Human, wildlife conflict on the rise in Mangochi

Farmers in group village head Kadewere in Traditional Authority Chowe in Mangochi are being threatened by elephants and hippos which stray from Liwonde National Park.

The elephants are said to be destroying crops and putting people’s lives in danger.

One of the farmers, Zainab Umali, a multiplier of sweet potato vines, said men are now spending nights in make-shift huts in the fields to protect the crops from hippos and elephants.

“We do not sleep at night because we have to scare the animals away,” Zainab told journalists on a tour to the site organised by Catholic Relief Services under the Strengthening Agricultural and Nutrition Extension project funded by United States Agency for International Development (USaid).

African Parks, a firm that manages and operate Liwonde National Park, erected a fence around the wildlife reserve to contain the animals inside.

However, the elephants at times break through the fence searching for food in the fields.

Since Elephants are protected by law, the only thing farmers can do is to scare them away, but not kill.

Maiwa Extension Planning Area agriculture extension development coordinator Anaclet Kaputeni said they have received reports of wild game destroying crops in the area.

He said they have sought intervention of Department of Parks and Wildlife at Mangochi.

Among other activities, the farmers are engaged in the multiplication of sweet potato vines at Kadewere Irrigation Scheme.