MET comes up N$900m short
The environment ministry needs almost N$1 billion for its new human-wildlife conflict plan to mitigate damage suffered by communities.
A total of N$900 million is needed to develop and implement solutions and mitigation measures in each region to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
The ministry of environment and tourism is also planning to create dedicated human-wildlife conflict units in each region and at national level.
This is among the actions required in line with the Revised National Policy on Human-Wildlife Conflict Management which has been approved by cabinet and will now be tabled in parliament.
The ministry shared this information when reporting to the National Council Standing Committee on Habitat last week.
The revised policy has proposed sharp increases in pay-outs in human-wildlife conflict which includes an increase for N$5 000 to N$100 000 for loss of life.
It is also proposed that N$3 000 should be paid for cattle killed, up from N$1 500, while N$1 000 will be paid for the loss of crops per hectare, up from N$800.
Early warnings
Colgar Sikopo, director of wildlife and national parks said actions required and cost implications in line with the revised policy include research and monitoring, for which the ministry aims to establish a national database for human-wildlife conflict costing N$250 000. An early warning system is also planned to the tune of N$10 million.
A rapid response unit is planned at N$2 million, while the ministry aims to carry out research on the social behaviour and movement of species which will cost N$2.5 million. It also plans to establish a target population level of certain species costing N$500 000.
“This will establish the carrying capacity in certain areas and how many animals there are in these areas,” said Sikopo.
Also, for the removal of problem-causing animals an amount of N$50 million is needed.
A further N$35 million is also needed for disaster management to ensure preventative and mitigation measures during times of droughts and floods. With regards to the upgrade and rehabilitation of the fence of the Etosha National Park, N$500 million is still needed to complete it.
“Someone needs to provide the money. Four years ago experts said that half a billion is needed to complete the fence, therefore this amount might have increased. But we do not have the money,” said Sikopo.
For the implementation of the revised human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme, N$4 million is required and to investigate and provide for a system for insurance for human deaths and injury and livestock killed by wild animals, N$50 million is needed.
Will always be there
Sikopo said addressing human-wildlife conflict requires striking a balance between biodiversity and conservation priorities and the needs of people who live with wildlife.
“It is a conflict we need to accept because it will always be there as long as people and wildlife live together. It needs to be managed.”
According to him compensation for human-wildlife conflict is currently not a government policy.
“For us to do this on a sustainable manner we need funding from external partners and government.”
According to Sikopo, N$900 million is needed to develop and implement technical solutions and mitigation measures in each region to reduce human conflict.
Management
Permanent environment secretary Dr Malan Lindeque said the key message is that the problem of human-wildlife conflict is manageable, if there are resources.
“More can be done if more finance is available and there is a need for specialised units.”
The current total budget of the ministry is about N$600 million, he said.
The first priority for the ministry this year is the lion problem in the Kunene Region where 50 to 100 kraals needs to be built.
However, it was noted that certain conditions are also going to be added in this regard and for instance, if farmers' livestock are attacked at night and they were not in the kraal, they will not receive the pay-out. “You need to help yourself. We are not rewarding poor management,” said Lindeque.
“There is no price to put on a life. We could no longer accept that people are saying the ministry is paying N$5 000 for a person's life.”
The minister can, however, from time to time amend the amounts in the policy if more money is available.
ELLANIE SMIT
The ministry of environment and tourism is also planning to create dedicated human-wildlife conflict units in each region and at national level.
This is among the actions required in line with the Revised National Policy on Human-Wildlife Conflict Management which has been approved by cabinet and will now be tabled in parliament.
The ministry shared this information when reporting to the National Council Standing Committee on Habitat last week.
The revised policy has proposed sharp increases in pay-outs in human-wildlife conflict which includes an increase for N$5 000 to N$100 000 for loss of life.
It is also proposed that N$3 000 should be paid for cattle killed, up from N$1 500, while N$1 000 will be paid for the loss of crops per hectare, up from N$800.
Early warnings
Colgar Sikopo, director of wildlife and national parks said actions required and cost implications in line with the revised policy include research and monitoring, for which the ministry aims to establish a national database for human-wildlife conflict costing N$250 000. An early warning system is also planned to the tune of N$10 million.
A rapid response unit is planned at N$2 million, while the ministry aims to carry out research on the social behaviour and movement of species which will cost N$2.5 million. It also plans to establish a target population level of certain species costing N$500 000.
“This will establish the carrying capacity in certain areas and how many animals there are in these areas,” said Sikopo.
Also, for the removal of problem-causing animals an amount of N$50 million is needed.
A further N$35 million is also needed for disaster management to ensure preventative and mitigation measures during times of droughts and floods. With regards to the upgrade and rehabilitation of the fence of the Etosha National Park, N$500 million is still needed to complete it.
“Someone needs to provide the money. Four years ago experts said that half a billion is needed to complete the fence, therefore this amount might have increased. But we do not have the money,” said Sikopo.
For the implementation of the revised human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme, N$4 million is required and to investigate and provide for a system for insurance for human deaths and injury and livestock killed by wild animals, N$50 million is needed.
Will always be there
Sikopo said addressing human-wildlife conflict requires striking a balance between biodiversity and conservation priorities and the needs of people who live with wildlife.
“It is a conflict we need to accept because it will always be there as long as people and wildlife live together. It needs to be managed.”
According to him compensation for human-wildlife conflict is currently not a government policy.
“For us to do this on a sustainable manner we need funding from external partners and government.”
According to Sikopo, N$900 million is needed to develop and implement technical solutions and mitigation measures in each region to reduce human conflict.
Management
Permanent environment secretary Dr Malan Lindeque said the key message is that the problem of human-wildlife conflict is manageable, if there are resources.
“More can be done if more finance is available and there is a need for specialised units.”
The current total budget of the ministry is about N$600 million, he said.
The first priority for the ministry this year is the lion problem in the Kunene Region where 50 to 100 kraals needs to be built.
However, it was noted that certain conditions are also going to be added in this regard and for instance, if farmers' livestock are attacked at night and they were not in the kraal, they will not receive the pay-out. “You need to help yourself. We are not rewarding poor management,” said Lindeque.
“There is no price to put on a life. We could no longer accept that people are saying the ministry is paying N$5 000 for a person's life.”
The minister can, however, from time to time amend the amounts in the policy if more money is available.
ELLANIE SMIT
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