TANZANIA: THE German Development Agency (GIZ) has come up with a creative way to keep elephants away from farmers’ crops in Liwale District, Lindi Region.
The plan: A mix of smelly fences, buzzing beehives and loud sheets of metal to scare off these cropmunching giants.
According to Deborah Missana, the GIZ coordinator in Liwale, these innovative approaches were introduced during a media briefing with Journalists Environmental Association of Tanzania (JET).
They visited four of the eleven villages involved in the Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Project, which is part of a larger initiative covering 30 villages across the Ruvuma Corridor, including areas in Liwale, Tunduru and Namtumbo.
Explaining the strategy, Missana said that GIZ has trained over 1,000 villagers in Liwale on how to make a special smelly concoction. When applied around their fields, this smell acts as a deterrent for elephants, keeping them away from crops like cashews, sesame, rice and sunflowers.
The lucky villages benefitting from this project include Turuki, Kitogoro, Mtawatawa, Mtawango, Nanjegeja, Chimbuko, Mkutano, Ngumbu, Nahoro, Naluleo and Kimbemba.
“We’ve managed to teach the community alternative ways to solve human-wildlife conflicts. Here in Liwale, more than 1,000 people learned how to make and use this smell-based solution, which has proven effective in keeping troublesome elephants at bay,” Missana noted.
To get things rolling, GIZ first trained local agricultural officers and lead farmers, who then trained the rest of the villagers.
While the approach has shown success, some farmers are feeling the pinch of the costs involved. Missana suggested a cooperative farming approach farmers working closely together could help reduce these expenses and make sure they’re using the repellent at the right time.
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But the smelly fence is just the beginning. The next step in the project is to install fences made of beehives because, believe it or not, elephants have a serious dislike for bees! So far, GIZ has delivered 100 beehives to Liwale, with a goal of reaching 310.
Not only will this help keep the elephants away, but the farmers will also benefit from honey production a classic “two birds with one stone” situation.
Missana added that GIZ plans to install fences made of noisy metal sheets around fields, especially during next year’s planting season.
Elephants are not fans of loud noises, so this approach should keep them from snacking on farmers’ crops.
“Elephants don’t like noise, so we’ll use these metal sheets to drive them away, hopefully allowing farmers to grow and harvest more produce,” she said.
Aloyce Assenga, a Good Neighbour Officer from TAWA (Tanzania Wildlife Authority), praised GIZ for their innovative solutions, particularly the smell-based fence, which has already shown positive results.
“This smell-based solution seems to work well and TAWA is fully supportive. Plus, even the use of visual deterrents has brought some positive changes,” he said.
Anthony Kawishe, the Agricultural Officer in Liwale District, also appreciated the smell-based approach, saying it’s proven effective in driving elephants away from village crops, which has, in turn, boosted production.
Through this project, Swiss Aid has also joined the effort, bringing in field schools that teach sustainable farming practices, like using natural pesticides and organic fertilisers.
These sustainable farming groups consist of 24 village-based teams with over 250 farmers who have been implementing ecological farming techniques. Swiss Aid has provided essential farming equipment, including watering cans, seeds and other tools.
Kawishe explained that the ecological pesticides used in this approach are made from natural ingredients like ginger, chili, and garlic.
Turuki farmer Mariam Mtopeka expressed her hope that the government and other stakeholders will increase their support for managing the elephant problem, which she says has been keeping people trapped in poverty.
Many Turuki villagers farm in the Kitope area, where they frequently encounter elephants. “During the farming season, we’re on guard day and night.
These elephants are not only a risk to our crops but to our safety. For example, during cashew season, they devour the fruit and will even break entire trees to get to it,” she said.
Other Turuki villagers Asia Linachi, Amir Mikunya, Zainabu Kimile and Rukia Salimu agreed, saying that while GIZ’s project has made a difference, more resources are needed to keep the elephants in check.
