Farmers in Kasese Municipality are facing severe losses due to frequent elephant raids on their crop farms.
The elephants, which stray from Queen Elizabeth National Park, have become a persistent threat, destroying large areas of farmland, causing significant financial distress.
Jayrace Kahungu, a retired teacher who took up farming for a livelihood, says her efforts are constantly frustrated as elephants destroy her crops every season.
"We invest a lot in farming, only for elephants to come and harvest for themselves. It is discouraging," she lamented.
Johnson Bishemwe, another farmer from Kanyangeya cell, questioned the viability of government agricultural programs such as the Parish Development Model. "How can beneficiaries pay back the loans when elephants destroy everything they plant?" he asked.
Farmers have repeatedly appealed to the government to install an electric fence along the park’s boundary to prevent further invasions. However, their calls have gone unanswered.
The affected farmers are now demanding compensation for the losses they have incurred due to these raids.
"We are tired of making losses. The government must compensate us for the crops lost and install an electric fence to keep these animals away from our farms."
In response, Bashir Hanji, the Communications Officer for the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), acknowledged the farmers' concerns.
He stated that the authority is working on rolling out fencing in some areas but cited financial and logistical constraints as major challenges.
"We understand the difficulties that communities face due to human-wildlife conflicts. UWA is committed to addressing the issue, but logistical challenges have slowed down the fencing project. We urge patience as we work on sustainable solutions."
Despite these assurances, Kasese farmers remain anxious, fearing continued destruction of their livelihoods. They insist that urgent action is needed to protect their farms and ensure food security in the region.
