Rampaging Elephants Threaten Zimbabwe Farms
Sep 9, 2011 – 2 hours ago by ■ Anthony Organ
Beitbridge – A herd of stray elephants have destroyed fences and crops at
the Shashe irrigation scheme close to the borders of Botswana and South
Africa in Zimbabwe.
There is now concern that the 50-hectare site will now struggle to produce
its winter wheat crop if it continues to be invaded by the animals. Water
for the irrigation scheme is supplied by the Shashe river which rises in
Botswana, and thus it is believed that this is where the elephants came
from. No people were harmed during the recent invasion but authorities have
been notified in an attempt to prevent this happening again.
The Shashe irrigation scheme was founded in 1975 and covers 120 hectares
with a capacity for 800 families, although has constantly struggled to reach
full productivity. Last year a deal was made for the scheme to receive
funding from the Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources, a local
non-government organisation which wished to repair damaged caused by
cyclones and to train farmers as well as link them with markets at which
they could sell their produce. Despite this, the scheme is still struggling
at under half-capacity and is seeking help to electrify their 11km fence in
an effort to keep wildlife out.
Vice chairperson of Shashe irrigation scheme, Mr Isaac Tlou, noted that
elephants are “a perennial problem” and destroy crops and irrigation “every
farming season”. He also warned that if the problem was not dealt with “all
the wheat belonging to 60 plot holders here will go to waste”. As well as
the obvious issue of wasting crops in a country as poverty-stricken as
Zimbabwe, this particular scheme has further incentive not to fail. Mr
Albert Mbedzi, chief executive officer of Beitbridge Rural District Council
stated that “The Shashe project will be used as a barometer for future
funding of other schemes in the district”. If funding cannot be found to
prevent wildlife entering the site and if they continue to destroy crops
then it will be less likely that many will wish to fund other schemes.
Mr Tlou has said that he has also notified Mrs Metrine Mdau, the local
Member of Parliament, in an effort to receive help from the relevant
authorities.