Nwoya farmers worried as stray cattle invade farms
NWOYA-Several farmers in Anaka, Lungulu and Got Apwoyo sub-counties in Nwoya district are concerned over the herdsmen who failed to control their cattle, resulting in the destruction of crops on the farms.
So far, the most areas affected by the bad practice are Arana, Leb Ngec, Got Apwoyo, Lungulu and Anaka.
Felix Okot, a farmer in the district is just one of the hundreds of farmers who have lost their crops which were eaten by the cattle that left their kraals.
Okot said his eight acres of his maize were last month destroyed by cattle in Arana. He said he reported the matter to the police and other authorities including the Resident District Commissioner, Christopher Omara, and Emmanuel Orach, the district LCV Chairperson.
Arana village alone has over 3,000 cattle.
In an interview with this reporter, Omara said that he has received several cries from the farmers who fear they could face famine after their crops were eaten or destroyed by the uncontrolled cattle.
Omara noted that some herdsmen are not following the presidential directive to erect kraals, water sources, and fencing the land on which they are supposed to graze their animals, the reason, he said, cattle now find their way into other people’s farms, destroying their crops.
Herdsmen using new tactics to beat security
Omara said that the cattle keepers have of late resorted to ferrying their animals into the district at night to beat off security which is normally tight during daytime.
“We noticed that the keepers bring in their animals at night and go straight deep into the villages where they know we [security] will not reach sooner,” Omara said.
Omara also fears that the cattle being ferried into the district at night could have been stolen, saying that whenever the verification teams go to do their work, the owners of the animals are not there.
Omara said he instructed the local leaders to verify herdsmen in their localities every to ensure they meet the requirements set by President Museveni last year.
Emmanuel Orach, the Nwoya district LCV Chairperson, when contacted, said they have noticed illegal entries, especially at night, with the herdsmen and their cattle moving through Pakwach district as they cross the Albert Nile and to Arana village in Lungulu Sub-county.
“About two weeks ago, some cattle were auctioned after the owners failed to control their movements. They destroyed crops in neighboring gardens. The community members rounded up the cattle, took them to Anaka Police station where they were sold off after owners failed to agree with farmers on compensation,” Orach said.
Denis Atube, the LCIII Chairperson of Lungulu Sub-county however blamed locals for continuing to embrace the cattle keepers in their area.
He noted the locals only focus on the instant cash they are given by the cattle keepers, disregarding the long-term impact of hosting the thousands of cattle in their communities.
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