This project marked the beginning of our human-elephant coexistence strategy in 2018. Upper Kitete is a village in Karatu District, Nothern Tanzania. It borders the Ngorongoro Highlands Forest Reserve; a buffer zone encircling the biodiverse Ngorongoro Crater. A 2-metre wide firebreak separates the forest from farmland. The Crater is home to over 1,000 of Africa's largest elephants. They migrate from the forest to the rift valley and Lake Manyara via the only remaining route - the Upper Kitete Elephant Corridors, which bisects the village. Crop-raiding is at its peak. We established the beehive fence along the fireline, as a proven natural method for deterring elephants.
The Upper Kitete fence is now 4.25km in length, supporting 176 beehives, alternated with 'dummy' hives, to reduce loading capacity for wild honey bee colonies. It links up to the western side of the elephant corridor, guiding the elephants away from tempting crops and onwards to their migration route. We provided regular practical beekeeping training to the farmers bordering the forest, most impacted by crop-raiding. Farmers, assisted by our local team of Bee Guardians, maintain the beehives and fence while collecting data on elephant behaviour, movement, and reaction to the fence, helping to inform key conservation decisions, and adaptations to the coexistence model.
The income from honey and wax from two annual harvests is boosting the local economy, providing an incentive for forest habitat protection, and the long-term management of the coexistence solution. This evolved into a collective of Women Beekeepers; often the wives of the farmers, and most margenalised in their community and taking great risks to collect natural resources from the corridor. The NARI Women Beekeepers now spearhead the coxistence inititiative by purchasing the beehive fence honey from farmers at a local raw market rate, and processng this to a high standard to sell to connected martkers. This honey spot market motivated farmers to increase productivity and care of their beehives, improving results in crop-protection, while providing the women with new skills and financial independence.
Perceptions towards elephants have improved, and farmers are also exploring regenerative agriculture practices, with our support, and the introduction of a chilli buffer to act as an additional deterrent to elephants while diversifying income and improving soil health.