Elephant crop damage in the Red Volta Valley, north-eastern Ghana

Abstract

Crop raiding behaviour of elephants that seasonally migrate into the Red Volta Valley was monitored as part of a project assessing conflict mitigation. Betrween 1999-2003 farmers in the project area were organized into associations. Whenever crops of the registered farmers were raided by elephant the field location and size, the area of the field damaged, the crops grown and the date of the damage were recorded. 2-3% of the farmers were affected by raiding elephants annually. In 2002 the damaged area per farm averaged .98 ha. The time period with the highest raiding incidents was the preharvest and harvest August - November period, which coincides with the time that elephants migrate into the study area from from Burkina Faso. The geographical pattern of destruction mirrored the sequence of the migration, and those most affected were located along the route in the Red Volta valley forest area. Planting alternative crops that mature prior to the migration period is advisable as is locating feilds away from the forest reserves.