Prosperity Projects as Invasive Species

In northern Kenya, NGOs planted Prosopis juliflora to fight famine-era shortages of fuelwood and fodder. Decades later, the shrub chokes farms and rangeland, harms people and livestock, and crowds out native flora. Crisis-justified interventions can become ecological and social lock-ins that outlive their benefits. — This cautions that development and climate‑adaptation programs need iatrogenics-aware design—small trials, reversibility, and clear sunset/exit rules—to avoid creating persistent harms.