By Reporter
In a significant move to address human-wildlife conflict and bolster food security, the Northern Rangeland Trust (NRT) has collaborated with the Ibsa self-help group in Chalaluma village, Witu ward, to erect a solar-powered electric fence around their 30-acre communal farm.
This initiative, located within the Hanshak Nyongoro Conservancy, is supported by the Innocent Foundation, NRT, and the Lamu County Government.
During the launch of this wildlife mitigation project in Chalaluma, NRT project officer Mohammed Said emphasized the timeliness of the initiative, especially for the Orma community.
“The fence will help protect our communal farms from wildlife like hippos and buffaloes which are rampant in this area near the Tana Delta,” Said explained.
The fence not only aims to ward off wildlife but also includes the provision of a water pump for the farm, sourced from the Tana River, ensuring that farming activities do not conflict with wildlife water needs.
Said also mentioned the distribution of 10 more water pumps across the Ndera and Lower Tana Conservancy areas to support similar initiatives, enhancing food security among pastoralist communities transitioning into farming.
The project’s significance was further highlighted by Galgalo Jaffar, an overseer at the Ibsa self-help group’s farm.
“This initiative comes at a crucial time given the adverse effects of climate change on our traditional pastoral lifestyle, leading to increased conflicts with wildlife,” Galgalo stated.
He noted that the fence has already shown positive outcomes in terms of increased food production and income for the community.
NRT Lamu Director Hassan Yussuf Hassan further said that the project is one among many initiatives that the organization has started in the area to mitigate the effects that climate change has had in the respective communities living within marginalized areas in Lamu.
He further noted that NRT has plans to further replicate the solar powered electric fence in other areas within Lamu and the Lower Tana Delta areas in a bid to minimize human wildlife conflicts as well as improve the quality of lives of those affected by climate change.
Lamu Governor Issa Abdalla Timamy commended the initiative and pledged further support. He revealed plans to lease an additional 100 acres for similar projects, citing the potential to significantly boost food security across the county.
“The success of the Ibsa Self-Help Group farm demonstrates the potential for such initiatives to not only feed Chalaluma and Moa but the entire Lamu County,” Governor Timamy stated.
He also promised to provide seedlings and fertilizer for future projects and lauded NRT’s role in empowering marginalized communities to overcome human-wildlife challenges and climate adversity.
