Crop defense and coping strategies: Wildlife raids in Mahiga 'B' village in Nyeri District, Kenya

Abstract

This paper analyzes the different methods used by farmers in the study village to deter wildlife from raiding crops and examined strategies for coping with losses that resulted from wildlife raids. Farmers employed 36 methods to protect crops from wildlife raids and seven strategies to cope with crop loss due to wildlife raids. The majority of the households in the study village utilized between one and three methods of defense simultaneously, whereas three utilized eight methods simultaneously, and one used seven methods simultaneously. The mean number of methods used per household was 3.09. None of the methods was 100% effective, but the persistence with which farmers used the methods indicate that they perceived them to be of some help. The diversity of defense methods reflected the diversity of wildlife that raided crops. Wildlife habituated to the defense methods and posed serious challenges to the farmers. Households close to Solio Ranch employed more defense methods than did those farther away, indicating that farms close to the ranch were more vulnerable to wildlife raids.