In the buffer zone of Tesso Nilo National Park on Sumatra, Indonesia, a women-led farming group has developed a method to reduce encounters between elephants and local communities. Deforestation and oil palm expansion have stripped the national park of more than three-quarters of its old-growth forest, forcing its roughly 150 Sumatran elephants into frequent, costly clashes with local residents.
The Batang Nilo Women's Forest Farmer Group, known as Perbani, based in the village of Lubuk Kembang Bunga, has championed dense fences made of citrus trees as a natural repellent for elephants to protect crops. Elsewhere in Indonesia, some villagers resort to poison bait or electric fences to prevent elephants from approaching. A member of Perbani said that before planting the citrus trees, elephants regularly ate their oil palm fruits, but have not done so since the citrus trees were planted.
The group also plants elephant-friendly fruit trees, including jackfruit, cempedak, and stink beans, to foster peaceful coexistence. Yuliantony, executive director of the Tesso Nilo National Park Foundation, the community organization that proposed the citrus initiative, said women are frequently overlooked in conservation efforts despite often having in-depth knowledge of local ecology. "That is why it is important to involve women in the conservation and management of natural resources," he told Mongabay Indonesia.
According to a study by researchers at the University of Riau, Perbani's actions have transformed local dynamics. The lead study author, sociologist Mita Rosaliza, said the group demonstrates that women are not victims of elephant conflict but creative problem solvers. Perbani also empowers its 30-plus members through monthly leadership training and a savings-and-loans scheme allowing members to borrow for household and farming expenses.
The group received official Wanawiyata Widyakarya status from Indonesia's forestry ministry in 2024, an award given to community organizations that successfully operate conservation and forestry enterprises and provide training to residents.
