ENVIRONMENT-MALAWI:
Chilis Prompt Elephants to Cool Their Heels
Charles Mkoka
BLANTYRE, Jan 16 (IPS) - Elephants and humans have long found themselves
at loggerheads in Africa, and Malawi is no exception to this trend.
Communities in the southern Machinga and Balaka districts near Liwonde
National Park have seen their crops destroyed by elephants, while some
people have been trampled to death. This led to the construction of a
perimeter fence around the 538 square kilometre park in the early 1990's.
However, a number of people complained that the fence prevented them
from gathering wood and water in Liwonde, as they had previously done.
Poachers who were trapping game and fish in the reserve also took
exception to the new barrier, and the fence was vandalised. Ironically,
the fence wire was used to make snares for catching animals.
A few years later, the stance of communities surrounding the park
appears to have softened, and they have joined forces with government to
build a new solar-powered fence. But, villagers are also exploring a more
innovative way of keeping the elephants at bay: the planting of chili
pepper plants.
Speaking from Liwonde National Park, Mathias Elisa - a Parks and
Wildlife Department official who is responsible for education û
said, - Observations conducted during chili production revealed that
elephants keep diverting from areas where the...production is being done."
ôElephants hate the smell of chili, especially when the stems have
been burnt. It appears they...distance themselves from where the chili is
growing," he added.
The Partnership in Sustainable Natural Resource Management in Malawi,
a U.S-funded group based in the commercial capital of Blantyre, has
selected a number of communities to train in chili production. This
follows similar ventures in South Africa and Zimbabwe, where chilis have
proved effective in reducing conflict between humans and wildlife.
The National Smallholder Farmers of Malawi organisation has also
provided assistance to villagers by showing them how to space, transplant
and harvest chili plants. In addition, the growers have been given
information about grading, storage and marketing.
Once harvested and graded, the chilis are sold to European countries û
particularly Holland, Spain and Italy û where they are combined with
paprika to make the powder used in pepper sprays.
Records kept by Liwonde National Park show that chili sales for 2002-
2003 resulted in a profit of 1,500 dollars for adjacent communities, or
about 28 dollars per household. According to the United Nations Human
Development Report for 2003, almost 42 percent of Malawi's population
lives below the poverty line of a dollar a day.
Other communities near the reserve are now queuing up to join the
programme.
ôThe response has been overwhelming. Right now 13 new (chili growing)
clubs have been established in...Machinga district," says Elisa, who
coordinates chili project activities for the wildlife department.
Njahito club, on the eastern side of Liwonde, was the star performer
in chili production last year. Ten women and 19 men from this community
have started growing chilis.
Club Chairman Godfrey Mkwate says, ôWe are happy with the chili
production project. Apart from reaping benefits economically through
sales, the problems of elephants destroying our crops and property has
also been minimised."
Park officials hope that the chili project, in addition to smoothing
human-elephant relations, will lessen the demands which locals continue
to place on Liwonde's plant and animal resources. As a result of the
demand for wood and other items, the reserve has already been reduced in
size by 10 square kilometres to meet the needs of surrounding communities.
(END/2004)
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