Avocado farm could spell trouble for elephants
07 May 2021
The Independent
Within the sprawling plains of Kimana area in Amboseli in Kenya, overlooked by the scenic snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, a territorial fight for survival between an avocado farm and a wildlife and livestock conservation area is rife.
Conservationists and community say the 180-acre farm that has been cleared and prepared for farming by KiliAvo Fresh Limited at Kimana area spell a disaster to the movement of iconic elephants into and out of Amboseli National Park.
The farm, the community says, will also deal a blow to the livelihoods of local pastoralists who depend on the vast spaces to graze.
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An aerial view of KiliAvo farm in Kimana. [Courtesy]
Conservationists and members of the local community say the 180 acres that have been cleared and prepared for farming by KiliAvo Fresh Ltd spell a disaster for the movement of elephants into and out of Amboseli National Park.
But KiliAvo, an agricultural company, is banking on an appeal it has filed before the National Environment Tribunal after its licence was revoked by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).
“It is a disaster we are staring at if the avocado farm continues its operations. It is located in one of the critical migratory corridors that are key to wildlife, especially elephants moving between Amboseli National Park to Chyulu Hills and Tsavo. This will result in massive human-wildlife conflicts,” said Amboseli Landowners Conservancies Association chairperson Samuel ole Kaanki.