatnational,regionalandlocallevelsandtheirimplementation.TheobjectivesoftheStrategyonProsopisManagementare:

1.TopreventexpansionofProsopistoun-invadedareas.2.ToreclaimandrestoreinvadedareasafterProsopisclearanceandsustainablymanageforproductiveuse,andincreasingbiodiversity.3. To regulate and coordinate Prosopis management initiatives forcomplimentarilyandsynergy.

This Strategywas produced through a consultative process including federal andregionalrepresentatives,academiaandresearchers,privateandcommercialsector,NGOsandcivilsociety.Astocktakingandconsolidationofinformationwascarriedout including unpublished research reports, the NISSAP and National IASCommunicationproducedbyEIAR,andotherrelevantdocumentation.ARangelandManagement Platformmeeting organizedby thePastoralDirectorate provided an

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opportunity for practitioners and thosewho have carried out pilot or small-scaleinitiativestocontrolProsopis,togivetheirinputandopinion.This Strategy should be updated as new information becomes available that canguidethebestmanagementpracticesforProsopis.Anadaptiveapproachshouldbeused in implementation,with flexibility to incorporatenewinformationor lessonslearned.Dataandfeedbackgatheredfromthecommunityandotherlandusersandstakeholders2willbeusedtorefineandimprovefuturemanagementdecisionsandultimately, Prosopis management plans. Continuous improvement can only beachieved if investments in Prosopis control and management are resulting inprogresstowardstheidentifiedobjectiveofProsopiseradication;andareachievingthemosteffectiveandefficientoutcomes.

2Stakeholdersincludefederaldevelopmentandenvironmentalprotectioninstitutes,pastoraldevelopmentbureausandoffices,agriculturalandbiodiversityresearchandhigherlearninginstitutes,NGOs,civicorganizationandprofessionalbodies,localcommunities,privatesector,UNagenciesanddonorcommunities.

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2.0STRATEGICACTIONFORPROSOPISMANAGEMENT2.1BiologicalcharacteristicsofProsopisFast-growing, drought and salt-resistant, and with remarkable coppicing power,Prosopis has succeeded in colonizing large swathes of land across Ethiopia, andparticularlydrylands.Prosopis isa thornyevergreentreeoftenreachingaheightof12meters. Ingoodsoil andwater conditions it cangrow toa tree.Prosopis is tolerant to salineandalkalinesoilconditionsbut issensitivetocoldweatherandfrost. Itgrowswell inlow rainfall areas with annual precipitation of less than 250mm. Prosopis has awell-developedtaproot,whichcanextendupto53meters,whichhelpstosourcegroundwaterreserves,especiallyduringthedryseason.Youngtreesstartfruiting3-4yearsafterplantingandthetreesproutsvigorouslyaftercoppicing.Floweringcan be continuous throughout the year, although there is a period of maximumflowering, usually following the rainy seasons. The evergreen leavesofProsopisarenotlikedoreatenbylivestock.Prosopis propagates through seeds and root suckers, requiring insects forpollination.Itproducesmany,smallsizedandhardseedswhichareabletopassthedigestive system of animals. One pod can contain 10-25 seeds. There are about4,000-12,500seeds/kgofpodswhileonetreecanproduce35-75kg/yearofpods.Taking the lowest estimate one tree can produce about 140,000 seeds per year.Prosopisseedshaveahighlevelofdormancy;seedscanstayviableinthesoilfor2-10years,until theygeta favorableconditionforgermination.Thehardseedcoatwillbebrokenmechanicallyordegradedthroughtimetoallowwaterpenetrationandgerminationtooccur.Animals consume the somewhat nutritious seedpods and excrete viable seeds intheir droppings, so helping spread theplant across their grazing areas. Livestock,particularlycattle,aremainlyresponsible,althoughwildungulatesarealsocapableofspreadingtheseeds.Theprocessofdigestionactuallyhelpsgerminationaslongas the seeds arenotdamagedduring chewing, especially since the expelled seedsaredepositedinmoist,nutrient-richdung.Seedpods are also spread by flooding and/or along irrigation channels. TheestablishmentofProsopistendstomeetitspeakafterperiodsofhighrainfall,whenconditionsforgerminationandgrowthareparticularlyfavorable.

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Theplantisverydifficulttoremoveonceestablished.Cuttingthetrunkatground-levelwillonlyresultinmoreaggressivegrowthascoppicing.Inordertopreventre-growth at least 20-30cm of root below the soil surface needs to be removed (i.e.belowbuddingarea).2.2InterventionsforProsopiscontrolandmanagement

2.2.1DecidingwhichinterventionsshouldbedonewhereandbywhomDifferentinterventionsarerequiredfori)PreventionofProsopisestablishment,ii)Removal of Prosopis, iii) Restoration, rehabilitation and use of cleared areas, iv)Containment and prevention of further spread. Different interventions will berequired fora)highly invadedareas,b)moderately invadedareas,andc)areasatriskofinvasion.In some areas it is appropriate to utilize the biomass once it is removed. Theremight also be the case for controlled utilization of biomass from areas that aretemporarily contained. The use of biomass can bring economic benefits to localcommunities,governmentandbusinesses,howeveradependenceonthesebenefitsshould not be encouraged because ultimately, the resource (the Prosopis)will beeradicated.Mapping invaded areas of Prosopis and areas at risk of invasion: A first step inProsopis management is to identify which interventions are suitable for whichplaces and conditions. Information required for this identificationwill need to begathered through a detailed analysis across the nation of the distribution ofProsopis, and its degree of establishment.Mapping the areas invaded and othersthat are at risk will help visualise the problem for both government andcommunities, and serve as a benchmark to measure changes and impact ofinterventions.Someworkhasalreadybeencompletedinthisregard(seeWakieetal 2014). Then decisions need to be made through a participatory consultationprocess of different actors, as towhich interventionswill beused in thedifferentareas,andwhichareasdemandattentionfirst.

1. ImmediateactionstopreventProsopisestablishmentwillberequiredinthefollowingareas:

- Lands at risk of invasion due to their close proximity to alreadyinfestedarease.g.accessroadsorresting/campingareas.

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- Areas that have been removed of their natural vegetation orexperienced recent soil disturbance such as embankments alongnewlybuiltroads.

- Riverbanks,primaryandsecondaryirrigationcanals.- Alonglivestockroutesandinrestingplacesandinparticularthose

that provide passage for long migrations to markets, includingthosethatcrossregionalandnationalborders.

These areas should receive regular surveillance to ensure that invasion has notoccurredandifithas,thenimmediateactiontoremoveProsopisshouldbetaken

2. PriorityactionstoremoveProsopiswillberequiredinthefollowingareas:- InProsopis-invadedhigh-valuelandsincludingdryseasongrazing,

agriculturallands,orconservationareas.- Along livestock routes where livestock are regularly migrating

fromoneplacetoanother.- Landsclosetoresidenceswherepeopleandlivestockareatthreat

from physical injury and/or harbouring of wild animals such assnakes.

- Where Prosopis is blocking access roads to grazing, agriculturalareas,waterpoints,settlementsetc.

3. Priorityactionstorestore,rehabilitateanduselandswillberequiredwhere:

- Prosopis has been cleared from the land and immediaterestoration/rehabilitation and use of the land is required topreventre-invasion.

- Indegradedareasathigh-riskofinvasion–ifthelandisrestored,rehabilitatedandusedthenthereislesslikelihoodofinvasion.

4. Actionstocontainandpreventfurtherspreadwillberequiredwhere:

- Landhasbeeninvaded,butthelandisnotconsideredanabsolutepriority for clearance i.e. the land is not as high-value as above.Thecontainment/enclosurewillbeatemporarymeasureuntilthetop-priorityareashavebeencleared.

- Resources arenot currently available for clearance– so theareashouldbeenclosed/containeduntilresourcesaremadeavailable.

- Landhasbeen invadedbyProsopisbut the land isnotapriorityforclearance.

