Proposal to the African Elephant Fund

Proposal to the African Elephant Fund 1.1 Country: GHANA 1.2 Project Title: Elephant Culture: Melding Science and Traditional Knowledge about Elephant Culture and Social Complexity to Increase Positive Conservation Outcomes for Elephants in West Africa 1.3 Project Location: Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso (support from Australia and New Zealand) 1.4 Overall Project Cost: US$164,739 AMOUNT Requested from African Elephant Fund: US$99,989 1.5 Project Duration: 33 months (two years, nine months) 1.6 Project Proponent: Government of Ghana/Wild Migration 1.7 Name of Project Supervisor: Mr Nana Kofi Adu-Nsiah Executive Director Ghana Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission Dr Margi Prideaux Director Wild Migration Ltd 1.8 Address of Project Supervisor: PO Box MB.239 Ministries Post Office Accra, Ghana 1.9 Telephone Number: (+233) 302 401210 / 401227/ 401216 1.10 Email: adunsiah@yahoo.com / margi@wildmigration.org 1.11 Fax: (+233) 302 401249 1.12 Date proposal submitted: December 29, 2017 Proposal to African Elephant Fund 1

2.0 Project Summary: Elephants, indigenous peoples and local communities co-exist in a West African landscape under increasing pressure. African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) and forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) populations have declined severely throughout West Africa from habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and hunting. Many elephant conservation measures have marginal impact because they haven t accounted for the social complexity of these species, and current science has neglected a wealth of information inherent in traditional knowledge systems. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the Convention on Biological Diversity have recognised that indigenous peoples and local communities possess detailed knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem trends, formed through their direct dependence on their local ecosystems, and their observations and interpretations of change, generated, adapted and enriched over time. This project will begin by gathering current scientific knowledge about animal/elephant culture and social complexity. This will be enhanced with qualitative and quantitative traditional knowledge data about elephant conservation and elephant culture. A Report will be iteratively presented to communities, scientists, and policy-makers through the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) processes. The final Project Outcomes Report will be reviewed by the Project Steering Committee, the CMS Scientific Council Expert Group on Animal Culture and Social Complexity (ACSC), and the IPBES Task Force on Indigenous and Local Knowledge (if process and time permits) to ensure scientific efficacy. Through this collaboration, greater understanding about effective elephant conservation measures will be developed, and captured in a Project Outcomes Report that will have broad applicability to African elephant conservation. 3.0 Priority Objectives and Activities in the African Elephant Action Plan this project falls under Objective 3: To reduce Human-Elephant Conflict Activity 3.1.5. Evaluate the causes and socio-economic consequences of humanelephant interactions. The collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities will enrich the knowledge base about the causes of human-elephant conflict. Activity 3.2.1. Compile and disseminate information on HEC mitigation measures. Proposal to African Elephant Fund 2

The scientific review, and indigenous people and local community input, will provide valuable qualitative and quantitative information about the role elephant culture plays in elephant behaviour. Activity 3.2.2. Develop plans to manage HEC under different scenarios, integrating both local communities and other stakeholders in participatory planning. Activity 3.2.3. Harness traditional/indigenous knowledge and other deterrent methods for HEC, including emerging technologies. The collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities will provide insight into how elephant culture can inform plans to mitigate human-elephant conflict, including deterrent methods. Objective 4: To increase Awareness on Elephant Conservation and Management of Key Stakeholders that include Policy Makers, Local Communities among other Interest Groups Activity 4.1.2. Develop and implement awareness programs targeting schools, local communities, policy makers, NGO's, business sectors, etc. The project will provide valuable information for communities and policy-makers, and will be presented (in French and English) in an accessible form to ensure its widest reach. Activity 4.2.2. Incorporate relevant traditional beliefs and practices into conservation and management of the African elephant. The collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities will capture important traditional knowledge about elephant behaviour, and facilitate these communities to reflect on the new scientific information about elephant culture, adding their qualitative and quantitative input to this data. Objective 5: To strengthen Range States Knowledge on African Elephant Management Activity 5.2.2. Coordinate research efforts, compile and disseminate research findings. The final Project Outcomes Report will be placed online (French and English), in perpetuity, along with the research papers that were reviewed during the first phase of the project, and a summary of the traditional knowledge data. The Report will be circulated to all West African governments, as a print and ebook, with clear links to the web resource. The Report will also be submitted to the IPBES Task Force on Indigenous and Local Knowledge (TF ILK) and the Ad Hoc Openended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity. A co-authored open-source peerreviewed scientific paper will be published, to communicate this information to research communities. A summary of the Report will be developed and presented to the participating communities, to recount how their input has influenced wider thinking. Objective 7: To improve Local Communities Cooperation and Collaboration on African Elephant Conservation Proposal to African Elephant Fund 3

