**10. Effects of** *Prosopis juliflora* **on grazing lands**

In animal-rearing areas of lowlands, pressures on environment caused living incomes make dynamics, which improved demands and concentrated supplies of natural resources owing to the upswing of population. Widespread rearing of livestock and crusade in search for feed and water, resource use for charcoal production and construction materials, and shortage of institutional capacity levied influences on present natural resources particularly on woodland vegetation. These caused devastation and deprivation of the vegetation resources in the invaded areas [95]. As a result, the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of *P. juliflora* on grazing lands became severe [13]. *P. juliflora* is the source of income for the poor, but has damaging effects for pastoralists and rich people by slaying their animals and attacking their rangelands [82].

## **11.** *Prosopis juliflora* **versus social conflict and political instability**

Reports show that invasion of *P. juliflora* might lead to serious food insecurity and might even trigger tribal conflicts for the remaining few pastures and farmlands [13, 19]. This resulted in the taken over of grazing lands by the *P. juliflora* aggravated by climate change and has been caused border conflicts and political instability, for example, between Afar clan and *Issa* of Somali on the border of the two regions. The combination of diminishing grazing areas and population growth both human and animal has contributed to land degradation, competition for pasture and water, and interethnic and intra-ethnic conflict. These factors have favored the invasion of *P. juliflora* in the invasion region [96]. Furthermore, Rogers et al. [97] reported that impacts of *P. juliflora* interact with other drivers of vulnerability. Pastoralists report had broadened conflict, complicated relationships with the state, and increased decentralization within invaded areas of southern Afar of Ethiopia. In Kenya, some individuals, from Chemonke village, claimed to have been displaced from their original settlements by *P. juliflora*. They had to seek alternative settlements elsewhere sometimes imposed them to lease land for cultivation in their new areas. Conflicts might rise as the displaced areas, which seek alternative settlements [24]. A report by FAO [57] further pointed out that invasion of *P. juliflora*, climate, conflict, and economic shocks were among the causes of political instability and the main drivers of food insecurity in Somalia in East Africa.

### **12. Deterioration of urban amenity by** *Prosopis juliflora*

*P. juliflora* in its native range in Mexico is described as an urban afforestation program that would mitigate air pollution by planting with other native species [98]. But it deteriorates ecosystems in its exotic land ranges in tropics such as Asia and Africa. *P. juliflora* is an aggressive invader of urban fallows and abandoned fields that deteriorate its beauty [99]. Pasiecznik et al. [43] pointed out that *P. juliflora* does not fulfill all the qualities required for urban trees. It disrupts urban amenities in towns (**Figure 1**).

*Effects of the Invasive Alien* Prosopis juliflora *(Sw.) DC and Its Management Options… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108947*

**Figure 1.** P. juliflora *disrupts urban beauty in Melka Sedi (left) and Awash Sebat (right), Southern Afar region in Northeast Ethiopia.*
