Farmers cultivating the traditional ‘Vayli Devkhadi’ fields in Bhandarwada, Amona, and Sankhali have expressed deep concern over the growing menace of stray buffaloes, which they say has devastated their crops and livelihoods for the past four years.
According to local farmers, buffaloes straying from nearby Mayna-Nhaveli and Amona frequently enter the fields and destroy standing rice crops as well as the seasonal Halsande crop. The farmers claim that due to repeated destruction caused by the animals, they have not been able to harvest a single grain of Halsande in the last four years.
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Speaking on the issue, Sandesh Naik, President of the Brahmeshwar Farmers’ Association, said that despite farming becoming economically difficult in modern times, local farmers have continued cultivating the ancestral fields without allowing them to remain barren.
He stated that the farmers traditionally cultivate two crops annually, but the continued buffalo menace has pushed them into a serious dilemma about whether to continue farming this year.
Farmer Lavu Govind Naik said that agriculture is the only source of livelihood for many families in the area, as neither they nor their children are employed in salaried jobs. He urged the government to either capture and impound the stray buffaloes or identify and take action against their owners.
Another farmer, Suresh Naik, said that whenever crops begin to flourish, the buffaloes enter the fields and destroy everything. He added that apart from losses caused by adverse weather conditions, the destruction by stray buffaloes has resulted in severe financial losses and mental stress for farmers over the past several years.
Farmer Ankush Govind Naik said that both the government and the Sesa company have been extending support and assistance to cultivate the fields, making farming meaningful for the local community. However, he noted that the repeated crop destruction has left farmers uncertain about continuing agricultural activities.
The farmers have now appealed to the government to urgently intervene and take concrete steps to address the stray buffalo issue before the upcoming farming season begins.