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Decisionsaboutwhat landshouldbeused forafterclearing,shouldbedecidedbythosewhoused the landprior to theProsopis invasion.This shouldbe facilitatedthroughaconsultativeprocess.Action point: A multi-stakeholder consultative decision-making process will befacilitated to set priorities in different areas, and to decide on strategies andactivitiesforprevention,clearanceandrehabilitationforthoseareas.ThemanagementandcontrolofProsopisneedstobeledbyconsistentandenablingpolicy and legislation. The Special support and Pastoral Areas Developmentdirectorate in theMinistry of Livestock andFisheries is best-placed to coordinatethiswork,butwillensurethatpolicy,legislationandguidingframeworksaremulti-sectoral and developed with relevant actors. The Directorate will establish asecretariat/office with full-time staff and an allocated budget to implement theStrategy. Roles and responsibilities of different actors should be defined andcommunicated.Regionalandlocalgovernmentswillworkattheirdesignatedlevelsofjurisdictiontoensurethatthenationalstrategyisrolled-outacrossthecountry.Actionpoint:Nationalpolicyandlegislationisrequiredtoprovidetheclearpolicydirection and enforcement mechanisms for supporting action on Prosopis. Thisshould involvedifferent sectors to ensurea coordinatedand integratedapproach.Withinthis,rolesandresponsibilitiesofdifferentactorsshouldbefurtherdetailed.All land users are responsible for playing a role in Prosopis eradication – bothindividually and collectively. Prosopis management should be included within allland use planning at different levels, reflecting national and regional Prosopisintervention plans, and within community rangeland management and actionplanning.2.2.2Proposedinterventionsandactions-generala) Improve knowledge about Prosopis and build capacity and commitment toaddresstheproblem

Strengthening the national capacity and commitment to solve Prosopis problemsandtocreatebenefitswherepossible,isessentialtoensurethatappropriateactiontakes place. Capacity must be built at all levels – national, regional andlocal/community.AwarenessneedstoberaisedonthedangersofProsopisandhowit can be controlled, including with some benefits. The majority must agree and

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committoaddressingtheProsopisproblematalargescale–ithasbeenshownthatindividualandpiece-mealactionhasdonelittletocurbProsopisspread.Actionstobetakeninclude:i)RaisingpublicawarenessonthedangersofProsopisImproved awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding Prosopisinvasioniskeytoensuringtheengagementofthepublicindecision-makingandforgainingwidersupportforrelevantpolicies,programs,andactivities.Thepubliccanplay several roles in fighting Prosopis including reducing the spread, assistingdetection and monitoring status. In order to reach different groups of actors,different awareness activities will be carried out and different communicationchannels used to reach different audiences. These can include dissemination ofmessages through traditional channels of communication, through village leaders,through websites, mass media, and posters e.g. at points of entry/exit fromProsopis-invaded areas, information leaflets, and codes of practice, identificationguides,publictalksandface-to-facemeetings.

Actionpoints:Thefollowingareactionpointsforraisingpublicawareness:

• Developandimplementanationalplanforraisingpublicawarenessthroughdifferentcommunicationchannels.

• Developandimplementnationallyconsistent,regularandtargetedProsopisawareness activities through national bodies such as radio, the press,posters,leaflets.

• TrainlocalgovernmentstaffworkinginareaswhereProsopishasinvadedorisatriskof invasion,aboutthedangersofProsopisandactionsthatcanbetaken, so that they can ensure the issues are mainstreamed within localgovernmentactivities,whilstalsoinformingcommunitiestodothesame.

• Raisetheawarenessoflocalcommunitieslivingininvadedareasorareasatrisk, as to what measures are most effective in the control of Prosopis(including at different stages of the growth cycle) (see below), andwheretheycanobtainsupporttocarrytheseout.

• ProvideinformationtoindustriesandtheprivatesectoraboutProsopis,andopportunities to for example utilize Prosopis as a fuel during removal andcontrolactivities.

• Set up an emergency ‘hotline’ to register new invasions that requireimmediateattentiontopreventtheirestablishment.

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• Give national recognition and awards to community achievements inProsopismanagement.

• EstablishannualcampaignswherethepublicaremobilizedforactionswhichcontributetoProsopismanagement.

• Support the development of networks for community-based action onProsopis ensuring information exchange and coordinationof activities, andmonitoringofnewinvasions.

ii)StrengtheningnationalandregionalresearchextensionprogramsonProsopis

Strong research extension is required on Prosopis prevention, management andrehabilitationoflandsafterclearance.ItisvitalthatpolicyandactiononProsopisisunderpinnedwithastrongevidenceandinformationbaseonwhatworksbestandhow.Researchoutcomeswillbeakeycomponentofriskassessment,surveillance,detection, monitoring, and control and eradication strategies. Action research isparticularly important to generate information used to refine controlmethods aswell as for assessing the feasibility of proposed action (for example, eradicationattempts).Feasibilitystudies,ofteninvolvingmodeling,areakeytoolforassessingthe likely costs and probability of success for larger-scale control or eradicationefforts. Research could also provide technological solutions to help addressproblems,includinghowbesttorehabilitatelandafterclearing.Organizingvarioustaskteamstoreviewcontrolandmanagement,detectionandearlywarningwillberequired. There is a need for better strategic coordination of this research effortinvolvingallmembersofthenationalagricultureresearchinstitutes,higherlearninginstitutions, international research organizations, NGOs and other stakeholders.Storinginformationandmakingitaccessibletodifferentactorswillalsoberequired–seeSection3.6onKnowledgeManagement.

Actionpoints:• Prioritize Prosopis research needs and identify, develop and initiate new

research programs based on these. In particular research is require ineffectiverehabilitationandrestorationofclearedlandsandpreventionofre-invasion.

• Encourage fundingof research fromdonors thatwill provide the scientificbasistosupportProsopismanagementandcontroldecisions.

• Strengthen collaboration between research institutions, higher learninginstitutions,industryanddevelopmentactorsonProsopisresearchissues.

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• Ensurethatresearchresultsandparticularlythosethatindicatebestpracticein Prosopis management, are shared to different actors, and stored in aneasily-accessiblemannerforfutureuse.

iii)MonitorandevaluateprogressofnationalProsopismanagementeffortsMonitoringandevaluationoftheimplementationofthenationalstrategyandactionplanneedstobecarriedouttoensurethatprogressisbeingmadeaccordingtotheproposedtimeline.Monitoringandevaluationalsoneedstobecarriedouttoensureactivities tocontrolandremoveProsopisarebeingeffective.Thereductions inorcontinuingspreadofProsopisalsoneedstobemonitoredandupdated.Actionpoints:

• Monitor and evaluate progress of implementation of the national ProsopisManagementStrategyandactivitiesoftheworkplan,accordingtotimeline,roles/responsibilitiesandbudget.

• Monitorandevaluatetheefficiency,effectivenessandappropriatenessoftheProsopisManagementStrategyandactionsundertaken,inreducingProsopisspreadandremovingfromandrehabilitatingtheinvadedland.

• Regularly monitor and update information on Prosopis distribution(increases,decreasesetc.)includingGISmapping,atanationalandregionallevels.

2.2.3PreventionofnewintroductionsorestablishmentofProsopisPrevention of Prosopis establishment is themost cost-effective action possible. IfnewProsopisplantsarediscoveredbeforetheyarewellestablished,eradicationispossible.ThegoalistointerveneintheearlystagesoftheprocessbypreventingtheintroductionandearlyspreadofnewProsopisplantsbyactingquicklyi.e.pullingupthe Prosopis as early as possible. It is the least environmentally damagingintervention, and can, with adequate resources, be applied to a greater or lesserextent over the long term. This should be complimented with the collection ofmature seedpods from areas where Prosopis already exists. Prevention of newProsopis establishment is a high priority intervention. The development of aProsopisspreadpreventionprogramisconsideredinthissection–seeBox2.1.Actionstobetakeninclude:i)Earlydetectionandrapidresponse(EDRR)

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Earlydetectionand rapid response (EDRR) involvesan inventoryandmappingofthe invasion, a rapid-response plan, public notification andmaking the resourcesavailabletoactquicklywhenanewinvaderisdiscovered.Animportantcomponentofanearlydetectionsystemismonitoring.Monitoringofnewinvasionsmustoccuron a regular basis. Those who are regularly in the field can carry out themonitoring, including pastoral scouts assigned for such a purpose, developmentagents, agricultural experts, researchers, teachers, students, members of themilitary and police. Experiences indicate that even the best prevention effortscannot stop all invasive species. EDRR is a critical second defense against theestablishment of invasive species. EDRR increases the likelihood that localizedinvasive population is contained, and eradicated before they become widelyestablished. EDRR can slow range expansion, and avoid the need for costly long-termcontrolefforts.Vigilanceiskeytoenabletheearlydetectionofnewarrivals.Itisalsoimportantthatthereissurveillanceonupdatingthestatus(populationlevelsand/orrangeandpattern).TherearethreecomponentsofEDRR:

i) Earlydetection – establishingmechanisms for ensuring thatnew invasionsareidentified,notifiedandactiontaken.

ii) Rapid assessment – the context and scale of the new invasion should beassessed–mapsandotherinformationontheinvasionwillbecollected.

iii) Rapid response – a systematic effort will be made to eradicate the newinvasionasquicklyaspossibleandbeforeitbecomeswidelyestablished.

