14 Jan 2021

Some farmers from Polokabatho in the outskirts of Maun have called on government to come up with a permanent solution to issues of wildlife/human conflict.

Farmers stated that they had suffered for a long time as they were not benefiting from their fields and rearing of livestock, as wild animals destroyed their farm lands and killed their cattle and small stock.

They aired their views during a meet and greet session with the area MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile recently, stating that wildlife had taken their space.

Farmers argued that every year they made efforts to utilise their fields and ensure food security, but that elephants breached the buffalo fence into their ploughing fields to destroy their crops.

They revealed that the situation was worsened by officers of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) who did not respond to reports on time resulting in delayed compensation. Some said they reported damages for last year, but to date nothing had happened as officers always claimed lack of resources such as transport.

Ms Bonno Fela concurred that the destruction caused by elephants was too much to bear and called on government to urgently address the matter.

Mr Romeo Segwai complained that hyenas were terrorising their livestock, which were not compensated. Agriculture, he said, was the livelihood of rural communities and that it was unfortunate that wild animals continued to frustrate their efforts.

He also complained that some tractor owners were reaping farmers off their hard earned cash as they charged them money for diesel before they ploughed for them.

Farmers, he said, did pay with the hope that they would be refunded, but that was not the case.

Responding, Mr Kekgonegile urged farmers to exercise patience as the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism had promised to come up with interventions to reduce the impact of human/wildlife conflict.

Some of the interventions, he said, would be implemented beginning of April.

Mr Kekgonegile also advised farmers to consider cluster fencing to help deter elephants from damaging their crops, adding that they could be assisted just like farmers in Pandamatenga.

He said farmers could also benefit from electricity connectivity, roads improvement and water reticulation among others. ENDS