The Elephant in the Room Can No Longer Be Ignored.

Zimbabwe and Namibia's recent announcement to slaughter hundreds of wild elephants and other wild animals to feed their starving populations is a heartbreaking testament to the devastating impacts of climate change, chronic systemic failures, and a lack of sustainable development in Africa. The decision raises critical questions about the continent's priorities and the delicate balance between human survival and wildlife conservation.

For years, southern Africa has been ravaged by severe droughts, which have reduced crop yields and dried water sources and driven millions of people to starvation. While climate change has significantly accelerated these issues, the underlying causes are poor agricultural policies, economic mismanagement, and poor governance.

Diving deeper into the heart of the matter, one can see the factors that have led Namibia and Zimbabwe to their current predicament. Southern Africa is among the most vulnerable regions to climate change in Africa, experiencing recurring droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and rising surface temperatures. This is further exacerbated in Namibia by the expansion of the Kalahari desert over the past few years due to climate change. The El Ni?o weather phenomenon, which frequently disrupts rain patterns, has intensified in recent years, leaving millions in Zimbabwe and Namibia without reliable access to food and water. For countries dependent on rain-fed agriculture, drought is a crisis that puts the whole population at risk of starvation.?

While climate change has worsened the situation, it cannot be solely blamed for Africa's food insecurity. Zimbabwe and Namibia's reliance on traditional, inefficient farming methods has left them vulnerable to environmental shocks. Inadequate or lack of investment in climate-resilient crops, sustainable irrigation systems, and modern climate-smart agriculture techniques has challenged food security in these countries. In addition, decades of political instability, economic mismanagement, and land reform policies in Zimbabwe have contributed to the collapse of the country's once-thriving agricultural sector. Once considered the breadbasket of southern Africa, Zimbabwe now struggles to feed her people, with over a third of the population facing acute food insecurity. Namibia, despite its smaller population, faces similar issues. The country's vast semi-arid land is ill-suited for large-scale farming, and water scarcity remains a persistent problem. Insufficient agricultural innovation and infrastructure investment have made it difficult for the nation to transition toward more sustainable farming practices.

A stark moral dilemma is at the heart of this crisis: protecting wildlife and preserving human life. Africa is home to the world's most iconic wildlife and has long been a focal point for global conservation efforts. Elephants, lions, rhinos, and other wildlife are not just animals but symbols of Africa's natural wealth, generating billions in revenue annually through tourism. However, when human lives are at stake, the value of these animals comes into question. Zimbabwe and Namibia's decision to cull elephants reflects a desperate trade-off. For these nations, protecting their people from starvation takes precedence over conservation, even if it risks undermining decades of progress in wildlife protection.

This decision also exposes a fundamental flaw in how conservation efforts are managed across the continent. While international organizations pour resources into protecting wildlife, they often fail to address the immediate needs of those living alongside these animals. Worse still is that our governments do not implement measures in place to ensure that communities are at the center of all these initiatives and also get the opportunity to benefit from these initiatives. Conservation cannot exist in isolation from human development. When local communities face hunger, the survival of wildlife becomes secondary, leading to decisions like those made in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Zimbabwe and Namibia are not isolated cases. Kenya is also grappling with rising food insecurity and economic pressures. In Kenya, with the punitive Seed and Plant Varieties Bill and the controversial land reform measures, one can assess the role of poor governance in food insecurity in this continent. While Kenya has long been regarded as one of East Africa's agricultural powerhouses, these new laws could destabilize the sector and set the country on a path toward a crisis similar to what is unfolding in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The Seed and Plant Varieties (Amendment) Bill of 2022 undermines the autonomy of smallholder farmers and the country's food sovereignty. The bill requires farmers to purchase certified seeds from specific suppliers and prohibits them from freely exchanging, saving, or reusing seeds without legal permission. This system places a heavy financial burden on small-scale farmers, who cannot afford to buy expensive certified seeds year after year. Moreover, these certified seeds are often hybrid or genetically modified varieties that require specific chemical inputs to thrive and have health implications for consumers. This pushes farmers to depend on costly agricultural inputs, further straining their fragile economic situation. Without urgent intervention, Kenya risks following in the footsteps of Zimbabwe and Namibia, which have been forced to make unthinkable choices as food shortages worsen. Zimbabwe and Namibia's decision is a harrowing reminder of how quickly countries can collapse into agricultural and food insecurity. As Kenya navigates the challenges of food production, climate change, and governance, it must avoid the pitfalls that have led to such drastic measures elsewhere on the continent.

So what next?

One of Africa's underlying challenges has been its heavy reliance on foreign aid and external support, often without sufficient local involvement in decision-making. While foreign aid has helped in times of need, it has also fostered dependency, making it difficult for African countries to build self-sustaining systems. For example, conservation efforts in Zimbabwe and Namibia have been heavily funded by international donors, but these funds are often earmarked for wildlife protection rather than broader development projects. As a result, while national parks flourish, rural communities struggle.?

To address this crisis, Africa must develop her solutions. This includes investing in sustainable farming practices, drought-resistant crops, and climate-resilient infrastructure. It means promoting economic diversification and reducing reliance on foreign aid. It also means creating conservation models that benefit local communities rather than treating them as an afterthought. If local people see tangible benefits from wildlife conservation, they are far less likely to support decisions like slaughtering elephants. By adopting a more holistic approach that prioritizes both human welfare and environmental protection, Africa can navigate the challenges of climate change and build a more sustainable future for its people and wildlife.

References

Climate-related security risks in the SADC region - Plattform Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung. https://pzkb.de/publikationen/climate-related-security-risks-in-the-sadc-region/

Sakapaji, S. C., & Puthenkalam, J. J. (2023). Harnessing AI for Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Opportunities and Challenges. https://doi.org/10.59324/ejtas.2023.1(6).111

https://apnews.com/article/zimbabwe-namibia-killing-elephants-food-drought-c1481e512862a5f0e7b50a03bbc5f5a0#:~:text=Zimbabwe%20and%20Namibia%20will%20kill%20scores%20of%20elephants%20to%20feed%20people%20facing%20drought,-1%20of%202&text=HARARE%2C%20Zimbabwe%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,in%20the%20southern%20African%20countries.