The Suppression of Noxious Weeds Act 2012 vests removal or destruction of invasive weeds in the hands of County Government through CECM in charge of agriculture @CECM Agriculture Kokoth Sylvester and/or environment @Jacklin Oduol CECM Water.
According to Migratory and Invasive Pests and Weeds Management Strategy 2022 – 2027, the CECM is to provide leadership on matters concerning migratory and
invasive pests and weeds.
Cuscuta spp also known as Japanese Dodder is a parasitic invasive weed which is potentially threatening the survival of crops and biodiversity in Siaya County. The weed is now found on a wide variety of hosts in crops in farms, bushy and waste places and forests virtually decimating them. It’s very common to find it ravaging people’s live fences. It is vital that the County Government of Siaya mobilizes policymakers, particularly MCAs, Researchers and donors, to manage the weed among others. But as it stands, the County government of Siaya is yet to commit to help in managing the spread of Cuscuta.
Also known scientifically as “DODDER CUSCUTA REFLEXA” or in short “CUSCUTA” (a parasitic plant) is an environmental disaster in Bondo sub-county and spreading fast in Siaya County. It is a parasitic invasive creeper, scavenging, strangles, totally weighing down & suffocating other plant-life and trees to death. The environment is an eye sore of decay.
As our environment continues to degrade, species of animals and plants mutate and change behavior to adapt and survive and this can result in uncontrolled growth and destruction of species like in the case of the dodder weed. The dodder weed has parasitic tendencies and attacks its hosts (trees and plants) by sinking suckers in the host plant and sucks the life out of the plant. This weed seeds and infested plant material is also transported soil to distant vegetation aided by migrating birds, animals, human activity and wind.
The Japanese dodder weed is the most destructive of the class of the dodder and has been spreading fast Bondo and it’s neighbourhood killing trees in our forests, making its way to our farms and homes. If left unattended the destruction to our forests and farms could be catastrophic reversing gains made in restoring tree cover or affecting our food basket.
We are are all watching this disaster pervading this region & doing nothing about this parasite. Once CUSCUTA parasitic plant kills all the trees in our environment & water towers will be gone. Can we wake up to fight this scourge! A dead environment with dead trees results in no food, no water and results in poverty. Let’s wake up to this reality. Our media and leaders focus on trivial politics and not on real issues affecting people lives, you get or see nothing on CUSCUTA.
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