Farmers count losses as monkeys invade crop gardens

4 November 2025, 3:42 pm

By Joyce Adokorach

Residents of Pancwala and Munurac in Pageya Parish, Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu City, are crying out for help after troops of monkeys invaded their gardens and destroyed crops.

Farmers say since the first rainy season, they have harvested nothing as maize, groundnuts, and sweet potatoes have all been eaten by the animals.

According to peasant farmer Geoffrey Opio, the area was once home to many monkeys, but they had migrated only to return this year in larger numbers.

Another farmer, only identified as Joyce, says she planted her maize in the first rain season but was disappointed as she never got any harvest due to monkeys’ destruction upon her maize garden. She further explained after losing the maize harvest, she also lost all her groundnut seeds in the second planting season again.

She explains that the monkeys linger near her garden as she works, and once she leaves, they swoop in and eat everything. She also said, the sweet potato garden near hers was all eaten by the monkeys because they can dig the ground for the potatoes.

The residents are appealing to authorities to drive the monkeys away so they can resume farming and secure food for their families.