Guwahati, May 12: In the villages of Eastern Assam and the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, a
night of crop-raiding by wild elephants can push an entire family deeper into poverty. Over
the last two years, however, these communities have shown that coexistence with elephants
is possible when local knowledge, collective action, and practical solutions come together.
Across Majuli, Tinsukia, Sibsagar, Jorhat in Eastern Assam and West Garo Hills of
Meghalaya the team from Aaranyak have worked with local communities to install and
manage seasonal solar-powered fences designed to prevent elephant crop raids and property
damage because of depredation by elephants. Unlike permanent barriers, these community-
oriented fences are activated at dusk during cropping seasons, and dismantled when no
longer needed after the harvesting season, according to a Press release used by Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org)
Through a standardized Solar-powered Fence Training Module, altogether 345 community
members across these landscapes were trained in fence installation and maintenance – strong
participation from women, especially in West Garo Hills, where nearly half of the
participants were women, has been significant. In total, 24 Village Fence Committees with
457 members were formed to collectively manage and maintain the solar-powered fence
systems.
Today, 19 community-managed solar fences spanning more than 80 km in these areas are
protecting nearly 12,989 bighas (4,286 acres) of agricultural land and safeguarding crops
worth approximately INR 11.7 crore. For 3,236 households living within these protected
areas, crop loss due to elephant raids was reduced to zero over the last two years.
This initiative shows that conservation is not just about protecting wildlife — it is equally
about securing livelihoods, strengthening local communities, and nurturing coexistence from
the ground up.
The success of our seasonal solar-powered fencing model has only been possible because of
the active participation, shared responsibility, and ownership taken by local communities.
Conservation efforts hold little meaning without community involvement. For any intervention to truly succeed and sustain, people must feel that it is not imposed upon them, but built with them and for them.
