Impacts of typha grass infestation on the livelihood of farmers living around Nguru Lake, Nigeria

Typha grass invasion has colonized most irrigated lands, channels and reservoirs for agricultural practices around Nguru Lake. Over 80% of water distributary channels and 35,000 hectares of farmland have been colonized by Typha, leading to reduced crop yields (e.g., maize and rice), declining fishing yield(from 8% to 0.8% of national inland fish sales), and loss of grazing land. This study investigates the ecological and socio-economic impacts of invasive cattails (Typha spp.) around Nguru Lake, Jigawa and Yobe state Nigeria. Open-ended questionnaire instruments were adopted in this study. Biological control agents like Phragmites karka, grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), and cattail borers (Bellura oblique) demonstrated efficacy, reducing Typha proliferation by 25–54%. Manual and chemical methods were commonly used but deemed labor-intensive or costly by local communities.