Olala village in Narok West sub-county is facing a mounting crisis as a growing population of stray dogs wreak havoc on their maize crops.
Over the past two weeks, residents have been grappling with the destructive canines, who are causing more damage to the crops than even wild animals.
Farmers in the area are expressing frustration and concern as the dogs relentlessly raid their fields, devouring the maize before it has a chance to mature.
The situation is particularly dire for crops left out to dry, as the dogs swiftly target young plants as well.
Simon Kitur, a farmer in the village, shared his experience, “In some cases, the dogs have destroyed more maize than wild animals and birds like weaverbirds.
At least three to eight dogs raid the village every day scavenging for food, and when they don’t find anything, they go for the maize.”
Unlike wild animals, which typically become active only after dark, these stray dogs pose a constant threat, attacking at any time of the day.
With maize being a staple crop grown for both consumption and sale, the destruction is particularly devastating, causing losses even before the harvest season.
Despite the distressing situation, there have been no reports of the dogs attacking people or livestock so far.
Nevertheless, the farmers are becoming increasingly alarmed by the prospect of the dogs becoming more aggressive if they continue to struggle to find food.
In their attempts to protect their crops, villagers have been chasing the dogs away as much as possible.
However, there is a growing fear that these dogs, instead of acting as guardians against wild animals and thieves, have now turned their sights on the maize fields.
Rachel Langat, another villager, expressed the community’s frustration, “The dogs, instead of guarding the fields from wild animals and thieves, are targeting our maize fields.”
