Elephants and humans have long found themselves at loggerheads in Africa, and Malawi is no exception to this trend. Communities in the southern Machinga and Balaka districts near Liwonde National Park have seen their crops destroyed by elephants, while some people have been trampled to death. This led to the construction of a perimeter fence around the 538 square kilometre park in the early 1990's. But, villagers are also exploring a more innovative way of keeping the elephants at bay: the planting of chilli pepper plants. Speaking from Liwonde National Park, Mathias Elisa - a Parks and Wildlife Department official who is responsible for education - said: "Observations conducted during chilli production revealed that elephants keep diverting from areas where the...production is being done. Elephants hate the smell of chilli, especially when the stems have been burnt. It appears they...distance themselves from where the chilli is growing,” he added.