Actionpoints:Thefollowingareactionpointsforpreventionofestablishment:

• Identifyhigh-riskareasforProsopisinvasionwithinthecountry,andtargetattentiontotheseimmediatelyinordertotakemeasurestopreventinvasion.

• DevelopandimplementanationalProsopisspreadpreventionprogramandplan that includes effectivemeasures to prevent Prosopis – this should beimplementedthroughthedifferentlevelsofgovernmentwithclearrolesandresponsibilities.

• MapoutlivestockroutessoinvasioncanbepreventedalongtheroutesandfromaProsopis-invadedareatoaProsopis-free-zone.Strengthenborderandpre-border controlswhere livestock routes are known in order to preventfurtherProsopisspread.

• Maintain, review and update import protocols to maximize protectionagainstfurtherintroductionofProsopisintothecountry.

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• ListProsopisasanoxiousplant,andbananyplantingofit.• Establishanationally coordinatedProsopisalert andearlywarning system

thatincludeseffectivesurveillancemechanisms.• Declare Prosopis-free-zones and preventmovement of livestock into these

areas from infected areas, and ensure extra vigilance here to preventProsopisestablishment.

• Governments,regionalbodiesandindustrytodevelopcontingencyplansforactionagainstnewProsopisinfestations.

• EstablishcorecapacitiesattheregionalandnationallevelsforrespondingtoProsopisinterventionneeds.

ii)Controlsoverlivestockmovement

Livestock are known to be the major agent of Prosopis spread. Livestockpreferentiallybrowseon thepalatableProsopispodsonce theyhave fallen to theground. Once ingested the seeds may take up to eight days to pass through ananimal. Seeds excreted by livestock are more likely to germinate. Livestockmovement within and between properties should be carefully managed to avoidspread.ParticularcareshouldbetakenwhenpurchasinglivestockfromregionsastheymaybecarryingProsopisseedsinternally.Prosopis-free-zonesshouldcontrollivestockcomingintotheirareasfromProsopis-invadedareas.Inadditionlivestockmovement corridors will be under special surveillances so that early removal ofnewProsopisseedlingismadepossible.Actionpoints:-ApublicawarenesscampaignonProsopis should include informationonhowProsopis is transported including through livestock, and what controls arenecessarytostopitsspread.

-Prosopis-free-zonesshouldputinplacecontrolstopreventspreadtransmittedby livestock fromProsopis-invadedareas.Where livestockareknowntohavecome from these areas, then they should be quarantined in a speciallydesignatedpaddock(enclosure)until theseedshavebeenexcreted(around8days).Thepaddockshouldbemonitoredconstantlyandanyseedlingsremovedand/ormanure/seedsremovedanddestroyedaftereachsetoflivestock

-RemovalofProsopis fromknownmajor livestock routes is apriority.Regularmonitoring of livestock routes should be carried out at different levels toidentify Prosopis invasions, and immediate action should be taken to removeanyplantsthatestablish.

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- Livestock shouldbeprevented fromgrazing/browsing inor close toProsopisinfestedareas.Controls(potentiallywithpenalties/fines)shouldbeputinplacetocontrolthis.Infestedareasthatarenotgoingtobeclearedinthenearfutureshouldbefenced-offpreventingaccessofbothdomesticandwildanimals.

Box2.1DevelopingaProsopisspreadpreventionprogramandplanPreventionofspread is themostsuccessfulandcosteffectivewayofmanagingProsopis.Domesticstock, wild animals, water flow (rain, floods, irrigation channels), vehicles, and careless ProsopisclearanceallspreadProsopis.WithcarefulattentionandplanningProsopisspreadcanbeprevented.A program or plan to prevent Prosopis spread needs to focus on the different transmissionmechanismsandputinplacesafeguards.

Livestock are known tobemajor agents of Prosopis spread. Seeds excretedby livestock aremorelikely togerminate.Manyremoteroad infestationscanbeattributedto livestock truckmovementsdue todungbeingspreadas the truckmovesorbeingexcreted inanimal restingplaces.Livestockroutes can also be major areas and means of infestation. Prosopis spread can be avoided by: a)Isolating incoming stock to a new area (particularly when know to be coming from a Prosopis-infestedarea) inadesignatedquarantinepaddockforat leasteightdays.b)FrequentlymonitoringquarantinepaddockstodetectanynewlyestablishingProsopisearly,whichwhenfoundshouldberemovedimmediately.c)Preventinggrazingorbrowsinginareaswherematurepodsareavailable,includingthefencing/enclosingofProsopis-infestedareas.Rivers and irrigation channels can carry the seeds fromonearea to another, andwhen they floodthesecanbedepositedonbanksandinfields.Thisislikelytobeamajorcourseoftheinfestationsalong riverbanks. Filters/dams can be used to stop seeds flowing downstream. Irrigation cannelsshouldberegularlycleaned.VehiclesenteringProsopis-infestedareascanpickupseedswithmude.g.inthetreadsoftheirtyres.TransportingProsopisshouldbeavoidedandremovedplantsshouldeitherbedisposedorusedon-site.WhereProsopisistransportedutmostcareshouldbetakentoensurethatthereisnodangerofseedsdroppingfromthevehicleand/ornoseedsarestuckbetweenthetreadofvehicletyres.Oncethe vehiclehas finished its transportationofProsopis it shouldbewasheddown in aplacewhereProsopisseedscanbeeasilydisposedof.Alternativelyseedsshouldbebrushedfromthevehicleandbecarefullyandappropriatelydisposedof.CarelessProsopis clearance canalsobea causeof spread. Inorder to avoid this,workers clearingProsopisshouldalwayswork fromclean/clearareasbacktowards infestedareas.Clearanceworksshouldbescheduledpriortoseedssettingontrees/shrubs.AllthoseworkingonProsopisclearanceshould be aware of dangers of spread and of Prosopis identification. All machinery used on site,shouldbecleanedbeforeleavingthearea.WildanimalshavealsobeenshowntospreadProsopis.Thereisalackofinformationabouthowbestto control this. However, preventing them entering into heavily-infested areas by enclosing theseareas,wouldbeonemeasure that couldbe taken.Experiences fromother countries in this regardwillbesought.

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2.2.4RemovalofProsopiswhereitisalreadyestablished

Preferably Prosopis is removedwhen the plant is small – but this requires earlydetection and response (see above). There is also a need for sufficient financialresources to carry out activities, and the commitment of local stakeholders.Oftenactionisnottakenearlyenough,andthismeansthattheplantiswell-establishedbythe time removal is attempted. As described in Section 2.1, the physiology of theplantmakesitverydifficulttoremove. Andonceremoved,theclearedlandneedsto be used immediately and constantly to prevent the re-invasion from dormantseedsstillfoundinthesoil.Widespreadinvasionsaresubjecttocontroleffortsthatslow the rate of range expansion and lessen the impacts of invasive populations.Completeeradicationwillbedifficult.Insomeareasthebestapproachintheshort-termmaybetosimplycontaintheProsopisandtopreventfurtherspread(seeBox2.2).

Box2.2Containmentasashort-termtemporarysolution

ContainmentofProsopisisapotentialmanagementoption,howevertheactionsrequiredtoachievecontainmentarelikelytobeexpensiveandlabourintensive.EffectivecontainmentwillalsorequirethemanagementofProsopisspreadingagents.Areasforcontainmentwillneedtobeclearlydefinedandmapped.Inthistypeofmanagement,Prosopisareaswillbeidentified and prioritized for systematic treatment. High priority areas (i.e. those withhighest agricultural, rangeland and conservation values) and those where the resourcesrequiredareleast,aretreatedfirst.Otherareasaretreatedasresourcesbecomeavailable.Controllingoutlyingplantsistheprioritytoreducefurtherdispersal.Plantsatthecentreofinfestations are controlled progressively as resources allow. Costs decrease over time asdensities are reduced and mature plants are removed reducing dispersal and newestablishment. Controlling the smaller and least resource demanding infestations firstensuresthattheseinfestationsdonotexpandwhileresourcesarespentatoneortwolargeresource-demanding areas. Ideally, resources would be available to begin control on allinfestationsimmediatelyhoweverthisisseldomthecasesotemporarycontainmentmaybetheonlyoption.Alllivestockshouldbekeptoutofthesecontainmentareas.

