Guarding maize fields against wild boars has become increasingly challenging for the farmers of Tagtse and Eusa under Draggkteng Gewog in Trongsa. They are guarding their crops day and night.
Farmers are worried that with frequent wild boars invasions they might be left with nothing to harvest. Almost all of the 70 households in these two villages grow maize.
“Wild boars attack our crops even during day time,” Tshering Yangchen from Tagtse, said.
“Usually boars attack when the maize is about to ripe, but this time it started attacking the crop earlier. It has become difficult to chase them away,” Peldon, also from the same village said.
Farmers say it is disheartening to see their hard work go in vain.
“I have cultivated maize in about an acre of field. It took two days for me to plough the fields. But now half of my maize crops are lost to wild boars,” Jamtsho said.
“ We did not inform the Tshogpas and Gups because in the past when we informed them they didn’t turn up,” Tandin Wangmo said.
The gewog did receive electric fences covering about 10,000 kilometres in the past. But it was mostly used to fence the paddy fields.
“Due to the thick vegetation in this area, boars frequent these places. With the fields scattered, it is inconvenient to install electric fences,” Rinzin, the Tagtse Chiwog Tshogpa, said.
This time also, the gewog has a budget of about Nu 400,000 for electric fencing.
