N$8 000 for losing cattle in human-wildlife conflict

Namibians who have lost cattle due to human-wildlife conflict will now be paid N$3 000 more in compensation.

The payment for cattle loss under the human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme will be adjusted from N$5 000 to N$8 000 from 1 April.

This was announced by minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta in a statement yesterday.

Shifeta highlighted the importance of navigating the complex topic of human-wildlife conflict in a way that recognises the rights of local communities, as well as the importance of biodiversity conservation.

“The wildlife endowment that is found in Namibia plays a very important role in terms of tourism attraction to thousands of visitors that contribute to economic development and create employment,” he said.

“There are moral obligations on the government to support communities and farmers finding themselves in such conflict, especially in rural communities.”

The government’s human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme was created with the goal to directly offset losses faced by farmers, as well as to promote the equitable distribution of the benefits from wildlife income.

The payment was initially adjusted from N$3 000 to N$5 000 in 2024.

All other payments will remain as adjusted last September.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.