Farmers Receive Relief from Wildlife Damage with New Measures

Palpa. Two years ago, farmers in Khyaaha, Ribdikot Rural Municipality-1, would reach their fields before dawn, monitor maize plants all day, and chase away troops of monkeys with slingshots and fake guns. They couldn't even return home after dusk. Worries about wild boars entering the fields at night constantly plagued them. Some farmers were becoming discouraged with farming as they couldn't bring their produce home despite cultivating it. However, now farmers have found relief as the ward office has arranged for monkey-watching employees in the villages and provided thorny wire fencing in farmers' fields. Since 2080 BS, the ward office has made it easier for farmers to cultivate crops by arranging for watchmen in the fields and installing nets to protect crops from wild animals.

In the past, from Jestha to Bhadra, locals had to stay in the fields from morning till night to chase away monkeys and protect maize crops. Local Surya Bahadur BK said that the compulsion for farmers to stay in the fields for a long time to guard crops has been removed since the ward office arranged for watchmen. "Until two years ago, wild boars at night and monkeys during the day would come and eat the crops, causing distress. Now, with watchmen and nets, wild animals are not damaging the crops," said Sunar.