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Kunene farmer to receive N$40,000 as compensation for loss of small stock due to lion attack

Kunene farmer to receive N$40,000 as compensation for loss of small stock due to lion attack

The farmer in the Kunene Region who recently lost 76 small stock, consisting of 66 goats and 10 sheep to lions will be paid N$40,000 in line with the National Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Management Policy’s self-reliance scheme.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), spokesperson Romeo Muyunda in a statement in response to a lion incident said they are aware of the concerns that the set amounts as per policy are insufficient.

“For this reason, we wish to clarify that Namibia does not have a policy for compensation of damages caused by wild animals. The amounts paid by the Ministry are simply to assist farmers who are affected by human wildlife conflict incidences and not necessarily to pay for the value of the damage/loss,” he added.

Muyunda said the policy for HWC management was put in place in 2009 and in 2018 the rates were revised and improved. The policy further allows the minister to adjust payments rates from time to time depending on available financial resources, he added.

“The ministry sympathises with the affected farmer and they will continue to engage farm owners and community members in implementing measures to manage and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts,” he said.

Meanwhile, Muyunda said to improve the management of lions in the country, the ministry has commissioned the development of ten-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,” he said, adding that the ministry is also implementing a program for strengthening and developing predator-proof live stoke kraals especially in the affected areas of Kunene and Erongo regions.

So far, 25 kraals have been constructed from the beginning of this year and it is within the ministry’s plans this year to construct 100 more to prevent lions from attacking livestock in kraals, he added.

Muyunda said the public should also note that the ministry is paying for HWC incidences with the support from the Game product Trust Fund and other external development partners.


 

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Donald Matthys

Donald Matthys has been part of the media fraternity since 2015. He has been working at the Namibia Economist for the past three years mainly covering business, tourism and agriculture. Donald occasionally refers to himself as a theatre maker and has staged two theatre plays so far. Follow him on twitter at @zuleitmatthys