The women of Kaur Janneh Kunda in Lower Saloum, in the north of Central River Region told this reporter that they could produce rice above what they need for domestic consumption if they had control over their rice fields from wild animals' intrusion. The women asserted that in the past they used to produce rice for both consumption and commercial purposes but now they said their domestic consumption is even a problem to the extend that they rely on the imported rice.

The women made these assertions during a visit of the area by this reporter recently.

Talking to this reporter on the issue, Jatou Janneh indicated that Kaur has ever been known for its self sufficiency in rice production since during the colonial era. She asserted that their lack of self sufficiency in rice now is not due to their laziness but their inability to secure their rice fields from wild animals' intrusion.Jatou pointed out that the greatest threat to their self sufficiency in rice is the destruction cause by hippopotamuses and monkeys that are destroying their rice fields before harvest or after harvest time.

As a result of that, Jatou said they had abandoned most of their rice fields and their capacity has dwindled.

All the women who spoke to this reporter expressed similar views with that of Jatou.They argued that it is painful to work with crude tools only to be destroyed by wild animals. They called on Government and Non-Governmental Organizations to help them to protect their rice fields from the intrusion of the wild animals to ensure self sufficiency in rice for the benefit of not only the people of Kaur but the nation as a whole.