Crop destruction

Abstract: Human-wildlife conflicts are a threat to livelihoods throughout Africa, including Kenya. A major source of human-wildlife conflict is crop raiding, which can seriously impact livelihoods and household food security through crop destruction and income loss. This novel research study explores the role of agroforestry trees as one strategy that may improve food security for farmers experiencing wildlife crop raiding. This study draws on household surveys and interviews conducted in 2014-2015 from the communities of Burat and Kinna in Isiolo County, Kenya. From the results, 56% of research participants reported that agroforestry can provide both income and food in cases of wildlife crop raiding. Common wildlife species reported by respondents were monkeys (163 respondents), elephants (161), porcupines (116), dik-diks (106), gazelles (72), and buffalos (67). Households that could harvest fruit and had a greater diversity of tree species were more likely to report that agroforestry helped when their crops were raided (66.4% of respondents). The results also suggest two different coping strategies utilized by farmers that improve food security when facing wildlife crop raiding: agroforestry and social networks. Based on this research, policies promoting agroforestry in areas prone to wildlife crop raiding may improve food security for some households.

Abstract: : This Memorandum reports on an attempt to evaluate the utility of chemical crop destruction operations in Vietnam. The evaluation is limited to two aspects of the question of overall utility: (1) The effectiveness of chemical crop destruction as a means of denying food to the VC. (2) The cost of the operations in terms of increasing the hostility of the non-VC, rural population toward the US/GVN.

Abstract: Elephants often impose costs on the people who share their range, including threats to life and the destruction of property. Incidences of conflict between humans and elephants, in particular crop destruction crops are increasing in Africa, undermining efforts to conserve biodiversity and food security. This study analysed the impact of crop raiding by African elephants to food security in Baringo District, Kenya. The study area covering 390 km2 was divided into three blocks Kamailel, Mochongoi and Kimoriot. A total of 120 households, 40 per block, were interviewed and data analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Our results show that human-elephant conflict (HEC) in the study area had reduced by 15%, 20%, and 29% for 2006, 2007 and 2008. Despite reduction in HEC, crop destruction by elephants influenced both household food security and cash income. About 65.5% of the losses were associated with maize, followed by beans (32.8%) and lastly cabbage (1.7%). Crop damage to households was on average KShs.104,225 per household per annum, equivalent to six months household loss of food while the household cash income was reduced by 11.3%. HEC is common among communities living adjacent to protected areas. This often destabilizes communities and undermines their normal livelihood strategies, thus contributing to increased food insecurity.