Guarding of rice fields (progress report July 2022)

In 2022, we extended the guarding of rice fields to our entire intervention area to protect the only crops that resisted the two February cyclones.

As a reminder, rice represents less than 0.5% of the greater bamboo lemur diet, however, groups of 60 to 80 individuals can destroy up to 80% of a rice plot that normally sustains a farming family for several months.

© D. Roullet

The video below explains how the crop guarding works.

The team of guards is now composed of 60 people, their number has been multiplied by 5 in almost 3 years.

The number of beneficiaries has been multiplied by more than 3 in almost 3 years. There are now 131 farmers who benefit from this programme.

In 2022, 672 rice fields have been protected from the greater bamboo lemurs.

From April to June, 412 attacks have been repealed in 188 paddy fields.

Apart from a few isolated incidents in only 12 rice fields, no damage was observed in the other 660 rice fields.

The crop guarding not only protects the rice fields but also creates jobs in a period of great insecurity.