The plant was first sighted on Kenya’s popular Lake Naivasha about 10 years ago. Now, it has become a large, glossy mat that can cover swathes of the lake. To fishermen, the invasive plant is a threat to livelihoods. But a local company is working with local fishermen to collect water hyacinth and turn it into biodegradable packaging. But experts say scaling up such work will be a challenge.
How the invasive water hyacinth is threatening fishermen’s livelihoods on a popular Kenyan lake
The plant was first sighted on Kenya’s popular Lake Naivasha about 10 years ago. Now, it has become a large, glossy mat that can cover swathes of the lake. To fishermen, the invasive plant is a threat to livelihoods. But a local company is working with local fishermen to collect water hyacinth and turn it into biodegradable packaging. But experts say scaling up such work will be a challenge.