By:Betty Luke
One of the farms that elephants have destroyed in Isiolo’s Shambani village. PHOTO/Kilele Media
Farmers in Shambani village Isiolo’s Burat ward are counting losses after elephants invaded their farms and destroyed crops leaving them heavily devastated.
Repeated invasions have led to widespread destruction of tomatoes, onions, kales and other vegetables, threatening livelihoods and food production in one of the county’s key farming areas.
Francis Kinyua said he lost an acre of tomatoes that were almost due to harvesting after elephants raided his farm.
“I had an acre of tomatoes but lost everything to elephants. I reported to KWS, they came and did an assessment and told me to wait. I am still waiting” he said.
Kinyua said he later suffered another loss after the animals returned.
“I went back again and lost my crops once more. The KWS keep promising they’ll compensate us, but nothing has happened,” he said, urging the Kenya Wildlife Service to move quickly to stop the elephants from destroying farms.
Area farmers group Chairperson Francis Ewoi said the situation had become unbearable, with three elephants repeatedly invading farms in search of water.
“Three elephants that always come to search for water, due to the ongoing shortage, have become a serious bother to farmers,” he said.
He added that the animals had destroyed crops worth over Sh5 million pushing the community to hopelessness and in fear of increased food insecurity.
He called on both KWS and the Isiolo County Government to work together to address the growing human-wildlife conflict before more farmers abandon agriculture.
Another farmer, Clever Ekiru, said broken fences had become a common sight after elephant raids saying despite numerous reports to the wildlife service no effort had been made.
“Let them either lock their elephants or support us to install electric fences around our farms. We feed the whole county, yet we are the ones suffering these losses.”
Human-wildlife conflict has become increasingly common across northern Kenya as prolonged drought and the worsening effects of climate change leave wildlife with insufficient water and pasture.
Residents are calling on the government to ensure sustainable water investments, protect wildlife corridors, timely compensation for affected farmers and stronger measures to reduce conflict and further destruction and loss of lives
