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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Farmers at Khwalu Irrigation Scheme in ward 11 of Beitbridge district are counting their losses after a herd of elephants destroyed their maize crop on Tuesday evening.
According to the AGRITEX’s Beitbridge district head, Mr Masauso Mawocha the jumbos strayed into the irrigation project which is under revival and destroyed three hectares of maize.
He said the a team from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority had been dispatched to the ground to find ways of containing the problem animals.
“They had planted three hectares and now they are only remaining with 0.4 hectares owing to the destruction caused by the elephants.
“(ZimParks) rangers organised by the rural district council are on the ground and we await the updates. In terms of losses, they lost an estimated 15.6 tonnes based on the expected yield of 6 tonnes per hectare,” he said.
ZimParks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said the elephants were scared off the irrigation project by a local safari operator.
He said it was unfortunate that by the time the safari operator reacted, the jumbos had caused a lot of damage on the crop.
Mr Farawo said they were working hard to minimise issues of human and wildlife conflict.
“These are the issues we always say, it’s not only lives which are lost when it comes to human and wildlife conflict. We are also talking of crops and livestock, including cattle and goats.
“It means livelihoods are being lost and you will note that naturally when people grow crops, they want food out of it. So it’s a livelihood which has been lost and this is very unfortunate,” he said.
The incident occurs a few months after a six-year-old boy from Chituripasi and a 58-year-old woman from Lukange area under Beitbridge East constituency were attacked and killed by elephants.
Elephants have become a perennial menace in areas along the borders with Botswana (in the west) and South Africa (in the east) where they trample on people or destroy irrigation schemes and crops.
Online Reporter