Krenk, December 5 (Darfur24)
Farmers in areas east of El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur State, have complained of widespread encroachment by herders, saying livestock was allowed to graze on their farms and destroy crops just weeks before harvest.
This comes despite restrictions recently announced by state authorities, including strict penalties against herders who bring livestock onto farmlands ahead of the harvest season.
Sources told Darfur24 that some herders released their animals, particularly camels, into farms east of El Geneina, causing extensive damage to crops before farmers had the chance to harvest them.
Witnesses reported seeing camels grazing openly inside cultivated fields under the watch of their owners, while farmers were unable to intervene.
Authorities in West Darfur previously set January 15 as the official date for the release of livestock into farmlands, marking the period when grazing is permitted. They also imposed financial penalties of up to five billion Sudanese pounds and a one-year prison sentence for anyone found violating the regulations.