Farmers’ experiences of mobile electric fences for human–elephant coexistence

Human–elephant conflict is a common problem in places where human activities and elephant habitats overlap, posing a serious threat to livelihoods and elephant conservation. In Gabon, the growing intensity of these conflicts in recent years has made it a key political issue. In 2022, Space for Giants, an international conservation non-governmental organisation, in support of the Ministry of Water, Forests, the Sea and the Environment, introduced a national mobile electric fencing programme to protect farmers from crop devastation by elephants. This report outlines the findings from our study of farmers’ experiences with Gabon’s mobile electric fencing programme. It also provides recommendations aimed at reducing the programme’s chance of failure and promoting a more sustainable and harmonious relationship between humans and forest elephants.