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Kundang fumes over hippos’ invasion

Feb 5, 2020, 11:51 AM | Article By: Abdoulie Nyockeh

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.