The Elephant Repellent
Bringing business, local entrepreneurship and conservation together to protect the African Elephant.
The smelly elephant repellent is an organic solution to elephant crop raiding that is easy to implement and keeps elephants away from crops without putting human lives in danger. It can also create new sources of income, as well as promoting the growth of cash crops which are unpalatable to elephants.
In partnership with WildAid
Elephants love eating maize because it’s sweet, juicy and tastier than their usual sources of food. Even if elephants have access to their natural sources of food, they will favor the sweet flavor of maize. However, this preference puts them, and people, in grave danger as elephants raid through maize fields causing the destruction of farmers livelihoods, and at times, even causing injury or death.
Human-wildlife conflict is the SECOND largest threat to endangered species in the world, after habitat destruction.
This is a bigger threat to elephants than poaching.
THE SMELLY ELEPHANT REPELLENT
The “smelly repellent” is a mixture of low-cost ingredients that are grown across most of Africa. Trials between 2017 and 2019 have shown a ~80% reduction in crop raiding on participating farms. This has led to improved harvest yields, improved tolerance of elephants, and better attitudes towards conservation.
This project will expand the use of a new scent-based, cost-effective method for reducing elephant crop-raiding, by creating an economically-sustainable service delivery model.
OUR NEW DISTRIBUTION MODEL FOCUSES ON:
Making the smelly elephant repellent available to all those who need it across elephant conflict regions.
Providing an economically sustainable distribution model (not dependent on on-going donations!)
Increasing resilience to elephant crop-raiding, improving household income and achieving better living standards.
Representing new direct sources of income for each local economy where the elephant repellent product is rolled out.
Being a conservation solution created in Uganda, by Uganda, for Africa (with foreign support for growth).
→ Ultimately, increasing tolerance of elephants and improving attitudes towards conservation overall.
VIDEO: Watch WildAid Ambassador and comedian Salvado learn about the smelly elephant repellent!
THE PROBLEM
Elephants love to eat corn.
During the harvest seasons, every night elephants wander through villages eating ripe maize, ground nuts, rice, watermelons and other sweet crops that are ready to harvest. Farmers spend sleepless nights fighting them off with lights, noise makers and sling shots doing everything they can to keep these massive animals away from eating their main (and sometimes only) source of income for the year. Elephants are big (!) , determined, and at times even aggressive animals that are unstoppable when they are determined to satisfy their sweet tooth and giant appetites. The result of these confrontations can be loss of livelihoods, injuries and sometimes death, from both people and elephants. This is called human-elephant conflict and it is a major problem in places where humans and elephants coexist.
Data collected across Africa indicate that elephant conflict rates are increasing, with statistics from Uganda Wildlife Authority showing an increase in crop-raiding every year since 2015. Reports from Wildlife Connection show that crop-raiding incidents increased from 325 to 557 in 23 villages around Ruaha National Park in Tanzania between 2015 and 2016 alone.
MEET OKELLO
He is the owner of 4 acres of land that he uses to farm maize, cassava and ground nuts.
When his crops are almost ready to harvest, he sets off every night armed with slingshots, torches and noise makers to protect his livelihood from hungry elephants.
When elephants eat a farmers’ crop they compromise a families livelihood for that year. Many farmers are unable to pay for their children’s school fees, business expenses for improved crop yields the following year and other basic living expenses like food or healthcare.
Okello’s experience is not unique or uncommon with farmers across Africa and Asia.
Human-elephant conflict happens everywhere where farmers and elephants coexist and no solution has ever been able to scale across all elephant habitats before.
THE SOLUTION
The smelly elephant repellent is an accessible and organic solution to elephant crop raiding that is easy to implement and keeps elephants away from crops without putting human or elephant lives in danger.
It can also create new sources of income, as well as promoting the growth of cash crops (crops that are not grown to eat, but grown to sell such as ginger, garlic or chili) which are unpalatable to elephants and they will leave them alone. This is an opportunity to protect people from loosing livelihoods, while supporting new job opportunities in elephant habitats.
While this product can have a major impact on human-elephant conflict it can only survive if the delivery is designed without constant donation input that can put the project at risk of ending over time or adding further economic contribution to elephant regions.
Our goal was to make the elephant repellent available to all of those who can benefit from this product, without relying on yearly grants and donations.
FAQ’S
WHY IS THIS DIFFERENT TO OTHER ELEPHANTS DETERRENTS LIKE BEEHIVES AND FENCES?
Given that this is a large problem around the world, there are many solutions that have been developed to keep elephants away. What makes this one unique is the opportunity to create a viable business out of the product in order for it to be implemented and scaled beyond the reach of an individual organization and without the constant need for donations to keep it up. We are looking to create a case study to show how these solutions can thrive by incorporating behavioral science, business and design to the idea.
DOES THE SMELLY REPELLENT MAKE THE FOOD SMELL?
It doesn’t.
It is a strong smell that deters elephants, who have very sensitive noses, but it does not affect the crops where it is placed. Also, most of these crops have protective layers (like peanuts, watermelons and maize).
WHAT’S IN IT?
It’s a mix of garlic, eggs, chili, ginger, elephant dung and other natural ingredients that are then fermented to really get the mix to drive elephants away.
IS IT OK TO BE SELLING TO FARMERS?
Farmers are looking to make choices and to have agency over their futures. By giving the ability to make choices over how to protect one’s crops, we are giving the power of choice to each individual farmer. The elephant repellent is a product that is seen as a business cost, such as fertilizers, pesticides and tool rentals are today.
Furthermore, the repellent has proven to be a potential pesticide and fertilizer which are products that farmers currently buy to run their businesses.
WHY CAN’T YOU JUST GIVE THE RECIPE AWAY TO PEOPLE?
We did a behavioral study to answer this question and found a very clear answer: A guide sharing the elephant recipe is not enough to cause widespread use of the method. The perceived inaccessibility of local ingredients, the major upfront costs and hassle to find ingredients and skepticism over the repellent are big barriers for DIY uptake.
WHY DON’T PEOPLE JUST GROW THESE INGREDIENTS THEMSELVES?
The ingredients for the elephant repellent are what are known as cash crops. These are crops that are not grown to eat, but are grown to sell. They are not really edible as a staple food item, but are condiments. It is too risky for a farmer to invest in growing a crop that they are not able to sell. With the elephant repellent we can create demand for these crops and encourage farmers to grow more cash crops that can diversify their farm, grow crops that are unpalatable to elephants, and have a buyer for them at the end of the harvest season.
The service delivery of this product has now been completed and is now growing quickly within WildAid.
We are working on updating this page to reflect the final solutions presented and currently being tested in the field. Check back soon or reach out to us at team@designforwildlife.com for more information.
