The
rice growers of Kundang in the Central River Region (CRR) have complained about
the massive invasion and destruction of their rice fields by bush pigs and
hippopotamus.
The
victims of community met the minister of Agriculture, Amie Fabureh, in CRR as
she handed over farming implements to beneficiary villages in CRR south, in
which they lodged this complaint.
The rice growers made it known to the minister
that they depend mainly on rice cultivation for their survival, saying it was
very disheartening that after all the hard labour that they underwent,
intruding animals like pigs and hippopotami would come and destroy everything
over night.
“We
want the government to intervene and ensure that mechanism is put in place to
prevent these animals from destroying our rice fields,” one rice grower
said.
“The
government needs to consider our plight. Since they are providing farming
implements without preventing the pigs and hippopotamus, there will be no
improvement in rice production,” one old man stated.
According
to farmers, these animals can destroy wide range of hectares within a short
period of time. They urged government to do something to help them to ensure
their efforts in food-self sufficiency in rice production becomes
fruitful.
Reacting
to their concerns, the governor of CRR, Hon. Abba Sanyang and Agriculture
Minister Amie Fabureh promised to talk to the Department of Wildlife, while
assuring that their issues will be resolved soonest.