Dharwad: 80 percent rain shortage sees wild animals targeting crops

Severe rain shortage in Alnavar taluk, Dharwad district of Karnataka has led to drying up of lakes, ponds, and crop failure. Wild animals are encroaching on farmlands, damaging crops, and posing a threat to farmers. Fodder shortage due to increased sugarcane cultivation forces farmers to sell cattle.

Alnavar: The drought has hit most cities of Karnataka. The lakes and ponds have gone dry, crops are not getting sufficient water and the wild animals are moving out of their habitat for food. The farmers of Dharwad district's Alnavar taluk, who live in close vicinity of the forest, is now facing threat from wild animals.

Alnavar is regarded as the highlands of Dharwad. This town is located along the beautiful Haliyal forest of Dandeli. This area usually gets high rainfall in the Dharwad district. During June, it was supposed to get 219 mm of rainfall. Yet, until now it has received only 44 mm. About 80 per cent lack of rainfall has been recorded in the taluk. This has led to the drying up of lakes and ponds. Due to the lack of rain, crops such as sugarcane, paddy, and cow corn are sown with the help of borewells.

The deciduous forests of Alnavar taluk contain many lakes and ponds. But the present situation is forcing the animals to venture out in search of food. Wild boars and foxes are attacking the fields and destroying the crops.

The peacocks and wild fowls are destroying the grains sown in the farmlands. These attacks have led the farmers to feed the cattle with remaining pieces of crops. 

In the last three years, the crops were destroyed due to excess rainfall in the region. This year, it's the exact opposite. Out of the total of 4,860 hectares, only 2,646 hectares, including 692 hectares of paddy, 654 hectares of cow corn and 1,300 hectares of sugarcane have been sown. By June, the paddy should have grown seven inches high. This year, there’s no sign of grains. 

No fodder for the livestock

The main crop of the taluk was wheat. But, in recent years, they have been growing sugarcane in large numbers. This is the main reason for the fodder shortage in the region. Due to this, the farmers of the region are now forced to sell their cattle in Kittur and Bagewadi markets.

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The villagers have resorted to offering prayers to the god, for rainfall; the rituals happen once in a week. The villagers of Kumbarakoppa conduct Bhajans every day in the Siddharudha Matha, says Maktumsab Kashinakunte, a villager.

"The shortage of rainfall has caused all the crops to die and currently, sugarcane lives in the farmland. The animals are attacking the canes, and destroying them. The government should immediately provide relief to the sugarcane farmers in the region,” said Jagadish Kittur, a farmer from Hulikeri.