By Morlu F. Freeman Sr
Citizens of Kortee Town in Voinjama District, Lofa County, are living in fear as elephants continue to destroy their farm produce. “We need urgent help. Our crops are being destroyed.”
Speaking in an interview, the Town Chief of Kortee Town, Alexander F. Joe Joe, said the situation has become increasingly alarming and described it as unprecedented in the area. According to him, elephants recently destroyed his cassava farm, which he estimated would have been worth about 50,000 Liberian Dollars if harvested.
Chief Joe Joe explained that the loss has left him without food for family consumption and without produce to sell for income.
He further revealed that several other farmers in the community have also suffered major losses. Crops such as banana, plantain, pear, and other food produce have reportedly been destroyed by the roaming elephants.
The town chief is therefore calling on the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) to urgently intervene and help address the growing problem.
Residents say the repeated destruction of farms has created fear and uncertainty within the community. Sonnie Kortee, a resident of the town, joined other citizens in appealing to the government and relevant authorities to take immediate action.
According to the residents, the continuous invasion of elephants into their farms now poses a serious threat to food security and the survival of many families in the area.
They warned that if nothing is done soon, the situation could worsen and leave many households without adequate food or income.
