African People & Wildlife Awarded Major Grant to Support Elephant Coexistence Efforts in Greater Mkomazi Landscape
The transboundary project will empower local communities to mitigate human-elephant conflict, protect vital habitat, and ensure a sustainable future for elephants and rural livelihoods.
Arusha, Tanzania – African People & Wildlife (APW) is excited to announce an award of significant assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service International Affairs African Elephant Conservation Fund to advance elephant coexistence efforts in the Greater Mkomazi landscape. Over the next three years, the funding will support critical and urgent work to mitigate human-elephant conflict and protect vital wildlife habitat that is essential to connectivity within the Tsavo-Mkomazi ecosystem, which is part of an elephant stronghold stretching north into Kenya.
The project will directly involve local communities in Mwanga and Same Districts, where human-elephant conflict has escalated due to increased elephant populations and human settlement. These communities will play a pivotal role in collecting data and implementing mitigation strategies. Local people will be trained and supported as human-elephant coexistence officers, equipped with conflict mitigation toolkits, and engaged through continuous dialogue with APW to ensure community voices are central to the project.
APW is also recognized for its well-established big cat conservation work, which promotes coexistence between people and carnivores. This integrated strategy now extends to elephants, ensuring that wildlife conservation is achieved through sustainable solutions that also benefit local livelihoods. Building on APW’s success in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where its human-elephant coexistence programming is reducing conflicts between elephants and local farmers, this new project draws on twenty years of experience applying community-driven conservation approaches.
“The support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows us to build on our long-standing partnerships in Tanzania and focus on innovative, community-driven solutions for human-elephant coexistence,” said APW Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld.
“By working hand-in-hand with local communities, the Tanzania National Parks Authority, and partners like the Tsavo Trust and Save the Elephants, we are ensuring that conservation goes beyond wildlife protection to enhance human well-being and secure a future for elephants in this region.”
In addition to partnering with Mwanga and Same Districts, APW’s collaboration with the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) is crucial for this initiative. Under a five-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2022, APW and TANAPA are working together to develop and implement community-led conservation strategies. TANAPA will play a key role in the collaring of elephants for movement tracking, alongside managing and safeguarding the data generated to inform future conservation efforts.
Fellow elephant conservation organizations are critical partners in this cross-border initiative. Tsavo Trust, in close collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service, will share elephant movement data between Kenya and Tanzania to help shape management strategies across the Tsavo-Mkomazi ecosystem. Meanwhile, the Mara Elephant Project will play a key role by deploying elephant tracking collars, and Save the Elephants will strengthen capacity for mitigating human-elephant conflict by hosting Tanzanian officers for specialized training with their renowned Human-Elephant Coexistence Toolbox.
This collaboration marks a powerful, united effort to balance the needs of both people and elephants in a complex and ever-changing landscape. By bringing together all stakeholders in a shared commitment, the project aims to create lasting, sustainable solutions that protect human livelihoods while ensuring a safe future for elephants.
About African People & Wildlife
African People & Wildlife works hand in hand with communities and other partners to create a healthier and more sustainable world—protecting wildlife, investing in people, and restoring balance to Africa’s vital ecosystems through effective conservation action, applied science, and collective impact. APW’s inclusive and holistic approach drives effective, measurable, and lasting outcomes for people and nature. Founded in 2005, African People & Wildlife is a recognized leader in the field of community-driven conservation.
Media Contact
###