ThereareseveralmanagementoptionsforremovingProsopisincludingmechanical,chemical, biological and/or integrationof twoormoreof thesemethods (seeBox2.3).Whichevermethod is chosen, this shouldbeused inanenvironmentally safeand socially acceptable manner. Local and other stakeholders should makedecisionstogetheraboutwhichmethodwillbeused,whenandwhere.Thoughthefocusofactionisverysite-specific,itisimportantthatevidence-basedexperiencesandbestpracticefromothersitesareconsidered.

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2.3MethodsforintegratedmanagementandremovalofProsopis

Integrated Prosopis control involves using a combination of control techniques to manage andremove Prosopis in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Integrated control generallyresults in more effective longer-term Prosopis management outcomes. A systematic plan formanagementandremovalshouldbeproduced,describingmethodstobeused,where,when,andbywhom.MoreinformationontheuseofthesemethodswillbeprovidedinthepracticalhandbookandmanualtobeproducedbythePastoralDirectorate,MinistryofLivestockandFisheriesandEIAR.

1. Chemical control can be used in combination with mechanical control. Only those chemicalproducts authorized and registeredwith the local government officemust be used in the controlprogram. Governmentwill allow the importation and the use of the chemicals for the purpose ofProsopis control under the existing legal framework. The registered product must be used at arecommendedconcentration, rateor frequency that isspecifiedon the label.Thechemicalsshouldonlybeusedontheplantitself,spillagemustbeavoided,andstorageappropriate.Oldengineoilandcreosote can also be used to prevent re-growth. The thick bark on older trees can prevent theabsorptionofthechemicals.Therefore,oldertreesshouldfirstbecutandchemicalsappliedtotheirexposedstumps.2. Physical removal of Prosopis ismade difficult by the deep and vigorous root system and largethornsonbranches.Inmaturetrees,rootsystemsmayexceedadepthof50metres.Theremovalofplantmaterial and disturbance of soilwhich results fromphysical removal of Prosopis can createidealconditionsforseedgerminationsoitisvitalthatthelandisrehabilitatedandusedimmediatelyafterProsopisclearance.Mechanicalmethodsinclude:-Hand cutting and root removal.This has to date, been themost commonmechanismused forProsopisremoval.InAfar,localcommunitieshavedesignedalongstickwithahookattheendthatcanbeusedtoassistpullingbranchesforwardforcutting.Sawsand(includingchain-saws)areusedfor cutting trunks. Once all foliage and branches/trunk have been cut then 20-30 cm of root (i.e.belowthebudzone)needstoberemovedtoreducethelikelihoodofre-shooting.Alternativelythetrunk can be cut off close to the ground and chemicals applied to prevent re-growth (though thesuccessofthisislow).Allfoliage/rootshouldthenbeburnt(unlessarrangementshavebeenmadetouseit–seebelow).-Bladeploughingcutsoffplantsstems/trunksbelowgroundlevel.Thiscontrolmethodissuitablefor low tomedium density infestations. It is best undertaken before seeds have set orwhen rootreserves are low. Success depends on cutting the root system below the bud zone (20–30 cm) toreduce the likelihood of re-shooting. Attachments can be front- or rear-mounted on vehiclesincludingbulldozers(D6andabove)or4X4tractors(80hpormore).Careshouldbetakentoavoidnative plant species when blade ploughing, as these plants will provide competition for Prosopisseedlingswhentheystartemergingaftersoildisturbance(ploughing).-Bulldozer pushing/grubbing is effective for both low, scattered densities and formedium andhighdensitiesofProsopis.Thismethodissimilartobladeploughinginthatitaimstouseabladetopushoverindividualtreesatorbelowgroundlevel.Bulldozerscanalsodiguptheroots.Asabove,careshouldbetakentoavoiddamagetonativeplantsandtrees.

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-Chainpullingcanbeusedinthecontrolofhigh-densityProsopistree infestations.Chainpulling,whichinvolvesdraggingaheavy-dutychainbetweentwodozersthroughaninfestation,iseffectiveonly if used in combinationwith fire, and followedupwith chemical treatment and complete rootremoval.Firecanbeused toburn removedbiomass and soils containing large amounts of seeds inhighly-infestedareas.However,careneedstobetakenthatfireiscontrolledanddoesnotspreadtootherspecies.ThereisalsoevidencetosuggestthatfirecanincreasethegerminationofProsopisseedintheseedbed.3.BiologicalcontrolBiologicalcontrolinvolvestheintroductionofinsectsorpathogenstocontrolexoticplantspecies.Todate,fourintroducedbiologicalcontrolagents,includingtwoseed-feedingbeetles,havebeenusedinsomeothercountriesforthecontrolofProsopis.ThismethodcouldberecommendedinareaswhereProsopis infestationisbelievedtobehighlyaggressiveandtoensureeradication.Theintroductionand use of the biological agentswill follow the existing legal framework of the country. Currentlytesting of biological agents is being carried out under controlled conditions. As such the use ofbiologicalcontrolhasnotyetbeenapproved.Where Prosopis is producing mature seedpods, these should be collected beforelivestockcanfeedinthearea.Itmaybepossibletousethesepods(seeBox2.4).Incaseswherelocalcommunityactionisrequired,thisactionshouldbeintegratedintocommunityactionplansaspartoftheirrangelandmanagementstrategy.Theyshould understand that results may not be immediately apparent, and repeatedeffortmayberequiredtoproduceobviousreductionsinProsopisdistributionanddensity. In this regards, all projects and different stakeholders should becoordinatedsothatProsopisremovalandcontroliscompletedinasystematicandcoordinated manner. Inter-regional communication and regionally coordinatedactionisrequired.

Action point: Establish a mechanism for coordinating projects and differentstakeholders involved in Prosopis management to facilitate better informationsharing,toensuresystematicandcomplementaryprogramofactivities,andtomakethebestofopportunitiesforpartnershipworkingandotherresourcesynergies.Successful Prosopis management may require significant investment over anextendedperiodoftime.Inparticular,thecontrolof large,establishedinfestationsrequire careful planning, prioritization and budgeting. Results may not beimmediately apparent, as repeated effort may be required to produce obviousreductionsindistributionanddensity.ControlandmanagementofProsopiscanbeconsidered for two main scenarios – areas with low infestation and areas with

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moderate/high infestation.These twoscenariosdemanddifferentapproachesandactions. In all cases preventing re-invasion is a key activity, most ably achievedthroughimmediateandintensiverehabilitationofthelandandcontinueduse.

1.Approachesandactionsforareasoflowinfestation.

In areas where there is low infestation of Prosopis and/or it has only recentlyestablished itself, action can be taken to arrest the advances. Eradication is arealistic objective in this kind of situation. Small isolated infestations should beprioritized for action by agricultural extension agencies. Where removal of theProsopisintheseareasisnotpossibleimmediately,thenactionshouldbetakentopreventfurtherspreadoftheProsopise.g.bylivestock.

Actionpointsinclude:

• Develop and implement a nationally agreed Prosopis response plan formanagement, eradication or containment. Roles and responsibilities ofdifferent institutions and actors will be defined for each interventionincludingsuchastheprivatesector.

• Organizecollectiveandindividualphysicalremovalorcontrolactivitiesatanappropriate time and frequency (several times in the season). This shouldinclude an immediate local public awareness campaign to ensure thateveryone in the local area is aware of the dangers of Prosopis and whatactionneedstobetaken.Atcommunitylevels,actiononProsopisshouldbeincorporated into community action plans. For information on differentoptionsforremovalorcontrol,seeBox2.3above.Traininginthesedifferentapproaches and tools will be required for those involved, and a shortpracticalmanualinthelocallanguagewillbeproducedtoaidthis.

• ThePastoralDirectorate,MinistryofLivestockandFisheriesandEIARwillproduceaProsopisManagementHandbook,basedongoodpractice.Thiswillbetranslatedintolocallanguage(s)providingtechnicalguidanceonProsopismanagement for use by local government and local communities, andtraining provided. These will be disseminated to all relevant governmentdepartmentsandoffices.

