Ecoexist Project

Elephants and People: Shared Landscapes, Shared Futures

Wat is het Ecoexist-project?

De Ecoexist Project is een natuurbeschermingsinitiatief in Botswana dat zich inzet voor het bevorderen van de co-existentie tussen lokale gemeenschappen en olifanten in de Okavango Delta regio. Door de uitdagingen van conflicten tussen mens en olifant aan te pakken, maakt het project gebruik van onderzoek en betrokkenheid van de gemeenschap om duurzame oplossingen te ontwikkelen die zowel mensen als wilde dieren ten goede komen. 

Through monitoring elephant movements, promoting responsible land use, and implementing conflict mitigation strategies, the Ecoexist Project empowers communities to protect their livelihoods while preserving the vital habitats of one of the world’s largest elephant populations.

Olifanten, vitaal onderzoek en coëxistentiestrategieën

Botswana is home to Africa's largest elephant population, estimated at around 130,000, creating one of the highest elephant-to-human ratios in the world. Many more elephants inhabit neighbouring regions of Angola, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, spanning an immense 440,000 square kilometres (about 169,000 square miles) across the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). Like humans, elephants need space, food, and water to thrive, but in places like the Okavango Delta Panhandle, this overlap of needs can make coexistence especially challenging.

The Panhandle is a vital migratory corridor, linking dryland resources in the north and west with the wetlands of the Okavango River and Delta. Some elephants travel transboundary routes into Namibia, Zambia, and Angola via Wildlife Dispersal Areas, while others remain within the Panhandle. Yet, the eastern Panhandle itself lacks access to essential services and economic opportunities, intensifying pressures on communities that share the landscape with elephants.

For more than 15 years, the Ecoexist Project has been researching and monitoring elephants in this region to understand their movements, behaviours, and land-use patterns. This science underpins responsible land-use planning, helping farmers cultivate fields in areas less prone to elephant conflict. Just as importantly, Ecoexist connects this research to community engagement: empowering local people with conflict-mitigation strategies, education, and tools to safeguard their livelihoods. By protecting elephant pathways and promoting coexistence, the project develops sustainable solutions where both people and wildlife can flourish.

Go2Africa’s Partnership With Ecoexist Project

Onze samenwerking begint met het ondersteunen van de Xoa Elephant Dung Paper Making Group bij het op de markt brengen van hun voorbeeldproduct, met name gericht op lokale safari lodges. Op dit moment wordt ongeveer 80% van de opgeslagen producten en ambachten in Botswana geïmporteerd. De overheid dringt er bij de toeristenindustrie op aan om deze dynamiek te veranderen en ernaar te streven dat 80% van de producten lokaal wordt ingekocht. 

The Xoa Craft Group has secured confirmed orders from local lodges for stationery items for their boutiques (greeting cards and writing pads). All raw materials were locally sourced, and production of their first order was completed in August 2025.