Thursday, January 12, 2006

Selling the Sandanezwe

Faced with the high cost of herbicides and mechanical equipment used to remove infestations of the invasive sandanezwe (Chromolaena odorata, Siam weed), Swaziland's Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives has proposed that the money instead be spent to pay people who collect it, according to this report from The Swazi Observer. Citing a general lack of community interest in removing the weed, the Minister recommended that the government jump into a management program by paying people for every tonne of the plant they turn in. The ISW previously reported about the problems South Africa and Australia are having with the same species.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is an excellent incentive for people to plant and propagate the weed, it will certainly not get rid of it. People are not stupid, if you make something which is very easy to grow profitable, they will make sure they profit from it as long as possible. Historically, bounty system have never worked.