• Prevent further spread of the Prosopis by fencing the areas and/orpreventing livestock entering the area and feeding on the seedpods.Seedpods should be collected from the ground immediately they fall, andwhere possible collected from the plants before they fall. If livestock have

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accessedtheareaandareknowntohavefedonthepods,thentheseanimalsshould be quarantined in an enclosed area until they have deposited theseeds in their manure, which can then be burnt. Prosopis should not betransportedfromthelocalareawithoutgovernmentpermission/permit,butratherdestroyed(e.g.burnt)onsite.

• A local community monitoring system should be set up to watch for newProsopis plants. Those responsible can either take immediate action bypullingupnewlyestablishedplantsorinformthecommunityleadersand/orgovernment (WoredaProsopisManagementCommittee if established– seebelow) so collective action can be taken.Monitoring should be an ongoingprocess,andparticularlyduringfloweringpriortodevelopmentofseedpods.Clearedareaswillneedtobemonitoredforat least10yearstoensurethatall seeds left in the soil have been destroyed, and any new seedlingsemergingareimmediatelydestroyed.

• DeployanintegratedmanagementprogramfollowedbycoordinatedcontrolonacontinuousbasisinordertokeepclearedareasfreeofProsopis.Controlalsoinvolvesensuringtheuseofproperdisposalmethodsforinvasiveplantmaterial removed andwhere appropriate the removal of the top layers ofsoilstoremoveseedbank.Themosteffectivemechanismforpreventingre-invasion is rehabilitating and using the land immediately and intensively,with any new Prosopis seedlings appearing being removed and destroyedimmediately.Rehabilitationofthelandisdiscussedfurtherbelow

2.Approachesandactionsforareaswithmoderateandhighinfestation

In areas of moderate and high infestation a more coordinated and collectiveresponse needs to be taken. Because of the scale of the problem it is likely thatindividualactionwillmakelittledifferenceanditwouldbebetterforindividualstowork together. Themain focus in these areaswill be to use integratedmeasurestargeted at substantially reducingdense infestations. Control of Prosopis requiresinitialdeploymentofanintegratedmanagementprogramfollowedbymaintenancecontrol.Maintenancecontrolinvolvesuseoftechniquesinacoordinatedmannerona continuous basis in order to maintain invasive populations at the lowestacceptablelevel.Controlalsoinvolvesensuringtheuseofproperdisposalmethodsand areas, especially with respect to invasive plant material. Control methodsshouldbe socially, culturally andethically acceptable aswell as efficient, effectiveandenvironmentally-friendly.

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Where large-scale removal of biomass is takingplace, theremaybe interest fromlocalbusinessestousethebiomassforsuchasafuelsourcee.g.incementmaking.However, it would be expected that the land is not only cleared, but alsorehabilitatedafterwards.Agreementstothiseffectcouldbemadebetweennationalorregionalgovernmentandthebusiness.Actionpointsinclude:

• Asabove,developandimplementanationallyagreedProsopisresponseplanfor management, eradication or containment. Roles and responsibilities ofdifferent institutions and actors will be defined for each interventionincludingsuchastheprivatesector.

• Organizecollectiveremovaland/orcontrolactivitiesatanappropriatetimeand frequency (several times in the season). This should include animmediate localpublicawareness campaign toensure thateveryone in thelocal area is awareof thedangersofProsopisandwhatactionneeds tobetaken.For informationondifferentoptions for removalor control, seeBox2.3above.Traininginthesedifferentapproachesandtoolswillberequiredfor those involved. At community levels, action on Prosopis should beincorporatedintocommunityactionplans.

• Prevent further spread of the Prosopis by containing it in fenced areas

and/orpreventinglivestockenteringtheareasandfeedingontheseedpods(see above), whilst preparations are made to clear the Prosopis. Prosopispodsshouldbepickedupanddestroyedorused,wheretheyhavedropped.Cut Prosopis will not be transported from the local area withoutpermission/permit,andrathershouldbedestroyed(e.g.burnt)onsite.

• A local community monitoring system should be set up to watch for new

Prosopis plants. Those responsible can either take immediate action bypulling them up or inform the community leaders and/or government(Woreda Prosopis Management Council) so collective action can be taken.Monitoringshouldbeanongoingprocess,andparticularlyduringfloweringprior todevelopmentofseedpods.Clearedareaswillneedtobemonitoredfor at least 10 years to ensure that all seeds left in the soil have beendestroyed.

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• DeployanintegratedmanagementprogramfollowedbycoordinatedcontrolonacontinuousbasisinordertokeepclearedareasfreeofProsopis.Controlalsoinvolvesensuringtheuseofproperdisposalmethodsforinvasiveplantmaterial removed andwhere appropriate the removal of the top layers ofsoilstoremoveseedbank.Themosteffectivemechanismforpreventingre-invasion is rehabilitating and using the land immediately and intensively,with any new Prosopis seedlings appearing being removed and destroyedimmediately.Rehabilitationofthelandisdiscussedfurtherbelow.

4.Restorationandrehabilitationofclearedlands

CumulativeimpactsofdirectandindirecteffectsofProsopisinvasioncanadverselyaffect ecological processes and availability of soil nutrients andwater. Therefore,rehabilitationofanareainvadedbyProsopisinvolvesrestoringanecosystemtoitspre-invasion state or to a preferred new state - wherever possible. Any actionshould be cost-effective and proportionate to the level of change, threats andopportunities,aswellas taking intoaccountanypossibleconsequences fornativespecies. It should be noted that rehabilitating the landwill be costly and requireongoinglabourandresourcedemands–sotheuseofthelandshouldtakeaccountof these investments.Where land users have secure rights of access, use and/or‘ownership’ then theyaremore likely tocommit toproviding thehigh investmentrequiredforrehabilitatingtheland.

Once restoration has taken place, the area needs to be kept clear of Prosopis re-invasion– thiswillrequireconstantsurveillance.Asnotedabove it is likely thatasignificant Prosopis seed-bank will have accumulated in the soil, which cangerminate sequentially over many seasons or years following first-rounderadication. Sustained and long-termcontrolmechanismsare required topreventthis.

Actionpointsinclude:

• The first step in restoration/rehabilitation work is an assessment of thecurrentsituation(thesoils,water,vegetationetc).Thendecisionsneedtobemade as to what the land should be used for after clearing – whether torestore it to its previous use, or to rehabilitate the land for another use.These decisions should be made with the full involvement of land users.Where possible, communities/land users should be given secure rights ofaccess/tenuretothelandtowarranttheinvestmentrequiredbythemintherehabilitation.

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• Aplanofactionshouldbedefinedbyallrelevantstakeholders,andwiththeinput of experts on restoration/rehabilitation of lands, ecology, hydrology,landuseplanningetc.Thosesitesthathavehighestecological,socialand/oreconomic values should be targeted first. The roles and responsibilities ofdifferent stakeholders should be made clear in the action plan. Therehabilitation plan should reflect and feed into local level (government orcommunity)landuseanddevelopmentplanningprocesses.

• Inrehabilitationactivitiesasmuchaspossiblenativespeciesshouldbeused.

• Developamonitoringplanthatensuresconstantsurveillanceof the landinordertopreventre-invasion.Anynewplantsthattrytoestablishthemselvesshouldberemovedimmediately.

• Grazingshouldbeminimizedforaperiodoftimeafteranycontroleffortstoencourage the growth of perennial grasses. The competition from manypasturespeciescanreduceProsopisgerminationandseedlinggrowth.

• Establishdemonstrationprojects, focusingon invadedorhighly threatenedareaswithineachregionalstatefromwhichdifferentstakeholderscanlearnandensureannualreportingbythecompetentregionalagency.

• Anyareasthathavebeenre-infestedshouldbeprioritisedforfurtheractioni.e.removalofnewplants.Clearedareaswillneedtobeinspectedregularlyfor10yearsorsotoensurethatalltheseedsfromtheseedbankhavebeendestroyed.

• Document through multimedia, written materials, successful restorationprojects/programsinvolvingrecoveryfromtheimpactsofProsopisinvasion.Promote information sharing activities among stakeholders aboutrestorationprojects.

• Carry out research on restoration/rehabilitation in order to identify whatcombination of plant species (including those that best compete withProsopis),inputs,tools,methodsetc.workbestindifferentcontexts.

