Digital system introduced to speed up wildlife damage compensation

DODOMA: THE Government has rolled out a comprehensive strategy to address delays in paying compensation to citizens affected by wildlife damage, including injuries and destruction of crops.

The move was announced recently in Dodoma by Director of Wildlife, Dr Alexander Lobora, during the opening of a training session for agricultural and livestock extension officers from 10 councils, on behalf of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Hassan Abbas.

Dr Lobora said the ministry has introduced a digital system for reporting incidents involving wildlife damage.

The platform will process information quickly, enabling faster verification and digital payment of compensation, a major improvement over the previous paper-based system that often caused delays and public complaints.

“There have been ongoing human-wildlife conflicts resulting in injuries, deaths and destruction of crops,” he said.

“In the past, incident reports were submitted on paper, which delayed compensation and created dissatisfaction among affected citizens. The new system allows rapid and accurate data collection, processing and payments digitally. We aim to phase out paperbased processes entirely,” Dr Lobora added.

He emphasised that compensation is considered a last resort, with the primary focus on preventing wildlife damage. “Our goal is to control problem animals and compensation is only paid when unfortunate incidents occur. When it happens, payments must be made promptly,” he said.

To curb wildlife-related damages, the ministry has strengthened patrols in national parks, game reserves and wildlife corridors.

It has also initiated the construction of electric fencing in vulnerable areas and will continue conducting research on wildlife behaviour for better monitoring.

Dr Lobora further highlighted the importance of community engagement through Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and public education on managing wildlife risks.

“Through these measures, the government aims to reduce conflicts and ensure citizens are protected,” he said.

He noted that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had directed that compensation payments be prioritised and made on time and approved that 3 per cent of tourism revenue be allocated to conservation and compensation funds, marking a significant step forward.

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During the training, Dr Lobora distributed 60 smartphones to be deployed in 60 wards across the 10 councils.

The devices will be used for timely data collection, enabling officers to address citizen concerns efficiently.