Chili-based elephant fencing, a relatively recent breakthrough in sustainable agriculture, can help address famine, drought, poaching and deforestation issues in Africa. Combining a minimalist approach to design with eco-friendly resource management, this prolific model of organic pest control is a pioneering step toward bridging the impasse between subsistence farmers and their natural surroundings in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Developing nations must contend with the same environmental concerns as wealthier world powers. However, these poorer countries, currently lacking both financial stability and qualified manpower, simply cannot support an infrastructure under which these concerns will be addressed and regulated. The result is catastrophic, as the third world’s famine, drought, poaching and deforestation statistics dwarf those of more prosperous nations. Within such a fragile system, the need for inventive methods of conservation and resource management, illustrated by chili-based elephant fencing, has never been more urgent.

A Timeless Conflict

Of all the world’s creatures, elephants embody perhaps the most fabled existence. Known for both gentleness and ferocity, the pachyderm has co-habited the Earth with humans as far back as the Ice Age, when cave dwellers hunted woolly mammoths with spears. The evolution of this relationship has since been dynamic.

The Asian elephant has fared relatively well, as Hindu reverence for the animal has prevented their slaughter in India and Southeast Asia for thousands of years. As far back as ancient times, the creatures were semi-domesticated and used as working animals. Their mighty physique proved a useful plowing implement for farmers, and an invaluable carrying and loading tool for construction projects. Elephants also proved to be formidable opponents in warfare, capable of charging enemy lines and trampling their ranks. There are even illustrated records and written accounts of ‘elephant-crushing,’ a mode of prisoner execution, whereby the guilty party’s head was squashed underfoot; this barbaric procedure was practiced for centuries. Today, elephants are gainfully employed in logging projects in parts of Laos and Thailand, sponsored by the non-profit group Elefantasia.

The livelihood of African elephants, on the other hand, has not been so prosperous. Though its immense size reduced casualties at the hands of indigenous hunters, the elephant was driven to the brink of extinction as a result of the ivory trade. The destructive practice of killing elephants for their tusks flourished on the African continent for centuries, as the ivory was deemed highly valuable by virtually every society and culture on the planet. As explorers, and later slave traders, set foot on African soil, the region’s elephant numbers fell to under 600,000.

In 1989, a ban on the sale or import of ivory products was put in place by the United Nations, citing that the promotion of ivory would directly lead to the extinction of the elephant. However, this has been a contentious issue, as officials from many African nations have argued that the ivory trade is necessary. They claim elephant populations, while threatened, still require thinning measures to be taken. There is also an issue of financial stimulus; the struggling economies of these nations could benefit from a legalized ivory trade. Their case rests on the notion that many people would benefit from fewer elephants.

Perhaps first among this group are the African subsistence farmers, who share an equally troubled plight with the creatures. The rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa are home to the worst poverty in the world. The average annual income is less than $400, and running water, electricity and plumbing are considered vast luxuries that very few families can afford. Couple this with an inherent lack of knowledge or resources regarding birth control; most families have at least six or seven children, and statistically one-third of them will die before reaching adulthood. For these impoverished people, a successful crop year literally makes the difference between life and death.

In this part of the world, the primary crop is maize, though farmers may grow supplementary crops such as soya, sorghum, wheat, millet or cassava. The crops are harvested, whereupon the edible parts are crushed into a fine powder, and then boiled. The result is gelatinous lumps, similar to polenta or grits, which are served with vegetables, roots or meat. Even in a good year, the diet is meager, in both serving size and nutritional value. Furthermore, flooding, drought, insects or botanical diseases may compromise a farmer’s annual yield. Other risk factors are man-made, such as the nitrogen-depleted soil that results from the use of cheap chemical fertilizers, or unpenned, free-range livestock that consume the crops during the day.

Then, there is the problem with the elephants. For all their majesty, most African subsistence farmers see the creatures as destructive garden pests. A herd is able to devour a hectare (2.2 acres) of ripe maize in less than an hour. Most farmers grow between three and five hectares of maize annually, so it is quite conceivable that a farmer and his family could lose their entire crop growth in the course of one night. These disastrous circumstances are compounded by the fragile infrastructure of third-world governments. There are no monetary subsidies or other forms of compensation available to farmers who lose their crops to elephants in these countries. Yet, if a farmer is found guilty of poaching an elephant, even under defensive circumstances, he may receive a life sentence in prison. For these reasons, the relationship between farmers and elephants in these regions is quite fragile.

A Sustainable Truce

Though organic farming is not new, the concept has recently become a very lucrative practice on the African continent. Much of the success is owed to both government agencies and non-profit organizations for adopting programs that introduce environmentally friendly practices to rural populations. However, most of the credit should be given to the farmers themselves, for educating themselves about green methods, investing in materials and implementing these strange new technologies on their land.

Of course, for the sacrifices he has made, the farmer benefits greatly from organic farming techniques. Crop rotation allows him to greatly multiply his yield in just one quadrant of his land, while replenishing the soil in his fallow fields with nitrogen. Utilizing agro-forestry tree species simultaneously nourishes his soil with nutrients, generates fodder banks for his livestock and produces a source of firewood for cooking and heating purposes. Farming cooperatives enable communities to conduct programs that benefit multiple households, such as seed multiplication and community gardening. Elephant-fencing, however, introduces a new element to the equation: while the farmer protects the livelihood of his household, he plays the part of a conservationist by protecting a wild species that also depends on the land for survival.

