Insect Infestation Ravages North African Prickly Pear
Amor Nouira, a farmer in Tunisia’s Chebika village, has lost hope of saving his prickly pear cacti, which have been ravaged by the cochineal insect spreading across North Africa. The invasive insect has wreaked havoc on about a third of the country’s cacti after an outbreak in 2021, causing significant economic losses for many farmers who rely on the plant for their livelihood.
Prickly pear is consumed as food and used to make oils, cosmetics, and body-care products. In Tunisia, where about 150,000 families make a living from cultivating Opuntia, the fruit is widely consumed as a summertime snack. The North African country is the world’s second-largest producer of prickly pear after Mexico, with about 600,000 hectares of crops and a yield of about 550,000 tonnes per year.
Authorities in Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria are struggling to combat the epidemic, with efforts including burning and uprooting infected crops, experimenting with various chemicals, and introducing cochineal-resistant Opuntia varieties. In Morocco, farmers have started raising the Hyperaspis trifurcata ladybird, which preys on cochineal, as a natural solution to the infestation.
Experts believe that climate change, with increasing drought and high temperatures in the region, has facilitated the spread of the cochineal infestation. The slow administrative response during the initial outbreaks in Tunisia hindered efforts to control the spread of the insect. The issue could potentially escalate to social unrest if it reaches marginalized areas where Opuntia is a crucial source of livelihood.
Efforts are being made to combat the cochineal infestation, including raising ladybirds and introducing resistant Opuntia varieties, but the battle against this invasive insect continues in North Africa.
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