By: Problyn J. Alpha
In a bid to ensuring a peaceful coexistence between the cattle rearers s and crop farmers in the District, the ministry of Agriculture and food security which statutory responsibility is to coordinate and supervise all agricultural activities in the District and the country as a whole is working modalities to address the long standing conflict between the animal and crop framers in the District.
This was disclosed to this medium by the District Agricultural officer Lamin Mbogba . It could be recalled that the conflict between the two farmers over the years has resulted to fatality and destruction of property worth millions of Leones and efforts by the authorities and civil society organisations ( CSO) to address the Said conflict between the two farmers in the District had proved futile, and the misunderstanding still continues between them.
Lamin Mbogba further disclosed that the animal farmers and livestock division in 2021 made an assessment and discovered that there were two hundred and fifty one ranches in the District and all of those ranches practice what he called free range system which according to him was the reason why conflict between both the two farmers is on the increase and very difficult to address. To help minimise the conflict between the two farmers in the District, the ministry according to the District Agricultural officer in kono District is working on plans to procure at least four hundred and fifty bundles of barb wires for distribution to twenty ranches among the two hundred and fifty one ranches in the District in order to encourage them to practice the semi intensive method of rearing.
This he said will help reduce the conflict between the two farmers that in some cases have resulted to fatality in the District. He pleaded with both the farmers to understand themselves and uphold peace in their agricultural activities for the benefit of all as their activities are very important to the development of agriculture in the country.