The core of this project is to unite scientific and traditional knowledge, about elephant culture, to inform elephant conservation and human-elephant mitigation plans. 4.0 Project Rationale Elephants, indigenous peoples, and local communities co-exist in a landscape under increasing pressure. African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) and forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) populations have declined severely throughout West Africa. They are now found only in small and isolated habitat fragments. Many populations are extremely threatened, with an estimated 90 percent of their range destroyed. With their decline, and the absence of their seed dispersal function in many ecosystems, there has been a corresponding biodiversity loss. Elephant habitat is lost as a consequence of expanding human activities: when development projects create mines, dams or commercial agriculture; when new roads encourage settlement in remote places; when existing villages and farms grow or new ones are created; and when forestry activities are permitted and hunting increases in forest concession areas. At the same time, many current elephant conservation measures are having marginal impact, because they haven t accounted for the social complexity of these species. Knowledge transfer occurs between experienced and naïve African elephant individuals, and experienced matriarchs influence the behaviour of their groups in the context of social knowledge and knowledge of predators. Recent analysis also suggests routes to preferred locations are maintained as traditions within families. The role of matriarchs as repositories of social knowledge, and evidence that the age of the matriarch can influence reproductive rates of younger females in their social group, is highly relevant to their conservation. Removing one individual from a family can have significant impacts on the survival of that group. Equally so, the behaviour of specific individuals can influence the success or failure of human-elephant conflict measures, or elephant conservation initiatives such as migratory corridors or the protection of important habitats. This science has, for the most part, been developed without the input of indigenous and local knowledge systems. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the Convention on Biological Diversity have recognised that indigenous peoples and local communities possess detailed knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem trends, formed through their direct dependence on their local ecosystems, and their observations and interpretations of change generated and adapted and enriched over time. This is valuable knowledge for elephant conservation an elephant culture science. Proposal to African Elephant Fund 4

West African elephant conservation is now at such a precarious moment, it is crucial to facilitate the input of indigenous and local knowledge about elephant culture and elephant conservation, and to unite this with the emerging elephant culture science, to develop novel plans for mitigating human-elephant conflict and ensuring elephant movement between important habitats. Elephant conservation must be lifted to understand elephant culture and social complexities, so that indigenous peoples, local communities, government policy makers, and law enforcement officials can make informed decisions that benefit both communities and elephants. 5.0 Detailed Proposal: The project will proceed in easily defined phases. All report phases will be presented in French and English. Phase one: information collection Emmanuel M. Hema (Burkina Faso) will gather the baseline understanding about animal culture and social complexity, as it relates to elephants in West Africa. He will also complete an analysis about how this information can inform the design of elephant corridor and habitat conservation, and human-elephant conflict reduction measures, as prioritised in the African Elephant Action Plan. This will be reviewed by the CMS Scientific Council Expert Group on Animal Culture and Social Complexity (CMS ACSC). Phase one activities, benefits, milestones and budget: Activity 1: Compilation of baseline information Benefits of this phase: Collecting what is known about African elephant culture and how it relates to humanelephant conflict mitigation, as well as elephant conservation Milestone 1: CMS ACSC gives the analysis and baseline information a favourable review Budget implication: Research time, journal access, translations, and review time Phase two: local community input Under guidance of the Project Steering Committee, Margi Prideaux (Australia) will design an appropriate community research framework and adapt the scientific material for community workshops. Maximin K. Djondo (Benin) and a researcher from the Government of Ghana will present the baseline understanding about elephant culture and social complexity to three groups of indigenous peoples or local communities in Benin, and three groups of indigenous peoples or local communities in Ghana, to facilitate the input of their traditional knowledge relating to: Proposal to African Elephant Fund 5

