For the past few weeks, the inhabitants of localities in the Ruwenzori sector and the territory of Beni, in the province of North Kivu, have been facing an alarming situation. Elephants from Virunga National Park are ravaging agricultural fields in the area, angering and distressing local farmers.
According to the New Civil Society of Beni, the damage caused by pachyderms is considerable. The populations of the agglomerations of Mantumbi, Mayele, Kiaviringo and Nyavithanda, located only a few kilometers from the rural commune of Bulongo, suffer the disastrous consequences of these incursions. Elephants destroy crops, depriving farmers of their crops and their livelihoods.
Faced with this critical situation, the local population is asking the officials of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) to intervene urgently to protect the fields against these elephant attacks. Unfortunately, it is not possible to set up electric barriers to deter these animals, making the task even more difficult.
Meleki Mulala, coordinator of the New Civil Society of Beni, pleaded with ICCN to set up push-back teams to prevent these incidents. It is essential to take adequate measures to protect crops and preserve the livelihoods of farmers in the region.
The question that now arises is how to reconcile the cohabitation between elephants, as a protected species, and farmers who need their land to cultivate and support themselves. There is a need to find sustainable solutions that guarantee both wildlife conservation and the livelihood of local communities.
In the meantime, the inhabitants of these localities remain in uncertainty, wondering how they will be able to feed their families and face this new threat to their daily lives. It is more urgent than ever to find solutions to this problem in order to preserve both biodiversity and the livelihoods of local populations.
It is hoped that the relevant authorities will take prompt and effective action to put an end to this situation and ensure a better future for farmers in the Beni region. It is time for cooperation between the various stakeholders to find sustainable and balanced solutions to resolve this conflict between man and nature