5.UtilizationofProsopisThough this Strategy is concerned mainly with management and ultimately,eradication,ofProsopis,thereareopportunitiestousetheProsopisbiomassasitisremoved during rehabilitation activities. In addition, as highlighted above, due tothe scale of the problem some Prosopis stands (i.e. of those of lesser priority

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situation on lower-value lands)will have to remain for some time until after thepriorityareashavebeentackled(eradicatedandrehabilitated)first.Ifitispossibleto contain (e.g. enclose) these areas in order to prevent spread of Prosopis fromthem,thenthereistheopportunitytousethebiomasse.g.throughcoppicing.Thiscanraisebenefits forcommunities,governmentsand localbusinesses.However, itshouldbemadeclearthatatsomepointtheresourcewillbecompletelyremovedsothoseusingtheProsopisshouldnotbecomedependentonit.Inadditionstrictrulesand regulations of use will be required to prevent further spread of the plant,togetherwithclearbenefit-sharingagreements.Box2.4PotentialusesofProsopisbiomassaspartofremovalorcontainmentactivitiesProsopisbiomassgeneratedduringremovalcanbeusedforanumberofpurposes.MostProsopisinEthiopiagrowsasbushythin-trunkedshrubs,sotheiruseislimited.HowevermostusefullyProsopisbiomass (and on a large scale) can be used as a fuel source for industry e.g. cement making. AsdescribedinSection1.2,anumberofNGOshavesupportedcharcoal-makingfromProsopis–thisisalso an opportunity but needs to be carefully controlled andmonitored to ensure that it does notencourage the additionaluseof indigenous trees for charcoal. Experimentshavealsobeen carriedout (byNGOs) in the use of Prosopis pods for animal feed,which requires grinding the pods to apowderandmixingwithotheranimal feed.Problemshavearisen insourcingappropriatemills forthe grinding process andwhich can dealwith the tough andmoisture-absorbing pod fibers. Goodsuccesshasbeenachievedinacommercialcapacityhowever,withEthio-feedsinAdamaproducinganimalfeedthatcontainssomegroundProsopisseedsonacommercialbasis.

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3.0 MONITORING, INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND KNOWLEDGEMANAGEMENT3.1MonitoringMonitoringofProsopisspread,clearedandrehabilitatedlands,andanyre-invasionsis an integral part of Prosopis management and should be mainstreamed in allactivities (as above). The objectives of monitoring Prosopis controls are todetermine the change innumber, size,maturityanddensityof infestationsand toassess the presence and extent of any re-growth from treated areas or newseedlings/establishments. This can be achieved by periodic monitoring of arepresentative sample of areas before and after control. Realistic timeframes andgoalsshouldguidethismonitoring.MonitoringthespreadofProsopiswillneedtobeconstantinordertoidentifynewareasforinterventions,andinordertoassessthesuccessof interventionsalreadyunderway.Where sites have been treated or cleared and rehabilitated these willneed to be monitored for at least ten years, as seeds left in the soil may stillgerminateduringthistime.Thismonitoringshouldcommencenotlaterthanthreemonthsafterclearanceortreatment.Monitoringofbaresitescanalsobecarriedouttowatchfornewinvasions.WheredistributionandspreadofProsopisismonitored,consistentmeasurementsshouldbeusedsuchasplantsizeclassesinmeters(treeover5m,tree2-5m,shrub0.5-2m,shrublessthan0.5m,seedling).Annualreportsand periodic reviews will demonstrate what is being achieved, requirements foradditionalresources,and/oridentifyanyshortcomingsoftheprogramme.MapswillbeproducedofProsopisspreadatthenational level.Themapscanalsoshow the different treatments underway in different areas. All monitoring sitesshouldbeshownonthesemaps.Themapsshouldberegularlyupdatedtoshowanychanges.Thisinformationshouldbesharedwithregionalgovernmentsandothersin order to feed into land use planning and development processes. The mapsshouldbedigitisedinGIS,sothattheycanberegularlyupdatedandoverlaidwithotherGISmapsoftheareasconcerned.InordertoassessthesuccessoftheoverallStrategyandworkplan,monitoringofprogress(includingperformance indicators)willberequiredatdifferent levelsbythe Prosopis Management Councils (see below). Different representative sitesshould be monitored including those receiving different treatments. Thisinformationshouldbefedbackintointerventionsandprocessessothattheycanbeimproved.

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National and regional research institutes will play a role in monitoring thedistributionofProsopisandtheimpactsofinterventions.Actionpoints:

- Develop amonitoring program tomonitor further spread, reductions, andother changes in Prosopis distribution and the impact of differentinterventions.

- ProducemapsofdistributionofProsopis,interventionsandchangesastheyoccur,whichshouldbeupdatedonaregularbasis.

- Develop amonitoring program tomonitor the progress of the Strategy forProsopisManagement.

3.2 Mainstreaming of Prosopis in land use planning and developmentactivitiesProsopis isoneofmanyrangeland issues that require incorporation into landuseand development planning processes at different levels. At national level theproposed development of a National Land Use Plan provides an opportunity tointegrateProsopisandother invasivespecies into landusemanagementdecisionsacross the country. Participatory rangelandmanagement (PRM) is a process thatimproves rangelandmanagement decision-making and planning at the local levelincludingProsopismanagementaspartofthis:appropriateconsultationandbuy-infrom local stakeholders can significantly improve the intended impactof strategicaction.Whencommunitieshavegreaterfeelingsofownershipoverdecision-makingprocessesandreceivebenefits,theyaremorelikelytoinvesttimeandresourcesinProsopis activities. Though programmes such as PSNP (Productive Safety NetProject)canbeasourceof labour forProsopisactivities,suchpayment-for-labourschemesshouldbeavoidedastheyencouragedependency.In addition, government-led development projects including the Ministry ofLivestockandFisheriesresilience-focusedprojects,environmentandforest-focusedprojects of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MEFCC),PSNP, theMinistry of Federal and Pastoral Development Affairs (MOFPDA) PCDP(Pastoral Community Development Project), Ministry of Agriculture and NaturalResources SLMP (Sustainable Land Management Program) and watershedmanagementprovideopportunitiestomainstreamthemanagementandcontrolof

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Prosopisandotherinvasivespecies,aspartofintegratedlanduseanddevelopmentplanning.Actionpoint:All landuseplanninganddevelopmentprojects inpastoralareas inparticularpayattention to Prosopis, and where Prosopis IS present this Strategy should befollowedinordertocontrol,utiliseandultimatelyremoveit.3.3ProsopisandlandsecurityStrong long-term incentives to sustain Prosopis removal andmanagement do notexist – insecure tenure in pastoral areasmeans that communities are cautious toinvest time, energy and resources in Prosopis removal andmanagement.Withoutsecuretenure,income-generationschemessuchascarbonsequestrationandotherpaymentsforenvironmentalservicesaredifficult,ifnotimpossible,toimplement.Actionpoint:Secure landtenurefor localrangelandusers, includingcommunal lands, ismadeapriority inorder that communitieshavegreater incentives toprotect andmanagetheirlandsandcontrollingofProsopisinthelong-term.3.4Managementstructuresrequired,androlesandresponsibilitiesBetter coordination is fundamental if Prosopis is going to be tackled on the scalerequired. Mandates, roles and responsibilities of different institutions includingsectoral ministries, regional offices, development actors, private sector and locallandusersshouldbeagreeduponandclearlydefined.3.4.1Nationalandregional

A National Prosopis Management Council (NPMC) will be set up in order tocoordinate the process of Prosopis management. The Council will constituteministersandexecutivesofagenciesincludingkeystakeholderinstitutionssuchasMOANR,MOEF&CC,MOFPDAandEIAR, relevantCSOsandNGOs.TheCouncilwillalso have a Secretariat. The Secretariat will be the Ministry of Livestock andFisheries.TheMOLFwilldedicateresponsibilityforimplementationoftheProsopisStrategy to the Special Support and Pastoral Areas development coordinationDirectorate, which will both serve as Secretariat to the Council and coordinateactivities.

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TheNPMCwillhavewiderepresentationofstakeholdersandkeydecisionmakers.Itisanticipatedthatthesestakeholderswillhavecapacitytomobilizeresourcesandsupport;facilitateadoptionandimplementationofpolicies;championandlobbyingaction with a low operational budget; facilitate inter-agency coordination andcollaboration, policy, strategy and action-plan alignment and streamlining of theapproach. The NPMC will be replicated at regional and woreda levels. Terms ofReferencesforthesebodiesareprovidedinAnnex1.

The enhanced stakeholder involvement in the proposed overall coordinationmechanismisensuredthroughtheuseofadditionalsupportingstructuressuchasaTechnical Advisory Panel, with members drawn from diverse stakeholderinstitutions; the Special Support and Pastoral Areas development coordinationDirectorate, Rangeland Management Platform; and various working groupsoperationalizedasdeemednecessary.

