Kenya-based Mara Elephant Project (MEP) has confirmed its role as a conservation partner for the Global Conservation Tech and Drone Forum (GCTDF 2026), taking place from March 2 to 6 in Nairobi and Konza Technopolis.
GCTDF 2026, themed Technology in Service of Nature, Protecting Wildlife, Supporting People, Restoring Ecosystems, brings together rangers, community leaders, technologists, researchers, policymakers, and youth from across Africa and the world to explore how drones, satellite sensors, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and data-driven tools can safeguard biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and enhance community resilience.
As a key partner, MEP will support the inaugural Youth Conservation Tech Award 2026, a non-cash recognition program designed to elevate young individuals aged 25 and under as of March 1, 2026, who are applying technology in practical, field-based conservation work. The award focuses on operational, real-world solutions such as drone monitoring, sensor networks, or data platforms that demonstrate clear conservation impact, ethical tech application, and leadership.
Winners will be selected through a transparent, multi-stakeholder judging process and honored during a high-visibility plenary session at GCTDF 2026. Awardees will receive a formal certificate of recognition, supported participation in the five-day forum, and inclusion in official communications providing significant visibility and professional validation.
MEP, founded in 2011, works across the Greater Mara Ecosystem to protect elephants, promote coexistence, and conserve critical habitats. Technology plays an increasingly central role in this work, particularly through the operational use of drones for monitoring wildlife and rapid response human-elephant conflict mitigation, alongside a strong investment in training and capacity building.
As part of its contribution to GCTDF 2026, MEP will share its experience in training and upskilling rangers in drone operations, aerial monitoring, and data-informed conservation decision-making. The organization will also showcase its knowledge exchange programs that extend drone and conservation technology skills to partner organizations across the African continent.
MEP Chief Executive Officer Marc Goss stated that joining GCTDF 2026 is important because conservation today depends on sharing knowledge, building skills, and working together across disciplines and borders. He emphasized that emerging technologies drive innovation and are most effective when grounded in field experience and accessible to the people shaping the future of conservation in Africa.
The organization operates across a three-million-acre area in the Greater Mara Ecosystem as the primary first responder, focusing on protecting elephant populations, safeguarding habitats, promoting human-elephant coexistence, and maintaining landscape connectivity.
Since 2017, MEP has pioneered the use of drones for elephant monitoring and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. The organization operates an active training facility at its headquarters in the Maasai Mara to upskill rangers in drone operations and conservation technology, extending these skills to partner organizations across Africa.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) serves as the official conservation partner for GCTDF 2026. The partnership aligns with KWS’s 2024 to 2028 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes sustainable, inclusive and community-centered conservation.
The forum will feature expo booths, poster sessions, workshops, live drone and sensor demonstrations, and forums on inclusive conservation innovation, biodiversity protection, ecosystem resilience, and community benefit. All sessions, data outputs, and project results will be openly shared to ensure global accessibility and impact.
