Ogooué-Ivindo province uses electric fences to mitigate human-elephant conflict
Ogooué-Ivindo province in Gabon is experiencing a reduction in human-elephant conflict due to the installation of 485 mobile electric fences across 190 villages. This initiative, the largest national deployment, aims to protect crops, enhance food security, and revitalize agricultural activity. The province had previously faced significant challenges, including repeated elephant incursions that led to crop destruction, community frustration, and protests, such as an "opération ville morte" in Mékambo in 2021 and a roadblock by women in Batouala in April 2023. Following national consultations in 2021, the Ministry of Water and Forests, with technical support from the NGO Space for Giants, began deploying solar-powered electric fences in 2022. These fences deter elephants without harming them, protecting crops and improving food security for 5,541 people. The positive impact is evident in areas like Lata, where residents have returned and resumed farming, and in Makokou, where local produce like cassava and bananas are more available in markets. While the situation has improved, nearly 300 requests for fences remain in the province, indicating a continued high demand. The national program, funded by CAFI, plans to deploy 1,800 mobile electric fences across all nine provinces within two years, an objective that may be met ahead of schedule. The success in Ogooué-Ivindo demonstrates that these fences not only protect crops but also restore community confidence and enable sustaina
