Vodafone and WWF-Kenya Launch AI Solution to Mitigate Human-Wildlife Conflict

As the world prepares to commemorate World Environment Day under the theme “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience,” a new AI-powered solution named m-Twiga has been launched to deter human-wildlife conflict. This innovative project is a collaboration between Vodafone, WWF-Kenya, and a tech partner.

m-Twiga, a cutting-edge 360-camera system, leverages the power of Internet of Things (IoT) and AI technology to detect and identify animals in the vicinity. Once an animal is detected, the system sends an SMS alert to wildlife rangers and activates deterrents such as flashing lights or specific sounds to ward off the animal. This proactive approach aims to prevent negative interactions between humans and wildlife.

Human-wildlife conflict arises when animals and humans encroach on each other’s territories or compete for resources, often exacerbated by climate change and shrinking habitats. In Kenya, over 60% of the country’s wildlife resides on community and private lands outside Protected Areas, where human-wildlife conflict is most prevalent, according to WWF-Kenya.

The introduction of m-Twiga represents a significant step forward in mitigating these conflicts and protecting both human and wildlife populations from the adverse effects of climate change and habitat encroachment.