1) their existing understanding of the elephant groups near their communities, including elephant behaviour patterns; 2) their reflections about how the science of animal/elephant culture and social complexity adds to or changes their understanding of these elephants; and 3) how this collective information can be used to decrease human-elephant conflicts and increase elephant conservation in their local region, including habitat conservation and migratory corridor design. The baseline information and community data about African elephant culture and social complexity will form the first draft of the Project Outcomes Report. The first draft will also reflect how this iterative information is relevant to the activities of the African Elephant Action Plan, and the priorities within the CMS West African Elephant Memorandum of Understanding Action Plan. Phase two activities, benefits, milestones and budget: Activity 2: Research design established and materials produced for community workshops Activity 3: Community workshops conducted in Benin Activity 4: Community workshops conducted in Ghana Activity 5: First draft of the Project Outcomes Report developed Benefits of this phase: Uniting the known scientific information about animal culture with traditional knowledge about elephant behaviour, to maximise the African elephant culture information. Milestone 2: First draft of the Project Outcomes Report completed Budget implication: Research design and document development time, travel, accommodation and workshop expenses for six workshops Phase three: scientific and policy-maker input Margi Prideaux will present the first draft of the Project Outcomes Report to the 4th CMS Scientific Council Sessional Committee (CMS ScC SC4), for scientific discussion. Emmanuel M. Hema, Maximin K. Djondo, the researcher from Ghana, and Margi Prideaux will present the second draft of the Report to West African policy-makers in a workshop during CMS 13 th Conference of the Parties (CoP13), to solicit further ideas and input. Phase three activities, benefits, milestones and budget: Activity 6: First draft of the Project Outcomes Report presented to the CMS ScC SC4 Activity 7: Second draft of the Project Outcomes Report presented to West African elephant Range States during CMS CoP13. Proposal to African Elephant Fund 6

Benefits of this phase: Presenting this united scientific and traditional knowledge in a space where scientists can collectively discuss it, and West African policy-makers can build upon it Milestone 3: Second draft of the Project Outcomes Report completed Budget implication: Document development time, as well as travel to and accommodation during CMS ScC SC4 and CMS CoP13 Phase four: dissemination of results The final draft of the Project Outcomes Report will be reviewed by the CMS ACSC and the Project Steering Committee, and will be submitted to the IPBES TF ILK for comment, if process and time permits. The final Project Outcomes Report will be published online, in perpetuity, along with the research papers that were reviewed during the first phase of the project, and a summary of the traditional knowledge data. The Report will be circulated to all West African governments, as a print and ebook, with clear links to the additional resources. The Report will also be submitted to the IPBES Task Force on Indigenous and Local Knowledge (TF ILK) and the Ad Hoc Openended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity. A co-authored, open-source, peerreviewed, scientific paper will be published, to communicate this information to research communities. A summary of the Report will be developed and presented to the participating communities, to recount how their input has influenced wider thinking. Phase four activities, benefits, milestones and budget: Activity 8: Final draft of the Project Outcomes Report reviewed by the CMS ACSC, Project Steering Committee, and IPBES TF ILK, if process and time permits Activity 9: Final Project Outcomes Report circulated Activity 10: Summary Report presented to the participating communities Benefits of this phase: Widely shared information can be used in formal and informal ways throughout the region, opening new possibilities for elephant conservation not currently being considered. Milestone 4: Final Project Outcomes Report completed and circulated Budget implication: Document development, printing and postage, open source journal fee, and time, travel, and accommodation expenses to revisit the six participating communities (in Benin and Ghana) Monitoring, evaluation and reporting The project will have Steering Committee oversight from: Nana Kofi Adu-Nsiah, Executive Director, Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission (Ghana); Prof. Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, CMS Scientific Councillor for African Fauna, and Member of the IPBES Task Force on Indigenous and Local Knowledge (Ghana); and Proposal to African Elephant Fund 7

