Ayobamiji Komolafe 
Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has announced plans to cull more than 700 wild animals, including elephants, zebras, and hippos, to combat worsening food insecurity amid its most severe drought in a century.
The culling programme aims to alleviate pressure on water resources and reduce the potential for human-wildlife conflict, particularly with elephants, as animals increasingly venture into human settlements in search of food and water.
The Ministry plans to distribute the meat from the culled animals to those most affected by the drought, particularly in rural areas where food insecurity is most acute.
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The species targeted for culling include 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest, and 300 zebras, drawn from national parks and communal areas with “sustainable game numbers.”
The drought, exacerbated by the El Niño climate pattern and the broader impacts of climate change, has led to a national state of emergency, with an estimated 1.4 million Namibians an equivalence of about half the population facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
The Ministry reported that over 150 animals have already been culled, yielding more than 125,000 pounds of meat for distribution to those in need.
Namibia, like other Southern African nations, is grappling with the devastating effects of climate change, which have severely impacted agriculture and heightened the risk of hunger across the region.
The ministry expressed its commitment to aiding the nation during this challenging time, emphasizing the necessity of the culling program to support the country’s drought relief efforts.
