As the only viable solution, installation of electric fencing is expected to curb human-wildlife conflict 

Conflict: More than 1,000kms of electric fencing will be installed across the country in areas prone to human-wildlife conflict by the end of this year.

Agriculture minister Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji, during the meet-the-press session, said the electric fencing has proven effective in dealing with human-wildlife conflict.

The minister during his visit to the east visited around 39 gewogs where electric fencing was already in use.

“People said they wanted to have more of it,” lyonpo said.

As a pilot project, the agriculture ministry has installed electric fencings in almost every gewogs in the country. Having proven successful, the agriculture ministry will carry out mass electric fencing installation across the country on a cost-sharing basis with farmers.

A km of electric fencing is estimated to cost about Nu 30,000 that can cover around 40-50 acres of land benefitting about 20 households. Each household will bear a cost of Nu 1,500.  The gewog extension centres have been asked to survey perimeter and estimate the cost after which the government would provide the materials.

The agriculture minister said that they are hopeful that within the next one year, a large part of the human-wildlife conflict prone areas would be covered with electric fencings.

Agriculture officials said electric fencing, the only viable solution for human-wildlife conflict management at present, is becoming popular in the country.  So far, about 200km of electric fencing has been installed across the country in the past year and a half.

By Younten Tshedup

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