ELEPHANTS and hippos have destroyed up to 10 000 hectares of crops in
hunger-stricken Malawi’s southern lakeshore district of Mangochi, a local
lawmaker said on Saturday.
”At least three villages in my constituency have had entire fields wiped
out,” said Meki Mtewa, the ruling United Democratic Front member of
parliament for the area.
He said that another 10 000 hectares of maize and rice were under threat of
being destroyed by the wild animals if the government did not dispatch more
game rangers to the area to help contain the situation.
Meki said the elephants, which streamed into the district from neighbouring
Mozambique fleeing floods there two years ago, ”have become uncontrollable
and the three game rangers here have been overwhelmed.”
Mangochi district is a prime tourist area in Malawi, bordering Mozambique.
Mtewa said the district ”is likely to face another major food crisis with
these animals which attacked the fields when crops were ready for harvest.”
Malawi is facing its worst hunger crisis in 50 years, affecting 76% of the
country’s 11-million people. – Sapa-AFP