The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has conducted human wildlife conflict management training in over 40 conservancies since September last year, aimed at equipping the communities with skills to handle claims and resolve human wildlife conflict according to national policy.

Between September 2023 and December 2023, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has provided training to 45 conservancies in Erongo, Kunene, and Omaheke Regions.

The Chief Conservation Officer in the ministry, Absalom Vilho, said two out of the four conservancies in Erongo Region have been on hold for a long time with not much activity.

One out of three conservancies in the Omaheke Region was at a standstill, all of which are now fully ready to become operational.

Furthermore, Vilho said most of the conservancies in the Kunene Region have received training and have not been actively managing human-wildlife conflict for many years due to the mismanagement of funds.

He added that the self-reliant human-wildlife scheme is not just about receiving payment for damages; it is also about national data on human-wildlife conflict.

Most of the data collected is used at international conferences, which is why the ministry has placed an emphasis on ensuring its accuracy.