Karnataka farmer finds a unique solution to keep wild animals far from destroying crops

Several efforts by Karnataka farmers to keep monkeys, wild pigs, deer and other animals from entering the fields and destroying the crops failed, but a unique solution by Chidananda Gowda, proved to be effective. Chidananda owns a small tract of land in the Soraba taluka of Shivamogga in Karnataka. To keep animals away from the crops, he recorded his own voice along with that of barking dogs and saved it on a microchip. He then used local loudspeakers to play the recordings on loop, which surprisingly kept crop damage away.

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"In our region, bison, deer, monkeys used to destroy our crops, at least 30 per cent of my crops used to get destroyed by the wild animals every year. I then brought a chip reader and recorded my own loud voice and that of barking dogs, it was then connected to speakers placed around the farm," said Gowda

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Unique low-cost solution

The low-cost method has other benefits too, reportedly. According to Gowda as the animals have stopped entering his fields, farmers also do not have encounters with wild animals. Usually, villagers harm the wild animals approaching the fields, which Gowda does not support. "Many farmers resort to shooting the monkeys, it is not fair, my method saves the lives of wild animals too," he added.

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Crop damage in Shivamogga

Crop damage has become more rampant in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka. The torrential rains from November to December has caused damage to crops which has made the yield per hectare a downhill and the remaining produce to be sold off at lower rates. Karnataka received nearly five times the rainfall it normally used to have, adding to the severity of the ongoing floods in 12 districts. 

The rains have also damaged Toor dal production in the state. According to reports, a fungal infection has affected Toor dal crops in Karnataka. Farmers said the yield of the crop has been severely affected due to unseasonal weather and excessive rainfall particularly in the month of November.

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