Cassongue: A total of 13 hectares of corn, beans, and tomatoes in the municipality of Cassongue, Cuanza-Sul province, have been devastated by a herd of hippos, said the municipal director of agriculture, Francisco Gaspar, on Tuesday.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the crops were grown in a location considered a habitat for hippos. To address the issue, building long ditches has been suggested to prevent the animals from entering the cultivation areas.
The municipal director urged farmers to avoid planting crops in areas recognized as hippo habitats to mitigate further destruction.
VenSncio Janu¡rio, one of the affected farmers, is calling on authorities to intervene, fearing a lack of food in the coming days. The destruction of crops has been an ongoing issue for the past three years, with farmer Manuel Samuel noting significant losses, particularly in corn, beans, and cassava.
Over the last three years, hippos have destroyed more than 20 hectares of various crops in Cassongue.