After damage to other food crops, farmers in Baglung have started cultivating acacia and ginger.
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Farmers in Baglung have stopped practicing traditional farming to avoid damage from monkeys. As villages have become deserted due to migration, monkey activity has increased.
After the destruction of corn, wheat, millet, and fruits planted in the fields, they have started cultivating crops that monkeys do not destroy. Farmers have started cultivating Akbare chilli as an alternative to food crops.
Farmer Prem Prasad Kandel of Kathekhola Rural Municipality-8 in the district said that since they started getting corn, monkeys would start destroying it, and now they have started planting Akbare Khusani instead of corn. He says that Akbare monkeys cannot destroy it.
'We were shocked, monkeys not only destroy crops in the fields but also in the garden of our houses. Now, I have planted Akbare in the place where food crops are grown. Now, I have planted wheat and corn and they are not allowed to bring them in,' he said. 'They say you can't kill monkeys, so we have to find some alternative.'
Ward Chairman Gyanendra Gautam said that farmers have started cultivating Akbare and ginger after monkeys harassed them in Rayadanda, Baglung Municipality-11. According to him, 40,000 Akbare seedlings have been planted in various places in the village this year. 'We have started cultivating Akbare this year after monkeys caused a lot of trouble. Farmers have planted Akbare in the fields. This is also a test,' Chairman Gautam said. 'If it goes well, we will plant Akbare in the entire ward from next year. We are hoping that this cultivation will provide some relief to the farmers.'
Local Tam Bahadur Thapa says he has turned to vegetable farming after monkeys destroyed his food crops. He says he has planted Akbare this time because he has no vegetables left. Thapa complained that farmers will not be able to produce well if the government does not take a policy to control monkeys.
This year, 75 farmers in Rayadanda have started Akbare chilli production in the first phase. 40,000 seedlings have been produced. If this plan is successful, Akbare can also be cultivated in other villages where monkeys are a threat, locals say.
