Minister of Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi has acknowledged the severity of destruction caused by elephants around the Delta. Mmolotsi was responding to a parliamentary question from Phillimon Aaron, MP for Ngami, who sought government intervention to protect farmers along the Okavango River and floodplains in the Okavango, Ngami, and Maun constituencies from elephant-related farm destruction. Aaron proposed two measures: drilling boreholes along animal corridors to divert elephants from farms and adequately resourcing the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) to promptly drive away elephants approaching communities.
In his response, Minister Mmolotsi acknowledged the problem, noting that elephant destruction of farms poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of communities dependent on crop farming and livestock rearing. However, he dismissed the proposal to drill boreholes in elephant corridors, arguing that such a measure would not resolve human-elephant conflict in the Delta.
According to Mmolotsi, elephants are not necessarily driven by water scarcity since natural water bodies in the Okavango River provide sufficient hydration. Instead, elephants move in search of food, which inevitably brings them into contact with farms. “Provision of water along migratory pathways used by elephants in the Delta while searching for food and water will not help to resolve human-elephant conflict, especially the destruction of farms,” he said.
The Minister emphasized that the most effective barrier against elephant incursions is electrified fencing. He encouraged farmers to cluster their farms to qualify for support under the Conservation Trust Fund (CTF), which provides assistance in constructing electrified fences to protect farms from elephants. This model, he noted, has been effective in reducing farm destruction in areas where it has been implemented.
On the issue of empowering and resourcing the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to drive elephants away from communities, Minister Mmolotsi acknowledged that current financial resources are insufficient to meet the department’s needs. He explained that the ministry’s budget is shared among various departments with competing priorities, leaving the DWNP underfunded.
“Resources required by the Department will not be deemed adequate in the short term. My Ministry has and will continue to do its best to resource the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to adequately perform its duties,” he said. He noted that while the department strives to drive elephants away from human settlements, limited funding continues to hinder efforts to address the problem comprehensively.
Despite these challenges, the Minister highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of the DWNP. He mentioned partnerships with local and international conservation agencies aimed at building capacity, securing resources, and acquiring the necessary equipment to support elephant management and wildlife conservation.
The Minister also reminded Parliament that, under Section 46 of the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act, property owners have the legal right to protect their land from wild animals. The law allows landowners to kill any animal that is causing or threatens to cause damage to crops, livestock, water infrastructure, or fences. However, Mmolotsi stressed that this must be done using lawful methods, and any killing of wild animals must be reported to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks or the police.
The issue of elephant-human conflict remains a contentious one in Botswana, with communities in elephant-rich areas like the Okavango and Ngami constituencies frequently raising concerns about the destruction of their crops and property. Farmers and conservationists have long debated the effectiveness of various mitigation strategies, from relocation of elephants to the construction of barriers.
While Minister Mmolotsi pledged continued support for wildlife conservation and community protection, his response suggested that long-term solutions would require both increased funding and strategic partnerships. For now, farmers in the Okavango, Ngami, and Maun constituencies are being encouraged to consider electrified cluster fencing as the most viable means of protection.
