- Title
- Laypersons’ perceptions and livelihood uses of invasive alien species (Opuntia ficus-indica) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Creator
- Mdweshu, Luleka
- Subject
- Opuntia ficus-indica
- Date
- 2020
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MSc (Botany)
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18720
- Identifier
- vital:42727
- Description
- Opuntia ficus-indica is a succulent plant species that originated from Mexico and parts of neighbouring middle-America and introduced in South Africa by white settlers in the eighteenth century. The species is now categorized as invasive in South Africa but has both commercial and non-market uses. This study evaluated the livelihood uses and local perceptions of O. ficus-indica of rural residents in Makana, Ngqushwa and Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipalities in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa. Data on the livelihood uses and local perceptions on the species in the study area were gathered through community focus group discussions and household surveys using semi-structured questionnaires between June 2018 and August 2019. A sample of 150 participants selected via snowball-sampling technique provided detailed accounts on utilization of O. ficus-indica in the study area. The importance of O. ficus-indica as a useful plant species was ubiquitously perceived, with all respondents reporting its contribution towards their livelihood needs and more than three quarters (88.0%) using the species on a regular basis. Majority of the respondents (41.0%) regarded O. ficus-indica as an important source of cash income while about a third (33.0%) regarded the species as an important source of food products and nutrition. Interviews with respondents revealed that O. ficusindica is currently being harvested from the wild with 73.3% of the respondents reporting that the abundance of the species was decreasing. The positive socioeconomic contributions of O. ficus-indica need to be taken into account when assessing the costs resulting from invasions caused by alien plant species. This study is a crucial starting point in trying to understand and initiate the management of alien invasive species such as O. ficus-indica. Results of this study are also important for understanding local peoples’ perceptions of new introductions and management of existing alien plants in the province.
- Format
- 136 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- University of Fort Hare
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science and Agriculture
- Language
- English
- Rights
- University of Fort Hare
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UFH Department of Botany
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details | SOURCE1 | Mdweshu_201415459_Botany.pdf | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details |