Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has allocated Rp839 billion (about $49 million) to build fences and embankments around Way Kambas National Park in Lampung province to address long-standing conflicts between elephants and nearby communities.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the conflicts often occur when elephants leave the conservation area and enter villages or farmland.

“Several months ago, a village head was trampled to death after elephants attempted to cross residential areas and agricultural land,” Raja Juli said.

He added that the project was directly instructed by Prabowo as part of efforts to protect wildlife while improving the safety of communities living near the national park.

“In London, the president had already stated that a maximum of Rp2 trillion would be allocated for the fence and embankment in Way Kambas, as well as ecosystem restoration. However, after our assessment and efficiency measures, the required budget was reduced to a maximum of Rp839 billion,” he said.

The project was initially estimated to require up to Rp 2 trillion. However, following technical studies and efficiency measures, the budget was lowered to around Rp839 billion, the minister said.

The construction of fences and embankments aims to prevent elephants from leaving the conservation area and entering nearby settlements or agricultural land.

The government is currently testing several design prototypes for the barriers, drawing lessons from wildlife management practices in countries such as India and several African nations.

In addition to serving as a boundary for the conservation area, the infrastructure is also expected to support community empowerment programs. The fences could be used for economic activities such as beekeeping and honey production, allowing conservation efforts to coexist with local economic development.

Earlier, Prabowo also announced plans to establish a special task force to develop innovative financing mechanisms and improve the management of Indonesia’s national parks.

He has also pledged to dedicate around 90,000 hectares of his own land for elephant habitat conservation.

As an initial step, the government plans to launch pilot projects aimed at improving national park management, including at Way Kambas, which is known for its elephant conservation program.