ThenationalProsopisManagementPlanwillbeendorsedbytheNPMC,andwillbereviewedonanannualbasis.Thiswillincludeabudgetforitsimplementation.TheNPMCwilloverseetheprogressofthePlanbasedonregularmonitoring.RegionalandworedaPMCswillplaysimilarrolesattheirrespectivelevelsofauthorityandoversight.Effective and cooperative Prosopis management can only be achieved if allstakeholders understand the risks posed by Prosopis and the control methodsneededtostrategicallymanagetheserisks.TheSpecialSupportandPastoralAreasdevelopment coordination Directorate, and regional pastoral bureaus orcommissions will be responsible for coordinating different stakeholders anddevelopmentactivitiesacrossthecountry,andinallocatingavailableresources.TheSpecialSupportandPastoralAreasdevelopmentcoordinationDirectorate willberesponsibleforproducingacomprehensiverangeofextensionmaterials,includingaProsopisManagementHandbook(asabove),whichaimstohelpthecommunityandotherlandusersidentify,prioritizeandcontrolProsopisinamannerandwhichisconsistentwith bestmanagement practice and an enabling legal framework. TheNPMCandTechnicalAdvisoryGroupwillprovideoversight.National and regional research instituteswillbe responsible for research,pilotingdifferentapproachesandfordisseminatingresults.Theywillalsoprovideinputtomonitoring and impact assessment tools. NGOs and development agencies canassist inpublicawarenessprograms,buildingthecapacityof localcommunitiestoundertake interventions and activities, and provide resources for Prosopismanagement as part of rangeland management and development support. Civic

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organization and professional bodies can assist in raising awareness of differentstakeholders on the dangers of Prosopis, and facilitating stakeholder discussionsand planning processes. Communities will be at the frontline of activities on theground. The private sector can also play a role in activities to manage Prosopis,throughagreementswithregionalandlocalgovernments.3.4.2WoredalevelWoreda level engagement of responsible offices is essential in order to achieveProsopisclearanceandmanagementoftheclearedland.Thisshouldbecarriedoutaspartoftheworedadevelopmentplanning,withsupportfromthePSNPandothergovernmentandNGOactivities.Bydoingsotheworedashouldbeabletoleveragefundstosupporttheimplementationofactivities.Actionpoints:

- EstablishandoperationalizeaWoredaProsopisManagementCounciltocoordinateandprovideoversightofProsopismanagementatnationallevel.

- EstablishandoperationalizeregionalandworedaProsopisManagementCounciltocoordinateandprovideoversightofProsopismanagementatlocallevels.

- EstablishandoperationalizeaTechnicalAdvisoryPaneltoprovidetechnicalsupporttotheimplementationoftheStrategy.

3.4.3Trans-boundarydimensionsProsopishas trans-boundarydimensions.Themovementof livestockhasarole toplay in this spread, though this movement cannot be prevented as it is a keylivelihood strategy in order to accessmarkets andnecessary to avoid famine andenvironmentaldisasterinthesedrylandareas.Acontrolmechanismcanbeputinplace to restrict the spread of Prosopis seeds by livestock. This could include theestablishmentofquarantineareaswherelivestockcanbeheldfor10daysorsotoensure thatseedshavepassed throughbeforemovementandasystemofpermitsstatingwherethelivestockhavecomefromandwheretheyarepermittedtogo.Asystemtofacilitate,butbettercontrolcross-bordermovementacrosstheregioncanbe coordinated by IGAD (Inter-Governmental Authority for Development). Thenational governmentwill workwith IGAD to identify how bestmovement acrossinternational borders can be facilitated, supported and controlled in order to

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optimise livestock production and marketing, whilst also preventing the furtherspreadofProsopis.Actionpoints:- Develop mechanisms to control Prosopis spread across regional and nationalboundaries.3.5LegalactivitiesandpenaltiesA legal framework is required to enforce controls on Prosopis access and use.Legislation will be developed in this regard, including permits for use andmovement of animals outside regular (normal) grazing areas.Woreda and kebelelevel regulatory systems need to be strengthened to implement the regulatoryactivities to prevent operations that may contribute to Prosopis spread and beprovidedauthority to giveout fines foroffenders. Arrangementswill bemade tofacilitateagreementswithsuchaslocalbusinessestouseProsopisbiomassaspartofremovalactivities.Actionpoints:-DevelopalegalframeworkforenforcingcontrolsonProsopis,includingprovidingworedaandkebelewithsufficientauthorityandguidance toenforce legislationatthelocallevel.3.6KnowledgemanagementInformation on the distribution, abundance, rates of spread, and impacts of invasion arecriticaltotheircontrol.Up-to-dateinformationisrequiredonthespreadofProsopis,itsstatusandinterventionsundertakentocontrolit.Dedicatedinstitutionsneedtobe created and motivated in order to coordinate action, harmonise approaches,share information and monitor spread, removal and rehabilitation. National andlocalregionalorganisationscanplayakeyroleinthis.Coordinationofdata collection is required, and strengtheningofdata-holdingandsharingmechanisms.Nationalandregionalgovernmentswillleadthiscoordination,with theoversightof thePMCs.RegularupdatedProsopisdata is fundamental forplanning,prioritizingandcoordinationmanagementactivities.InformationwillalsoneedtobesharedwiththeRapidResponseteam.

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Actionpoints:- Knowledgemanagementsystemsthatcanbeupdatedonaregularbasisneed

to be developed to share information onProsopis, and its distribution andmanagement.

3.7ResourcesrequiredEradication of established populations of Prosopis requires significant resourcesand years of committed action to accomplish. Resources are required to supportthese recommendations including for filling information gaps through research,bringingrelevantactorstogether,financinginterventions,andsoon.Todatelimitedresources have been committed or made available by national or regionalgovernments.AcertaindegreeoffundingcanbeacquiredbyutilisingtheProsopisbiomassasitisremoved–theprivatesectorcanplayaroleinthis,butmechanismsshouldbeinplacetoensurethatatleastpartofthisincomeisreturnedintocontrolandrehabilitationmeasures(seeabove).Government resources need to be allocated to the eradication and/or control ofProsopis at national and regional levels. The Special Support and Pastoral Areasdevelopment coordination Directorate,and regional governments with support fromthe PMCs, will develop proposals for funding from donors. GovernmentdepartmentsshouldincludeactivitiestocontrolProsopisandotherinvasiveswithintheir yearly budget planning. Regulations should be put in place to ensure that apercentageofmoneyraisedfromthesaleofremovedProsopisbiomassisusedforfurthercontrolandrehabilitationmeasures.ResourcescanalsobecontributedbyNGOs working on rangeland management and other related activities with localcommunities.ItisalsoanticipatedthatcommunitiesthemselveswillalsobewillingtoinvesttimeandresourcesinProsopismanagement.

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REFERENCES

Alemayehu,L.A.Yadesse,A.Ta’a.D.NigussieandA.Negassa(Date2010)ImpactofAcaciadrepanolobiumandProsopisjuliflorainvasiononwoodyspeciescompositionintheBorenaandAfarrangelands.EIARandOARI,AddisAbaba.

EIAR(2010a)ANationalCommunicationStrategyforInvasivePlantManagementinEthiopia.ReportsubmittedtoCABIundertheUNEP/GEFProject:RemovingBarrierstoInvasivePlantManagementinAfrica.

EIAR(2010b)NationalInvasiveAlienSpeciesPolicy,StrategyandActionPlanforEthiopia.AddisAbaba.

Getachew,S.,S.DemissewandT.Woldemariam(2012)“AllelopathiceffectsoftheinvasiveProsopisjuliflora(Sw.)DC.OnselectednativeplantspeciesinMiddleAwash,SouthernAfarRiftofEthiopia”ManagementofBiologicalInvasions,Vol.3,Issue2.

Haji,J.andA.Mohammed(2013)“EconomicimpactofProsopisjulifloraonagropastoralhouseholdsofDireDawaAdministration,Ethiopia”AfricanJournalofAgriculturalResearchVol.8(9).

Lowe,S.,M.Browne,andS.Boudjelas(2000)100oftheWorld’sMostInvasiveAlienSpecies.ASelectionfromtheGlobalInvasiveSpeciesDatabase.InvasiveSpeciesSpecialistGroup(ISSG)oftheWorldConservationUnion(IUCN),Switzerland.

