Invasive plant species threatens smallholder farming in Bikita

Smallholder farmers in Bikita are battling to eradicate lantana camara, an invasive plant species that has destroyed large grazing and farming lands. Photo: Environment Management Trust/PELUM Zimbabwe Member

Manyangadze Tari (41) is one of the smallholder farmers working to eliminate lantana camara. Manyangadze says the lantana camara has to be destroyed before it takes over the whole area.

”Lantana camara destabilizes the ecosystem, leads to poor grazing conditions, causes skin cancer, and destroys soil nutrients,” says Manyangadze.

“Lantana has destroyed species within the ecosystem. We no longer have adequate herbal medicines from the forest. Trees such as snuggle-leaf (nhanzva), stud plant (ruvedzo), hissing tree (muhacha) and bloodwood (mubvovorapoto) have disappeared. We no longer have adequate grass to feed the cattle. Lantana camara competes with other tree species and conquers them, poisoning them and weakening the soil leading to bare ground that is easily eroded. It also destroys our livestock and causes rivers to dry if it grows near water sources,” says Manyangadze.

Manyangadze says one of the local farmers, Winflida Mabvundwi had skills in removing lantana camara and was now teaching other farmers. Manyangadze adds that the process of removing lantana camara is labour intensive.

“We use hoes, axes, shovels to remove lantana camara. We started removing the invasive species in 2019. We are working on 54 hectares and so far we have covered 2.5 hectares,” says Manyangadze. Tari adds that lantana camara has destroyed the natural ecosystem in his community.

Never Mujere (50) is the Director at Environment Management Trust. He says lantana camara has led to loss of bees, a critical component in plant reproduction. Never also says large native trees are now few because of the invasive lantana camara.

“Lantana forms a dense thicket. It releases chemicals into the soil to prevent seed germination, of the native flora. In the long term it eventually takes over native bushland. Lantana is toxic and it is also poisonous when ingested by grazing animals such as sheep, goats, rabbits, donkeys and horses. The leaves are poisonous to animals feeding on it causing skin cancer, stunted growth, liver damage, death and allergies. Where lantana camara dominates, very few plants will emerge or grow as it invades the surrounding plant species,” says Never