In a natural park in Chad, the human-wildlife conflict is acute for farmers
Translated from French by an automated online translation service, so
please excuse the roughness. See link
https://www.goodplanet.info/2024/07/03/dans-un-parc-naturel-du-tchad-le-vif-conflit-homme-faune-pour-les-agriculteurs/?idU=1
for original.
In a natural park in Chad, the human-wildlife conflict is acute for farmers
Good Planet
July 3, 2024
See link
https://www.goodplanet.info/2024/07/03/dans-un-parc-naturel-du-tchad-le-vif-conflit-homme-faune-pour-les-agriculteurs/?idU=1
for photo.
Binder (Chad) (AFP) – Between the orange trunks of the acacia trees of the
savannah, a herd of about twenty elephants, their skin browned by the
pouring rain, advances peacefully in the Zah Soo national park, a protected
area to combat poaching and pastoral pressure in the southwest of Chad.
"There are as many juveniles as adults," rejoices Belfort Assia Blanga,
section head of the Forest and Wildlife Guard (GFF), hands on his
Kalashnikov slung over his shoulder: "the reproduction shows that they now
feel safe."
These words sound like a victory after the massacre of 113 of these
pachyderms between 2013 and 2019. The park, in the heart of the Mayo-Kebbi
West region, is now home to the third largest population in the country
with 125 elephants.
All human presence is prohibited except for the discreet presence of the
guards of this 815 km2 park born from a 15-year partnership between the
government and the French biodiversity conservation NGO Noé. Supported by
the French Development Agency (AFD) with 8 million euros until 2026, and by
the European Union with more than 300,000 euros.
Since the deployment of the GFF, no elephant has been poached despite its
lack of resources, "ammunition" and "used weapons", according to Mr. Assia
Blanga.
However, other species remain illegally hunted.
"Villagers and agropastoralists mainly target the sable antelope," a
species of antelope, laments Lambert Worgue Yemye, deputy director of the
Binder-Léré protected areas complex.
Pastoralism
Beyond poaching, the guards are also fighting against pastoralism in the
park. Cattle breeding is the main economic activity in Mayo-Kebbi West.
And the transhumance of large and small ruminants, from neighboring
Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria, has a devastating impact on biodiversity in
Zah Soo, according to Noé.
"The cattle graze on everything they can find without raising their heads,"
says Lambert Worgue Yemye. "As they pass, they also destroy the flora by
trampling it."
Since last year, the park has been experimenting with the administrative
impoundment of stray herds.
They are returned to the breeders after a fine. More than 2,600 heads have
thus been taken to the eight pounds set up in the prefectures bordering the
park.
Awareness-raising and repression have helped reduce their presence, going
from 23,500 animals in September 2022 to 9,005 a year later, according to
Noé.
But they have aroused the discontent of breeders.
"During the consultation before the creation of the park, we were presented
with its advantages, but not its disadvantages," accuses Saidou Alyoum, 36,
a representative of the Mayo-Binder breeders. "The Zah Soo park extends
beyond the boundaries of the Binder-Léré reserve in force for 50 years. We
recommend to Noé and the State to reduce the park."
In the absence of a compromise, the breeders are threatening to move to
Cameroon.
No reduction in the park is possible, retorts Noé. "We had conducted a
public consultation before its creation and the majority of signatories had
validated its delimitation," defends Lambert Worgue Yemye.
Compensation
"Some village chiefs who signed the documents then reverse their decision,"
denounces a local authority, speaking on condition of anonymity, accusing
them: "They are pushing the population to criticize the park, because some
make foreign transhumant herders pay taxes to cross the territory."
"The loss of pasture for herders has also increased conflicts between
herders and farmers," adds Mamadou Houssein, 60, head of the Tchofol II
district in Binder.
Fighting between communities of sedentary farmers and nomadic herders, who
roam and graze their herds on their land, regularly causes deaths,
including women and children, in the four countries of this Sahelian region.
Mr Houssein says the protected elephant herds are also ravaging his crops.
"It's up to the government to compensate us, but it's not doing anything,"
he says.
"We would like the compensation to go directly through Noé, we have more
confidence in them than in the Chadian state to resolve this problem," the
farmer demands.
Noah announces that in compensation for the lost pastures, she will provide
fodder and plans to dig four first ponds for the livestock.
The NGO also carries out actions to improve the living conditions of
villagers around the park, such as the rehabilitation of a water tower in
Binder or the repair of roads.
It is also banking on the development of sustainable income-generating
sectors with initial projects in beekeeping and soap oil extraction. But
Noé's bet to eventually develop the tourist appeal of Mayo-Kebbi West,
thanks to Zah Soo, is still uncertain in this region plagued by insecurity.
© AFP