Govt refuse to compensate farmers’ whose crops are destroyed by wild animals

Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Ramo Makani, told the Parliament today, Sept 5, that monkeys were not in the list of wild animals in the National Dangerous Animals Damage Consolation Regulations.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Mr Joseph Selasini (Chadema-Rombo) who wanted to know plans by the government to compensate people whose crops have been damaged by monkeys in his constituency.

According to him, most people in Mrao-Keryo, Kirua-Kei and Somanga villageds in his constituency have suffered huge losses from the destructive primates.

"Apart from just compensating them, it is wise for the government to effectively address this problem which can lead to hunger if not contained," he expressed.

Responding, minister Makani detailed that the government, through ministry and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institution (Tawiri) has prepared a special programme to establish extent of the problem in Rombo District including a census of monkeys.

He added that the programme targeted also to study the habit of the naughty animals and the extent to which they destroy crops.

He appealed for cooperation if the problem is to be solved.