Why Kenyan Farmers are Harvesting Prickly Pear Cactuses

Watch how rural communities in Kenya are turning invasive cactuses into usable products such as juice and soap.
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The Opuntia cactus, also known as the prickly pear cactus that is native to the Americas,
is depleting soil and water resources and reducing grazing area. As it does so, it’s ruining livelihoods in Kenya’s rural communities. The cactus’ needle-like spines injure livestock, and scratch cars as it spreads. It crowds out local plant life, and it has been linked to less livestock yield and increased costs for farmers.
To fix this, some are harvesting the cactus on a wide scale and asking youth to do the same. Pulp from the cacti fruit can be made into products including juice and lotions and the seeds can be pressed into oils for soap. The leftover leaves are put into a biodigester, which produces biogas that communities can use for heating and cooking.
To reduce the number of cacti, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) teamed up with scientists and local government to release an insect species that feeds solely on the cactus. NEMA hopes the sap-sucking cochineal bugs, which only feed on the cactus, will help control the spread of the invasive plant
#Kenya #Cactus #Juice #Soap #Earth #Environment #Science #NowThis
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