Siyachiyasa, Livingstone – Dawn broke on a scene of utter devastation at DREAMLAND Farm this morning, the air thick with the scent of crushed sorghum and the palpable despair of its owners. Under the cloak of night, a marauding herd of elephants had crossed into their fertile fields, leaving behind a swathe of destruction that has undone months of toil and shattered dreams of a bountiful harvest.
For the dedicated team at DREAMLAND, nestled in the heart of Siyachiyasa, the overnight intrusion was more than just the loss of crops; it was a brutal blow to their ambitious vision of bolstering food security, generating vital employment, and nurturing growth within their local community. The significant investment of time, resources, and countless sleepless nights poured into their burgeoning sorghum fields now lies trampled underfoot, a stark testament to the escalating conflict between humans and wildlife in the region.
In a heartfelt statement released earlier today, the farm management, while reiterating their profound respect for Zambia’s majestic wildlife and its crucial role in the nation’s heritage and thriving tourism sector, voiced their deep-seated alarm at the escalating threat of human-wildlife conflict. They painted a grim picture of endangered rural livelihoods and the looming shadow it casts over human safety.
DREAMLAND Farm has now issued an urgent plea to the Zambian government, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, and all stakeholders invested in the delicate balance between conservation and community well-being. Their call is for a significant strengthening of protective measures for those communities living cheek-by-jowl with wildlife corridors, a plea born from the bitter reality of their overnight loss.
Furthermore, the farm is demanding swift and just compensation from the Zambian Wildlife Authority for the catastrophic damage inflicted upon their sorghum plantation. They emphasized the profound impact this devastation will have on their ongoing operations, a setback that ripples far beyond mere financial loss.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to farming and to our community,” the statement declared, their resilience evident even in the face of such adversity. “However, without timely intervention, these devastating losses risk extinguishing the hard-won progress of countless dedicated farmers across the nation.”
The statement concluded with a powerful call to action, urging authorities to step up and provide tangible protection, offer fair compensation to those affected by wildlife incursions, and, crucially, implement sustainable solutions that safeguard both Zambia’s precious wildlife and the livelihoods of its people. The silent scream of the crushed sorghum stalks at DREAMLAND Farm echoes a growing concern across the land – a desperate need for a harmonious coexistence before more dreams are trampled underfoot.
