Cattails grass locally known as ‘Kachalla’ is taking over banks and farmlands around the Hadejia-Komadugu-Yobe wetlands in northern Nigeria’s Jigawa state. It prevents fishermen from fishing in the river and destroying the farming as well. Jigawa state environment commissioner Yusuf Mato opined that the problem of cattails has crippled the economic activities and threatening the livelihoods of the farmers and fishermen of the state as fishing and farming are only two sources of wealth and employment in the area.
The scientific name of this species is Typha australis and it has an entangled roots system that spreads rapidly, blocking river canals and taking over farmland. The worst affected areas are districts of Birniwa, Guri, Kirikasamma, Auyo and Hadejia. Sule Lamido, Jgawa State Governor, said that it is quite a disaster. According to agricultural researcher Umar Hassan Birniwa the spread of cattails was rapid when it was first noticed in the state after the construction of dams and barrages in 1972.
The Hadejia River is particularly rich in fish but grass makes fish much harder to catch. Muazu Salmanu, a 56 years old fisherman, told that the previously he used to catch 30 kilos of fish but now he hardly make a catch worth six kilos. The grass blocks some waterways so completely that during the rainy season it causes flooding of surrounding villages and crop fields. This then allows the grass to spread inland.
Mato informed that controlling the grass would cost US$6 million, money it is now seeking to borrow from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). But Jibrin, the botanist at Bayero University, said ythe money is not enough to get rid off the grass easily. He said that there should be research and analysis needed to determine the best control strategy, which will take at least four months. He also added that the easiest way to contain it is with chemical applications but this has the disadvantage of killing fauna.