6.0 Project Timeline: Philippa Brakes, Chair of the CMS ACSC (New Zealand). This Steering Committee will oversee the project design, as well as reviewing the project at various strategic stages during the project process. The timeline for this project extends over 33 months, presuming the African Elephant Fund commences its funding cycle in early to mid 2018. CMS CoP13 is likely to be in May or June 2020. CMS ScC SC4 will be 4-5 months earlier. Year 2018 2019 2020 Quarters 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th Project initiation Contracts signed. Workflow and Steering Committee established Phase one: information collection Activity 1: Compilation of baseline information Phase two: local community input Activity 2: Research design established and materials produced for community workshops (French and English) Activity 3: Community workshops conducted in Benin (French) Activity 4: Community workshops conducted in Ghana (English) Activity 5: First draft Project Outcomes Report developed (French and English) Phase three: scientific and policy-maker input Activity 6: First draft Project Outcomes Report presented to CMS ScC4 (French and English) Activity 7: Second draft Project Outcomes Report presented during CMS CoP13 (French and English) Phase four: dissemination of results Activity 8: Final draft Project Outcomes Report reviewed by CMS ACSC, IPBES, Steering Committee Activity 9: Final Project Outcomes Report circulated (French and English) Activity 10: Presentation to the participating communities (French and English) Project conclusion Final report to the African Elephant Fund (English) Proposal to African Elephant Fund 8

BUDGET 7.0 Has this project received or been pledged any other sources of funding (external)? The project has not received or been pledged any other sources of external funding. 7.1 Detailed proposed budget for this project (in US$): Details included in Table annexed to the document: All budget details are included in the table annexed to this document. A summary of the budget phases is as follows: Phase one: information collection (3 rd Q, 2018) African Elephant Fund $11,450 In-kind/other contributions $11,400 Phase one total $22,850 Phase two: local community input (4 th Q, 2018-3 rd Q, 2018) African Elephant Fund $18,454 In-kind/other contributions $4,800 Phase two total $23,254 Phase three: scientific and policy-maker input (4 th Q, 2019 2 nd Q, 2020) African Elephant Fund $34,855 In-kind/other contributions $21,000 Phase three total $55,855 Phase four: dissemination of results (2 nd Q, 2020 3 rd Q, 2020) African Elephant Fund $17,680 In-kind/other contributions $21,880 Phase four total $39,560 Reporting and Administration (2 nd Q, 2018 4 th Q, 2020) African Elephant Fund $17,551 In-kind/other contributions $5,670 Reporting and Admin total $23,221 Any other budget lines: There are no other budget lines. 7.2 Proponents contribution towards the project: The proposal contains substantial elements of in-kind contribution: 1) Wild Migration will contribute US$36,080 of in-kind funding; 2) CMS ACSC will contribute US$18,000 of in-kind funding; and Proposal to African Elephant Fund 9

3) the Project Steering Committee will also contribute US$10,670 of in-kind funding. The total value of these in-kind contributions is US$64,750 Please submit the completed proposal by: Email: africanelephantfund@unep.org You should receive acknowledgement of receipt of your proposal within 14 days. If you do not receive such an acknowledgement, please telephone: (254) 20 7625069 / (254) 20 762 5046 Further details on any of the above details may be requested by the Steering Committee of the African Elephant Fund. Proposal to African Elephant Fund 1

