21 Jul 2024

Government through Ministry of Environment and Tourism has contracted Okavango Research Institute (ORI) to develop a national human-wildlife conflict strategy and action plan.

Project team leader, Professor Mbaiwa said during a kgotla meeting at Matlapana on Friday that the main objective of the project, said was to develop short and long term strategies for wildlife management.

He said human-wildlife conflict was a serious concern with increasing reports of deadly confrontations between wild animals in search of water and pasture and humans, a trend that concerned government hence a decision to engage ORI to develop a mitigation strategy.

Already, he said four teams have been formed and will address 54 kgotla meetings across the country to ensure the public had an input in developing the plan. 

He said team one would cover areas in North West, Okavango, Chobe and Boteti, team two Ghanzi, Charles Hill, Kgalagadi and Southern region, team three Kgatleng, Kweneng, Central, GaMalete, Ngwaketse and Tswapong and team four North East and Bobirwa.

He said consultations would include farmers associations, community trusts, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders as well as the public.

Prof. Mbaiwa said the consultants were expected to map all human wildlife conflict areas or hotspots as well as develop modalities for compensation of communities for property damages caused by wildlife.

Other key activities include development of a monitoring and evaluation plan of the action plan, developing wildlife value chains, monitoring game keeping in agricultural farms and suggestions for improvements.

Wildlife value chain development, he said was beneficial citing that elephants skin could be used to manufacture shoes and belts, ventures that community trusts could engage in.

Furthermore, he said government encouraged individuals, companies, civil-based societies and other interested groups to keep game in in small agricultural land holdings with an aim to have wildlife as part of production in their land adding that they would want to understand if the programme was producing the desired results. 

Prof. Mbaiwa said the project would also help carry out an in-depth qualitative and quantitative situational analysis of the human-wildlife conflict in line with the existing national policies, management strategies and local governance systems as well as identify and document strategies and interventions that would help bring human-wildlife conflict to manageable levels and offset associated socio-ecological costs.

He said the team was expected to submit a report to government by end of September and appealed to the general public to make submissions for the exercise to be successful. 

Earlier on, deputy chief, Kgosi Kebatho Kesekile said traditionally, Ngamiland community relied much on agriculture but expressed a concern that wild animals had displaced them from cattle posts and ploughing fields therefore, believed that the strategy would provide permanent solutions.

“We are happy and appreciate that government recognises the importance of co-existence between wildlife and communities,” he added.

Area councillor, Mr Kobamelo Baikgodisi said as district leadership, they were equally concerned about cases of human-wildlife conflict which were on rise.   Cllr Baikgodisi called on government to empower community trusts and increase their hunting quotas so that they could generate revenue and undertake community projects.

He said it was a pity that communities residing along the buffalo fence were not benefiting from natural resources as compared to those residing right in the Okavango Delta.

“These communities are mostly affected by wild animals and yet they are not gaining any benefits from them. I call upon government to assist their trusts with hunting quotas to benefit their communities,” he added.

Mr Baikgodisi also proposed that government bore the responsibility to ensure that people killed by wildlife were given a dignified burial. BOPA