The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has announced an increase in compensation for losses incurred in human-wildlife conflict.

Minister Pohamba Shifeta says compensation is now set at N$100,000, up from the previous N$50,000. 

The revised adjustments for payment under the Human-Wildlife Conflict Self-Reliance Scheme will come into effect on September 1 this year. 

According to the new rates, human injuries with no loss of body parts increased from N$10,000 to N$15,000, while injuries with loss of body parts range from N$30,000 to N$40,000. 

"Permanent disability, because we have looked at this as something that really needs to be looked at because the person is injured and is permanently disabled. It was N$50,000; now it is N$100,000. All this we are not compensating for; we are trying to mitigate the injury to a person or loss of life and to family to be at peace." 

Shifeta said the rates in the case of human deaths remain unchanged at N$100,000, while the ministry will cater for funeral expenses and related costs. 

"Payment related to human death cannot be increased for now, as this was increased from N$5,000 in 2009 to N$100,000 in the year 2018. This amount of N$100,000 is also sufficient to cover funeral expenses. Here, we are not talking about payment to compensate for the loss of life. The life of a human being cannot be placed in a value, but it is a life that you cannot put a price on it." 

The compensation for livestock losses has also been increased. 

Compensation for the loss of cattle now stands at N$5,000, goats and sheep at N$800, donkeys and pigs at N$1,000, and horses at N$1,500. 

Farmers who suffer losses as a result of crop damages will also get increased compensation, with one-quarter hectare of damage getting N$500 and one hectare N$2,000. 

"We believe that the increment of the self-reliance scheme will effectively support communities, individuals, and farmers to directly offset the losses caused to livestock and crops and also support persons injured by wild animals. This will also meet the moral obligation of the government to support a family who has lost a family member to a certain species of wild animal under the conditions where the affected person could not reasonably have been expected to defend himself/herself or avoid the incident and where the family has to incur costs for funeral and related costs." 

Payments under the Human-Wildlife Conflict Self-Reliance Scheme were revised following consultations at last year's National Conference on Human Wildlife Conflict Management.