Many a time farmers and livestock owners do have problem regarding the encroachment of their animals on peoples’ farms.
It is very sad that after strenuously cultivating hectares of farmland for months one has to lose everything because of the recklessness of cattle owners.
This is unacceptable and no God-fearing individual would like to be associated with such practices.
As the rainy season approaches, we are calling on the local authorities, especially chiefs and governors to play a vital role in advising cattle owners to control their animals.
In the same vein, we advise farmers not to cultivate designated areas for passage of animals.
Farming in The Gambia is very painful, and as such one should not allow animals to destroy people’s farms.
Animal owners must endeavour to control their animals at all cost. And if one has too many animals to control, he or she should be advised to reduce them from being concentrated at one locality.
Animals cannot be left alone to move about freely during farming season, thus destroying peoples’ farms.
We are calling on the Ministry of Agriculture to look into this problem with seriousness and urge the President who is not equally compromising with farming to personally intervene in this matter. We dear say that, because it is becoming a serious cause for concern.
While we do agree that both the livestock owners and farmers need to survive, also one’s survival should not stop another from surviving.
