Rwanda Wildlife Damage Claims Halve as Primate Compensation Study Gets Underway
Wildlife damage claims around Akagera National Park have fallen by more than half following the installation of anti-wildlife barriers, with data from Rwanda's Special Guarantee Fund (SGF) showing 1,249 claims filed by Eastern Province residents between July 2025 and April 2026, of which 1,097 were compensated, totalling Rwf194.6 million. Kirehe District recorded the highest number of claims at 867, while Kayonza registered 261 - though Kayonza received the largest payout at Rwf92.1 million, reflecting the severity of individual incidents. The SGF, working alongside the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and local authorities, attributes the overall decline to the construction of more than 30 kilometres of trench-like barriers along park buffer zones, which have significantly curbed crop destruction in border communities.
Despite the progress, farmers continue to report uncompensated losses caused by monkeys and baboons, prompting authorities to commission a study into whether primates should be incorporated into the existing compensation framework, which currently covers 14 wildlife species. Acting SGF Director General Florence Nibakure confirmed the review is assessing both the scale of primate-related destruction and the feasibility of extending coverage, noting that primates' wide-ranging movement makes them more complex to account for than other species. Farmers have also called for improved pasture grass to be added to the scheme, citing frequent destruction by hippos. On the operational side, compensation rates have increased by approximately 4 per cent compared to last year, and new coordination tools - including WhatsApp groups linking SGF officials and SACCO staff - have been introduced to accelerate claims processing.
Source: New Times