BUDGET LINE FULL PROPOSAL BUDGET Quantity/Days/ Participants Cost/Unit Required cost Expected source of funds and amounts PROPONENT WILD MIGRATION + In-kind AEF (GOVT.) contribution PHASE ONE: INFORMATION COLLECTION CONSULTANCY/PROFESSIONAL Emmanuel M. Hema 20 $300 $6,000 $6,000 Journal research (pay per view access x 50 papers) 50 $35 $1,750 $1,750 Translation services 2 $350 $700 $700 CMS ACSC peer review 1 $6,000 $6,000 $6,000 Margi Prideaux (project oversight) 24 $350 $8,400 $3,000 $5,400 $22,850 $11,450 $0 $11,400 PHASE TWO: LOCAL COMMUNITY INPUT CONSULTANCY/PROFESSIONAL Maximin K. Djondo 14 $300 $4,200 $4,200 Researcher from Ghana 14 $300 $4,200 $4,200 Margi Prideaux (project oversight + document development) 26 $300 $7,800 $3,000 $4,800 Wild Migration TRAVEL Ghana community workshops x 3 (x 1 days ea) 3 $750 $2,250 $2,250 Ghana mobile phone credit 3 $150 $450 $450 Benin community workshops x 3 (x 1 days ea) 3 $750 $2,250 $2,250 Benin mobile phone credit 3 $150 $450 $450 EDUCATIONAL AND REVIEW MATERIALS Printing first draft of the Project Outcomes Report (x 12 copies) 12 $5 $60 $60 Design and layout or brochure for the 6 workshops (A4-60 x Eng, 60 x Fr) 1 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 Printing brochure for the 6 workshops (A4-60 x Eng, 60 x Fr) 120 $1 $94 $94 $23,254 $18,454 $0 $4,800 PHASE THREE: SCIENTIFIC AND POLICY-MAKER INPUT CONSULTANCY/PROFESSIONAL Emmanuel M. Hema 12 $300 $3,600 $3,600 Maximin K. Djondo 12 $300 $3,600 $3,600 Researcher from Ghana 12 $300 $3,600 $3,600 Margi Prideaux (project oversight + document development) 30 $300 $9,000 $6,000 $3,000 Wild Migration CMS ACSC, IPBES and Steering Committee peer review 1 $6,000 $6,000 $6,000 ACSC, IPBES, Project Steering Committee TRAVEL Margi Prideaux (Australia-Germany, return fare + 4 days accommodation and stipend x 1 journey) 1 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 Wild Migration Emmanuel M. Hema (Burkina Faso-India, return fare + 7 days accommodation and stipend x 1 journey) 1 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500 Maximin K. Djondo (Benin-India, return fare + 7 days accommodation and stipend x 1 journey) 1 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500

Researcher from Ghana (Ghana-India, return fare + 7 days accommodation and stipend x 1 journey) 1 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500 Margi Prideaux (Australia-India, return fare + 7 days accommodation and stipend x 1 journey) 1 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500 Wild Migration EDUCATIONAL AND REVIEW MATERIALS Production of the second draft of the Project Outcomes Report (x5 days) 5 $250 $1,250 $1,250 Design and layout of the postcards, website and promotion banner 3 $550 $1,650 $1,650 Wild Migration Postcards for CMS CoP13 (A5 x 250) 250 $0.34 $85 $85 Website space for the second draft of the Project Outcomes Report 1 $350 $350 $350 Wild Migration Promotional banners for the CMS CoP13 workshop (x2) 2 $110 $220 $220 $55,855 $34,855 $0 $21,000 PHASE FOUR: DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS CONSULTANCY/PROFESSIONAL Emmanuel M. Hema 3 $300 $900 $900 Maximin K. Djondo 3 $300 $900 $900 Researcher from Ghana 3 $300 $900 $900 Translation services 8 $350 $2,800 $2,800 Margi Prideaux (project oversight + document finalisation) 45 $300 $13,500 $5,000 $8,500 Wild Migration TRAVEL Ghana Community meeting x 3 (x 1 days ea) 3 $750 $2,250 $2,250 Ghana mobile phone credit 3 $50 $150 $150 Benin community meeting x 3 (x 1 days ea) 3 $750 $2,250 $2,250 Benin mobile phone credit 3 $50 $150 $150 EDUCATIONAL AND REVIEW MATERIALS Journal open-source fee 1 $1,200 $1,200 $1,200 CMS ACSC and IPBES peer review 1 $6,000 $6,000 $6,000 ACSC, IPBES Project Steering Committee review 1 $3,000 $5,000 $5,000 Project Steering Committee Final Project Outcomes Report (x 100 copies - 40 x Eng, 40 x Fr) 80 $10 $760 $760 ebook production and publication 1 $2,500 $2,500 $120 $2,380 Wild Migration Postage for the Final Project Outcomes Report 100 $3 $300 $300 $39,560 $17,680 $0 $21,880 PROJECT SUBTOTAL $141,519 $82,439 $0 $59,080 REPORTING AND ADMINISTRATION Financial management (5hrs/month x 30 mths) 150 $63 $9,375 $9,375 Steering Committee oversight (2hrs/month x 30 mths) 30 $189 $5,670 $5,670 Project Steering Committee Accountancy (@7.5% of the project sub-total) 5% $8,175.65 $8,175.65 $23,221 $17,551 $0 $5,670 PROJECT TOTALS $164,739 $99,989 $0 $64,750 $164,739