Human-wildlife conflict in Gase Tshongongm Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang continues to be one of the major challenges for the people. They say it has now become rampant with wild animals destroying their crops almost daily.
One of the farmers, Kinlay Dorji, says wild boars and deer destroyed his field recently.
“Wild animals completely destroyed my paddy last year too. Even this year, wild boars have damaged my wheat at the same place.”
Farmers say the shortage of water coupled with human-wildlife conflict is making things worse for them.
“We are more worried this time since nearby gewogs and some of the villages have electric fencing, so wild animals will destroy our fields,” Phurba said.
“It’s not only boars damaging our crops, but rats too. Of course, boars cause maximum damage. It is disheartening to see our crops being destroyed after all the hard work,” Phub Gyeltshen, the Chiwog Tshogpa, said.
“Deer ate and destroyed all vegetables last year during day time when we were away for other works. I could get only Nu 7,000 by selling my spinach to a school,” Kinley Wangchuk said.
Farmers say electric fencing would be the ultimate solution to the problem.
“I visited the villages and made our people include the plan for electric fencing in the 12th Five Year Plan. We have even allocated Nu 2 M for the works. I am expecting the works will complete by 2020,” Kinley Gyeltshen, the Gup of Gase Tshogongm Gewog, said.
Today, only about 20 households out of more than 200 households in the gewog have electric fencing.