Using boundaries to thwart elephant invasions is nothing new. Elephant fencing has been used since the 1970s, but the earlier models incorporated barbed or electrified wire – resources that were expensive, and often unattainable within the rural setting. Barriers made of buffer crops that are unpalatable to elephants were moderately successful, but the plants, such as bamboo, tea and tobacco, were also very costly to farmers. Ditches and moats seemed effective on a conceptual level, but the man-hours required for constructing and maintaining structures wide and deep enough to impede a herd of elephants rendered the project unfeasible. Many farmers resorted to tying cowbells to their fences to alert them of elephant trespassing, and scaring the animals with yells, drumbeats and gunshots.

The chili-fence model originated in the mid-1990s when local zoologists discovered the elephant’s negative response to capsicum, an exceptionally hot chili pepper of the Solanaceae family. During initial testing, it was determined that the strong odor of capsicum peppers caused adverse physical reactions from elephants, including irritation of the eyes, burning sensations in the trunk and trigeminal discomfort. However, in spite of its extreme irritation, the animals retreated, rather than charging or otherwise behaving aggressively toward humans. So offensive was the capsicum smell to elephants, researchers discovered, that herds would steer clear of a chili fence by one or two miles. This led to permanent alterations of their annual migratory routes, or corridors, and because elephants are equipped with a remarkable capacity for memory recollection, scientists estimate these changes will be adhered to for generations.

How to Make an Elephant-Fence

For all of the innovation and practicality of the chili-based elephant fence, it is very simple and inexpensive to construct. Before the chili-fence can be put into action, two preliminary tasks must be completed. The first is the propagation of the chilies. A farmer should plant a cache of Capsicum chilies in a seed garden, then transplant the seedlings into a plot of fertile soil within 4-6 weeks, and finally harvest the peppers approximately three months after planting the seeds. These chili varieties can be grown either as annuals or perennials, and will yield fruit for up to three years. Lastly, the farmer will dry the peppers in direct sunlight for approximately 72 hours, or until the pods are crisp.

Secondly, while the chilies grow, the farmer may take time to construct the framework of the fence. The farmer begins by collecting a large supply of thin timber poles; these may be difficult to acquire cheaply and legally, given the individual’s local resources, so a consultation with the district forestry department may be necessary. Then, the farmer will erect a boundary of poles that spans the circumference of his field(s), with the poles spaced approximately five yards apart. Each pole is then connected by two parallel lines of yarn, rope or fishing wire, which run 12-18 inches apart, at a height of about eight feet above the ground. For the final step, the farmer will fasten two or three squares of cloth or burlap between the lines, which stretches the cloth to provide maximal surface area on the squares.

With the chilies harvested and the outline of the fence in place, the farmer will complete the final step of this process – the manufacture and application of the elephant deterrent. First, he grinds the dried chilies into a coarse, grainy powder, in which the seeds have been separated from the pods. Then, he cuts the powder with a petroleum-based agent – used motor oil will be the most easily accessible form in the village setting – at an ratio of two parts chilies to one part oil. He mashes this substance until a dark, chunky paste has been formed. Finally - taking proper precaution to protect his eyes, nose, mouth and hands – the farmer applies a thick coat of the paste to each square of cloth; a paintbrush or serving spoon make fine applicators. The ‘chili fence’ will generate a wave of capsacin fumes that is unpleasant to humans, but downright noxious to elephants – and avoidable by any means necessary. The effects of the chili fence will begin to deteriorate after 2-3 weeks, so the farmer must have enough chilies, oil and cloth material to replenish the fence throughout the six-month period in which his crops are vulnerable to elephants.

If there is an abundance of chili powder leftover after the fence has been constructed, farmers may produce ‘elephant bombs’ as a supplementary measure. To make an elephant bomb, simply add the chili powder to a portion of semi-fresh elephant dung, and then cover it with straw, newspaper or any other available flammable materials. To give the mixture a solid shape, the farmer may use a brick mold. The elephant bombs should dry for a day or two, and then be placed in equal dispersal around the field. The farmer may set fire to them at nightfall; depending on how thick the elephant bombs are, they may burn all night. This is another effective measure of relieving one’s field of elephants, but impractical when compared to the fences, as far as resources are concerned; a large amount of chili powder is required for each brick.

In less than 20 years, the chili-based elephant fence has revolutionized the way farmers are able to incorporate conservation into their pest control methods. African nations where elephant habitats commonly abut rural farms – including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa – have found success by promoting the technique through wildlife agencies and district forestry departments. In addition to their efforts, several non-profit organizations have endorsed chili-fencing, including Elefence (Zambia), Save The Elephants (Kenya) and Elephant Pepper Development Trust (South Africa). The practice is also gaining momentum in India, where the World Wildlife Fund is collaborating with state forest departments to introduce the technology to regions where elephants are prevalent.

The chili-fence is a success story on all fronts, an acceptable solution to an age-old problem that is agreeable to farmers, game wardens and conservationists – and, not least of all, the elephants.