Influence of Wildlife Crop Raiding on Subsistence Farmers’ Food Security Adjacent to Hluhluwe Game Reserve, South Africa

Abstract

Worldwide, subsistence farmers have expressed concerns about food shortage due to crop raiding by wildlife. We investigated the effects of crop-raiding on homestead food security of subsistence farmers on the edge of the Hluhluwe Game Reserve, South Africa. We collected data through field inspections of farms and questionnaire surveys. The dietary diversity of larger homesteads (6-8 people) was potentially reduced due to the higher number of crops lost. Larger households were more vulnerable to food insecurity as compared to smaller households (3-5 people). Generally, crop damage resulted in ZAR 2,427/annum (about USD 180.71) potential loss in income, reducing homestead income by 16.18%, and this effect was greater for larger compared to smaller homesteads. Our results suggest that larger homesteads are more prone to food insecurity than smaller homesteads in a rural subsistence farming community.

Crop damage by vertebrates in Latin America: current knowledge and potential future management directions

“…Countries such as the Guianas, most Central American countries, and many Caribbean island nations have few or no published studies on the topic, but are rich in wildlife biodiversity ( Mittermeier et al, 2011 ; Myers et al, 2000 ), and have high rates of poverty ( Fisher & Christopher, 2007 ; World Bank Data, 2021a ). Crop-feeding is an ecosystem disservice derived from high biodiversity ( Ango et al, 2014 ; Naughton-Treves et al, 2003 ), and it can damage the economy of vulnerable communities ( Gontse, Mbaiwa & Thakadu, 2018 ; Raphela & Pillay, 2021 ). The combination of these factors increases the risk of conflict between biodiversity conservation and food security ( Molotoks et al, 2017 ).…”

“…The reduction in food sources due to habitat loss and degradation encourages wild animals to feed on crops, increasing their interactions with human communities, and human-wildlife conflicts ( Jorgenson & Sandoval, 2005 ; McKinney, 2019 ; Mekonnen et al, 2018 ). Crop-feeding compromises the food security of local communities and damages economies relying on agriculture ( Barirega et al, 2010 ; Gontse, Mbaiwa & Thakadu, 2018 ; Hill, 2000 ; Raphela & Pillay, 2021 ). Additionally, it represents a serious problem for conservation efforts by reducing human tolerance to wildlife ( Campbell-Smith et al, 2010 ; Sifuna, 2005 ; Virtanen et al, 2021 ), turning farmers against conservation initiatives ( Dakwa, 2016 ; Mogomotsi et al, 2020 ; Osborn & Parker, 2003 ; Redpath, Bhatia & Young, 2015 ), and putting crop-feeding species in danger of retaliatory actions by farmers ( Compaore et al, 2020 ; Kendall, 2011 ; Zimmermann et al, 2009 ).…”

Quantifying the nutritional and income loss caused by crop raiding in a rural African subsistence farming community in South Africa

“…In addition, 60 semi-structured questionnaires were administered to the farmers to obtain the details of mitigation measures employed by the farmers to deter crop raiding animals, which could not be obtained from field surveys. The questionnaire survey used was adapted from another study (Raphela & Pillay 2021 ).…”

“…The impact of crop raiding is predicted to greatly affect vulnerable subsistence farmers abutting protected areas (L’Roe & Naughton-Treves 2017 ). Crop raiding can radically influence the nutrition of communities, particularly poor rural farmers (Graham et al 2007 ), often leading to food insecurity (Raphela & Pillay 2021 ). Thus, impoverished rural communities often face the twin challenges of food shortages and crop raiding (Gontse, Mbaiwa & Thakadu 2018 ).…”