28 Jun 2018

There is no compensation for crops damaged by wild animals whilst stored in the fields awaiting thrashing.

Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Kitso Mokaila told Parliament on behalf of Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, that although the ministry acknowledges harvested crops stored in fields had the same value as those not yet harvested it was not easy to determine the quantity of the stored crops especially where alleged harvest was done in the absence of any competent witness.

Mr  Mokaila noted that the provisions of section 46 (5) of the Wildlife Conservation and National Park Act, 1992 and the accompanying compensation had no provision or replacement value for harvested crops.

Mr Mokaila said the current procedure was that whenever any damage to crops in the field had occurred, they measure the affected area and compensate appropriately.

He said the ministry advises farmers to avoid harvesting crops and store them inside the fields in unsecured storages that would obviously attract elephants.

Member of Parliament for Nkange Mr Edwin Batshu, had asked if it was true there was no compensation for crops damaged by wild animals whilst stored in the fields awaiting thrashing and  if so, why and what would the minister do to correct the anomaly. ENDS