22 Jul 2026

Communities in wildlife hotspots should pursue economic gains presented by game farming rather than viewing wild animals as a problem, Member of Parliament for Charleshill, Mr Motsamai Motsamai has said.

Contributing to the motion tabled by Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile in Parliament on Friday, Mr Motsamai, who is also the assistant Minister of Lands and Agriculture said farmers should be encouraged to shift perspective for them to realise that co-existing with wildlife could yield financial gains.

In his motion, Mr Kekgonegile was requesting government to introduce a “special guns” permit quota for farmers residing in dangerous wildlife infested farming areas, as a matter of facilitating them to protect their livestock, crops and properties.

However, Mr Motsamai said by learning to live with wild animals, farmers could generate steady revenue through sustainable harvesting and eco-tourism while protecting their livestock and crops.

Supporting the motion, MP for Boteti West, Mr Sam Digwa said areas most affected like the Okavango, Chobe and Ngamiland should be considered with a 70 per cent quota allocated for them.

Mr Digwa said every year government, issued 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.

He said improving compensation schemes for farmers would be a challenge with the current economic constraints faced by government.

Mr Digwa said through this motion, government should prioritise on saving lives as resource constraints continuously delayed the immediate deployment of wildlife officials for on-call assistance.

Also in support of the motion was MP for Tonota, Mr Gaefele Sedombo who argued that wildlife damage was a contributing factor to poverty. He said whenever wild animals attacked farmers, they lost their primary source of income and food.  Mr Sedombo said repeated losses eventually destroyed investment capital, indebted farmers and even threatened food security.

For his part, Serowe West MP, Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe said human-wildlife conflict impacted vulnerable, remote farming communities and therefore farmers should be empowered with guns to protect their investments as well as their lives.  ENDS