MEFT to pay Kunene farmer N.dollars 40 000 for loss of livestock

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The Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has said it will avail funding to a farmer whose 76 small livestock were killed by lions at Farm Leeukop in the Kunene Region last week.

The 66 goats and 10 sheep were attacked and killed by lions while in a kraal on 15 July.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda in a media statement on Tuesday said in line with the national human-wildlife conflict management policy’s self-reliance scheme, the farmer will receive N.dollars 40 000.

“The ministry has noted the regrettable incident and is aware of the concerns that the set amount as per policy is insufficient. For this reason, we wish to clarify that Namibia does not have a policy for compensation for damage caused by wild animals,” Muyunda said.

He added that the amounts paid by the ministry are simply to assist farmers who are affected by human-wildlife conflict and not necessarily to pay for the value of the damage or loss.

The policy was put in place in 2009 and in 2018 the rates were revised and improved. It further allows the minister to adjust payment rates from time to time depending on available financial resources.

“As a responsible ministry, we sympathise with the affected farmer and we will continue to engage farm owners and community members in implementing measures to manage and mitigate human-wildlife conflict. To improve the management of lions in the country, we have commissioned the development of a 10-year lion conservation and management strategy. The development process has started, all key stakeholders including farmers and rural community members will be consulted in the development process,” Muyunda said.

He went on to say that in the immediate and short term, the ministry is also implementing a programme to strengthen and develop predator-proof kraals, especially in the affected areas of the Kunene and Erongo regions.

“So far, 25 kraals have been constructed from the beginning of this year and it is within our plans for this year to construct 100 more to prevent lions attacking livestock in kraals,” said Muyunda.

Source: Namibia Press Agency