20 Jul 2026

The MP for Charleshill, Mr Motsamai Motsamai, has called on farmers living along wildlife hotspots to consider game farming as a way to turn a challenge into an economic opportunity. ‎ ‎Speaking in Parliament on Friday during debate on a motion tabled by Maun East MP Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile, Mr Motsamai said coexisting with wildlife could yield financial benefits instead of remaining a burden to farmers. ‎ ‎The motion had requested government to introduce a special guns permit quota for farmers residing in dangerous wildlife-infested farming areas to help them protect their livestock, crops and property. ‎ ‎Mr Motsamai, who is also Assistant Minister of Lands and Agriculture, said training farmers to live alongside wild animals was a valuable financial asset. ‎ ‎“By learning to live with wild animals, farmers could generate steady revenue through sustainable harvesting and eco-tourism while protecting their livestock and crops,” he said. ‎ ‎He noted that human-wildlife conflict remained a major challenge. Elephants cause the most damage to property, while predators such as lions, leopards and hyenas threaten livestock and human lives. ‎ ‎Supporting the motion, MP for Boteti West, Mr Sam Digwa proposed that 70 per cent of the special firearms quota be reserved for the most affected areas, including Okavango, Chobe and Ngamiland. ‎ ‎“Every year government issues a quota of acquisition permits for firearms and therefore should consider a more reasonable quota to the areas most in danger of wildlife for their own protection,” Mr Digwa said. ‎ ‎He said while government had compensation measures for lost livestock and destroyed crops, improving the schemes would be difficult due to current economic constraints. ‎Mr Digwa added that resource constraints also delayer the deployment of wildlife officials and government should therefore prioritise saving lives. ‎ ‎Tonota MP Mr Gaefele Sedombo said wildlife damage was a key driver of poverty among farmers. ‎Whenever wild animals attacked farmers, they lost their primary source of income and food. Repeated losses eventually destroyed investment capital, indebted farmers and even threatened food security within the community, he said. ‎ ‎Serowe West MP Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe said remote and vulnerable farming communities were the worst affected. ‎He argued that farmers should be empowered with guns to protect both their investments and their lives. ‎Parliament has approved the motion. ENDS ‎ ‎