George George Idowu
Following Namibian Government’s announcement to kill 723 animals for the citizens to eat as a result of severe drought in the country, the UN has allocated $3 million to support the government’s relief efforts.
The UN allocation was drawn from. Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the government’s efforts to tackle the drought described as “humanitarian crisis”.
The severity of the drought has been underscored by recent reports from the United Nations, which highlighted that 84% of Namibia’s food reserves are depleted, and that nearly half of the nation’s population is expected to face severe food insecurity between July and September.
Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, emphasized the need for immediate intervention to address the growing crisis and prevent further escalation of hunger and malnutrition among the Namibian population.
Last week, Namibian Government embarked on killing wild animals and distribution to support affected parts of the country in response to severe drought conditions and rising hunger across.
The Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism announced that 723 animals, including elephants, zebras, buffalos and others, will be culled and their meat distributed throughout the country to alleviate food shortages.
The ministry’s statement detailed the government’s plan to provide game meat as part of its drought relief program, with the approval of the Cabinet.
The statement also said that the animals to be distributed include 30 hippos, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeests, 300 zebras, 83 elephants, and 100 elands
These animals, according to the statement, will be sourced from national parks and communal areas where their populations are considered sustainable.
The severe drought has heightened the risk of animals leaving their reserves in search of food and water, increasing the likelihood of human-wildlife encounters.
To prevent such conflicts, over 700 wild animals from high-conflict areas were planned to be culled, allocated to the drought relief efforts managed by the Office of the Prime Minister.
