Mimosa pigra, an alien woody weed, invaded
the Mekong River Basin since *1970 and now covers vast
floodplain areas in virtual monocultures. The prickly plants
produce abundant seeds which are dispersed annually by
the floods. Mimosa thus represents a burden to farming
communities in Cambodia where agricultural capacities are
weak. To obtain information on infestations as well as
farmers’ management practices and perceptions, 81 farmers
were interviewed on their fields (using questionnaires)
in affected areas near Kratie municipality. Data on infestations
were collected at landscape and field levels. Furthermore,
villagers’ groups and key informants were
interviewed (open questions). Infestations covered *30 %
of the land near fields. On average, farmers spent 11 days
per hectare annually clearing mimosa. The weed represented
a major cost, but other issues (animal pests, water
shortages, lack of resources) were equally important; these
may be connected with mimosa invasion. Farmers mostly
expressed support for ideas to combat surrounding infestations,
but support depended on experiences and assets at
stake. Most were unconvinced that mimosa could be
eliminated from the study site. Conceivable benefits of
mimosa were regarded as insignificant. Given the currently
few realistic options for significantly improving management,
further research is suggested within adaptive management
frameworks.