Protecting Crops and Preserving Wildlife: Poly Wire Fencing in Kasungu National Park
Communities living near Kasungu National Park are seeing the benefits of ongoing conservation work piloted by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) Malawi and Zambia.
These efforts are not only mitigating human-wildlife conflict and promoting coexistence but also strengthening food security and resilience.
These initiatives form part of 2022 translocation of nearly 700 animals, including 263 elephants from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu, a major conservation effort led by Malawi’s DNPW. Carefully planned and executed, the operation addressed critical ecological imbalances: Liwonde had exceeded its elephant carrying capacity, while Kasungu had suffered a severe decline in elephant populations over the years.
The translocation delivered on the government’s long-held plan to translocate elephants to Kasungu National Park to support its return to its former glory, and drive tourism.
As Kasungu’s wildlife begins to thrive, longstanding initiatives to ensure that nearby communities benefit are being increased. Against this backdrop, DNPW Malawi and Zambia, with financial and technical backing from International Fund for Animal Welfare [IFAW] and other partners, have expanded the provision of poly wire fencing to protect seasonal crops from attack by elephants.
Poly wire fences, often electrified using solar-powered units, are a popular and efficient method for deterring elephants. A single strand of poly wire strung between posts delivers a mild, non-lethal shock, teaching elephants to avoid the barrier. Strips of flagging also help make the fences visible, even when not electrified, reinforcing the deterrent. This low-cost, humane solution offers protection for farms while respecting wildlife.
Human-elephant interactions are common place in areas near protected parks, especially as elephants follow age-old migratory paths and seek increasingly scarce resources due to habitat loss and erratic climate patterns. Climate change and expanding human settlements have made these interactions more common across Africa and beyond. However, with innovative and community-inclusive interventions, conflict can be reduced.
By providing farmers with these poly wire fences, DNPW has helped farmers safeguard their livelihoods, leading to improved food security and safer communities, while elephants continue their natural movements across the landscape. It’s a practical solution that reflects a broader shift towards coexistence, not competition, between communities and conservation.
Around the world, nations are facing the challenges of human-wildlife conflict. In India, nearly 500,000 families each year lose crops to elephants. In Kenya, over the past decade, 305 people have lost their lives in elephant-related incidents, with nearly a quarter of those in Kajiado County alone.
The poly wire fencing project in Kasungu National Park is a welcome example of what can be achieved when conservation is collaborative and community centred. Thanks to DNPW, Malawi is demonstrating to the continent how conservation can work for everyone, laying the foundation for peaceful coexistence and a resilient future.
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