Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Program

Africa Hope Fund is proud to raise funds for Conservation South Luangwa's Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation program, which is vital for both their community and their conservation work. One of the most sensitive community topics revolves around elephants and the damage they cause to crops on an annual basis. Recognizing that elephant conservation will always be a challenge and that communities should be supported in protecting their crops from elephants, CSL formed the HWC Mitigation program to address this important problem.

Using Chillis to Deter Crop Raiding Elephants

Who would have thought, Elephants do not like chilli! 

CSL's HWC Mitigation program works to bring awareness to African Villages about the fact that raising crops of chilli acts as a natural Elephant deterrent. This prevents loss in personal food reserves as well as the loss of potential resale income.  By spreading this knowledge CSL has been able to:

• Secure 168 farmers to participate in the 2017/2018 chilli farming season.
• See 11,098 kilograms of chilli sold by farmers, providing K166,470 in cash to local communities.
• Oversee 10 chilli farming training sessions which educated 478 farmers.
• Built 7 chilli nursery demonstration plots to help train farmers.

Another way the HWC Mitigation program deters Elephants is by using Chilli Bombers. After years of trial and error CSL settled on a home-made chilli bomber design. A cocktail of chilli liquid made from petrol, chilli, and cooking oil is injected into a ping-pong ball and fired at elephants on their way to raid crops. With the help of 20 chilli patrollers in 3 Chiefdoms, agricultural fields are regularly patrolled with these home-made chilli bombers, saving crops from elephant damage.

Building Elephant-Safe Grain Silos

To prevent Elephants from depleting village grain resources, CSL helps to build elephant-safe grain silos. These storage containers cannot be trampled or broken into, ensuring that grain storage is not compromised. In 2018 CSL helped build 35 new silos in the South Luangwa Valley, bringing their total to 142.

 Junior Scout Camps

In December, CSL began their Junior Scout Camps for the children of their dedicated wildlife scouts. With one camp for grades 4 - 7 and another for grades 8 - 12, these camps provide education on CSL's conservation efforts. The children make conservation posters and animal masks, see the CSL veterinarian in action, learn more about the Detection Dog Program, play games, visit the CSL airplane and airstrip, and end the camp with a game drive.

The children of some of CSL's scouts have enjoyed the camps so much that they've organized environmental youth clubs on their own! They meet once or twice to chat about the environment and conservation, and pick-up trash around the market area.

CSL's goal is to provide Junior Scout Camps again during the school breaks occurring in April, August and December of 2019.

Help us reach our goal of $10,000 towards Conservation South Luangwa's amazing efforts with their Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Program!