Marauding elephants destroy crops in Livingstone

Elephants have destroyed crops at Linda farm run by the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) in Livingstone.

Linda Farm Care Taker Thomas Chikanya said the action by the elephants on Monday evening left most of the members vulnerable as they depended on produce from the farm to sustain their families.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Livingstone today, Mr. Chikanya described the damage to the crops as extensive.

“We grow cabbages, sugarloaf, rape and tomatoes and at this point, our crops have suffered extensive damage,” he said.

Mr. Chikanya suspected the animals would continue coming back for more after having a taste of the crops at the farm.

He explained that the elephants gained access to the farm by passing through a stretch facing the Maramba River as it is not fenced off like the rest of the farm.

Mr. Chikanya said well-wishers had put up an electric wire fence at the farm to keep elephants away but the animals took advantage of a stretch facing the Maramba River which was left open because it usually flooded.

He appealed to the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to intervene in the matter and called on well-wishers to assist the affected farmers with material support to reduce their vulnerability.