Haregeweyn,N.,A.Tsunekawa,M.Tsubo,D.MesheshaandA.Melkie(2013)“Analysisoftheinvasionrate,impactsandcontrolmeasuresofProsopisjuliflora:AcasestudyofAmibaraDistrict,EasternEthiopia”EnvironmentalMonitoringAssessment,Vol185.

Tilahun,S.andA.Asfaw(2012)“ModelingtheExpansionofProsopisjulifloraandDeterminingitsOptimumUtilizationRatetoControlitsInvasioninAfarRegionalStateofEthiopia”InternationalJournalofAppliedMathematicalResearch,Vol.1(4).

Wakie,T.,P.Evangelista,C.JarnevichandM.Laituri(2014)“MappingCurrentandPotentialDistributionofNon-NativeProsopisjulifloraintheAfarRegionofEthiopia”PLOSOne,Vol.9,Issue11.

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Annex1TORoftheNationalProsopisManagementCouncil(NPMC)

TheMinistry of Livestock andFisherieswill be the chair of theNational ProsopisManagement Council, including EIAR, Institute of Biodiversity, Ministry ofEnvironment, Forests and Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture and NaturalResources,, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Defense, Ministry ofFederal andPastoralDevelopmentAffairs, and representatives fromdevelopmentpartners,researchorganisationsandcivilsocietywillbemembersoftheCouncil.

TheCouncilwill:

• Provide guidance and oversight to the implementation of the NationalProsopisManagementStrategy;

• Coordinate and provide leadership for the implementation of the NationalProsopisManagementplan.

• Ensure that all concerned parties plan and execute the National ProsopisManagementStrategyandactionplan.

• Review and develop laws, guidelines, Prosopismanagement practices, andspecificmanagementmeasuresasrecommendedby thescientificTechnicalAdvisoryGroup.

• Mobilize resources and ensure that adequate budget is earmarked bygovernmentandpartnersforthemanagementofProsopis;

• Promoteandchampiontheprevention,controlandmanagementofProsopisinEthiopiaandintheregion;

• Create incentive and disincentive mechanisms for effective and efficientprevention,controlandmanagementofProsopis;

• FosterinternationalcooperationinnationalProsopismanagement;• Create as necessary, subsidiary bodies dealing with particular issues of

Prosopismanagement;• Periodically review the Prosopis Management Strategy and action plan to

respondtoemergingissues.

TORofRegionalProsopisManagementCouncils(RPMCs)

At regional level theVicePresidentof the regionwillbe the chairof theRegionalProsopisManagementCouncils,withrelevantbureauorcommissionofpastoralandagriculture will be the secretary, and regional research centers, regional landenvironmentalagencies,regionalpoliceandsecurityandjusticebureausandotherswillbemembers.

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TheCouncilwill:

• Provide guidance and oversight to the implementation of the ProsopisManagementStrategywithintheregions;

• Coordinate and provide leadership for the implementation of the ProsopisManagementactionplanwithintheregions;

• Ensure that all concerned parties plan and execute Prosopis managementrelated tasks for which they are particularly responsible and devise amechanism for monitoring and evaluation of the activities of concernedstakeholders;

• Reviewandapproveregionallaws,guidelines,Prosopismanagement,andforspecific management measure as recommended by the regional scientificadvisorygroup

• Mobilize resource and ensures that adequate budget is earmarked bygovernmentandpartnersforthemanagementofProsopismanagementandcontrolwithintheregion;

• Promoteandchampiontheprevention,controlandmanagementofProsopiswithinregion;

• Create incentive and disincentive mechanisms for effective and efficientprevention,controlandmanagementofProsopiswithintheregion;

• FosterinterregionalcooperationinProsopispreventionandmanagement;• Createasnecessary, subsidiarybodiesdealingwithespecially issuesof IAS

withintheregion;• PeriodicallyreviewregionalProsopismanagementactionplantorespondto

emergingissueswithintheregion;

TORofWoredaProsopisManagementCouncil(WPMC)

AtworedaleveltheworedaAdministratorwillbethechairoftheWoredaProsopisManagement Council, the relevant office of pastoral and agriculture will be thesecretary, and members will include research centers, offices of land and/orenvironment, woreda police and/or security and justice offices and others asappropriate.

TheCouncilwill:

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• Coordinate and provide leadership for the implementation of Prosopismanagementprogramandprojectsintheworeda;

• Ensure that all concerned woreda parties plan and execute Prosopismanagement-relatedtaskforwhichtheyareparticularlyresponsible;

• Ensurethatlaws,guidelines,Prosopismanagementpractices,andspecieslistforspecificmanagementmeasurearerespectedintheworeda;

• Ensurethatadequatebudget isearmarkedbygovernmentandpartners forthemanagementofProsopisintheworeda;

• PromoteandchampionthepreventionandmanagementofProsopiswithintheworeda;

• ImplementincentiveanddisincentivemechanismsforeffectiveandefficientpreventionandmanagementofProsopis;

• Create as necessary, special taskforce dealing with particular issues ofProsopismanagement;

• Periodically review the Prosopis management action plan implementationwithintheworeda.

TORforKebele/CommunitylevelProsopisManagementCouncil(K&CPMC)

At kebele level the kebele Administrator or community leader will be thechairperson of the Kebele/Community level Prosopis Management Council, thekebele development agent will be secretary, and members could include thedirector of the school and teachers, community and religious leaders, leaders ofrangelandmanagementcommitteesorinstitutions,andothersasappropriate.

TheCouncilwill:

• Coordinate and provide leadership for the implementation of Prosopismanagementprogramandprojectsinthekebele;

• Ensure that all concerned kebele parties plan and execute Prosopismanagement-relatedtask(s)forwhichtheyareparticularlyresponsible;

• Ensurethatlaws,guidelines,Prosopismanagementpractices,andspecieslistfor specific management measure are respected in the villages andsurroundings;

• Ensurethatadequatebudget isearmarkedbygovernmentandpartners forthemanagementofProsopisinthekebele;

• PromoteandchampionthepreventionandmanagementofProsopiswithinthekebele;

• ImplementincentiveanddisincentivemechanismsforeffectiveandefficientpreventionandmanagementofProsopis;

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• Create as necessary, special taskforce dealing with especially issues ofProsopismanagementatcommunitylevel.

TORoftheNationalScientificandTechnicalAdvisoryGroup(NSTAG)

NSTAGisabodytobecreatedbytheFederalCouncil.Itiscomposedoftechnicalexpertsrepresentedfromthecouncilmemberagencies,research,academiaandcivilsociety.ThemajorfunctionoftheNSTAGincludes:

1. ProvidetechnicalandscientificsupporttotheFederalCouncil;2. Review and recommend draft policy, laws, guidelines and management

practicesthatmaybeadoptedfortheenhancedpreventionandmanagementofProsopisinEthiopia;

3. Assessandrecommenddecisionon importationand/or introductionofanyspeciesintoanyecosystem;

4. ReviewandrecommendmanagementpracticesthatmaybeadoptedforthepreventionandmanagementofspecificorlistofProsopisinEthiopia;

5. Recommends indigenous and/or exotic species that may be used forrehabilitationpurposes;

6. Assess the effectiveness of the Prosopis management strategy and actionplanandrecommendsamendmentsandupdates;

7. Annuallyreviewtheparticipatingsectoralagencies’Prosopisrelatedactionplans implementation progress and recommend follow-up actions to theFederalCouncil;

8. ProposeresourcemobilizationstrategyforfundingofProsopismanagement;9. ReviewandvalidateIASrelatedresearchresult;10. StudyandproposemechanismforcoordinationofProsopisrelatedactivities

withinthecountryandonregionalcooperation;11. AdvisetheFederalCouncilonanyemergingProsopisinvasionrelatedrisks.

TORoftheFederalProsopisManagementCouncilSecretariat(FPMC)

TheFederalProsopisManagementSecretariatwillbeestablishedintheMOLFasadedicatedunitonProsopismanagement.Theunitshall,amongothers,performthefollowing:

1. CoordinatethenationalProsopisManagementStrategyimplementation2. Follow-upandimplementthedecisionsmadebythecouncil;3. Consult with the Prosopis Management Scientific and Technical Advisory

Group and draft/review Prosopis management action plan, guidelines andpresentforFederalCouncilapproval;

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4. PlanandexecuteProsopismanagementrelatedtasksoftheMOLF;5. Mobilize resources for the management of Prosopis control and

management;6. Support regional governments and other partners for effective

implementationofProsopismanagementstrategyandactionplans;7. Coordinate national Prosopis management prevention and management

throughtheCouncil.