Participatory Co-Design for Human-Elephant Coexistence: Integrating Local Knowledge into Early Warning System...

Area of Science:

• Socio-ecological systems
• Conservation technology
• Human-wildlife conflict studies

Background:

• Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a major socio-ecological challenge in tropical regions.
• Agricultural expansion and habitat fragmentation exacerbate human-wildlife encounters.
• Effective mitigation strategies require integrating local knowledge and technological solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To co-design early warning systems (EWS) for mitigating human-elephant conflict in Odisha, India.
• To integrate Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and Design-Based Research (DBR) into EWS development.
• To enhance adaptive conservation governance through participatory technology design.

Main Methods:

• Utilized digitized PRA tools for community mapping of elephant movement, crop damage, and risk hotspots.
• Combined local ecological knowledge with geospatial analysis.
• Employed iterative feedback and community validation for contextual accuracy and stakeholder ownership.

Main Results:

• Developed a framework identifying priority locations and temporal windows for AI-enabled camera-based EWS.
• Linked ecological data with social acceptability for effective deployment.
• Demonstrated the value of participatory approaches in conservation technology.

Conclusions:

• Participatory technology design strengthens adaptive conservation governance.
• Embedding community knowledge into decision-making fosters innovation in conservation.
• This approach offers a model for locally led, socially grounded conservation in diverse HEC landscapes.