In an innovative and animal-friendly solution to human-elephant conflict, residents of 12 villages in Ronghang-Hatikhuli, Assam, have given over a vast tract of land to create a ‘meal zone’ for elephants.
Wild elephants frequently venture down from the hills of the neighboring Karbi Anglong district looking for food and subsequently causing damage to the locals’ paddy fields. In a plan to keep the majestic animals away from the villagers’ own crops, around 600 Indian farmers have donated 33 acres of community land to the NGO Hatibondhu (‘friends of elephants’) to grow rice and other crops.
“Growing paddy for elephants was the idea of Pradip Kumar Bhuyan, the director of our NGO,” environmentalist Binod Dulu Bora, told The Hindu. “We had several meetings with the villagers and managed to convince them by saying they would be setting an example for the world to follow toward reducing man-animal conflicts.”
As well as paddy, Hatibondhu and the local farmers have also planted 2,000 outenga (elephant apple) saplings, 1,500 jackfruit plants, and 25,000 banana plants, which the elephants can feast on. It will take some time for the crops to mature, so until then the elephants can feed on an area of fast-growing napier grass planted specifically for them.
“By the time the elephants finish the crop grown for them, we will have harvested much of our own. We think the elephants will turn back if they don’t find crop in our spaces,” commented one of the two village headmen, Dyansing Hanse.
The other headman, Jiten Kro, added that he hoped the move would help humans and elephants co-exist amicably. “We are happy to have given back some space to the elephants through a project that I believe is unprecedented,” he said.
A hectare of Indian wheat farm that produced an average of 0.8 tonnes in 1948, produced 4.7 tonnes of wheat in 1975 from the same land. Such rapid growth in farm productivity enabled India to become self-sufficient by the 1970s. It also empowered the smallholder farmers to seek further means to increase food staples produced per hectare.
Way to go guys.
THANK YOU — wonderful, creative, compassionate, intelligent Plan for the Elephants — THANK YOU, again — may the rest of the world REPLICATE your methods — co-existing with our beautiful Animals is a MUST.
Many thanks to the villagers & NGO; this is so very innovative & humanitarian! May the rest of the world follow your example!!
Unprecedented indeed. A wonderful idea and setting a great example for other countries.
A very big thank you!
I’m so proud of you Assam what a thoughtful, kind & generous thing to do.
What a thoughtful and creative plan. Many people need to realize the world does not exist only for humans and I aped the efforts of the people acting a such responsible and compassionate manner
There is synergy everywhere – creative solutions are everywhere you look – thank you!
Thank you Assam and also NGO Hatibondhu. Now if you can also help villagers respect the leopards and tigers instead of beating them to death!
Thank you to the villagers.
I always admire India for being a rare country that promotes humanity toward animals, instead of viewing animals as something to fill up their stomachs.
For once a positive story of kindness. Thank you to all of the villagers who have reached the understanding that we all need to protect the creatures of this planet. You are saviours for these elephants and the world thanks you for your care.
When a positive and hopeful story at last!
This is wonderful news. People and animals can live side by side. Great news and hopefully other countries will learn from those that have very little.
Thank you wonderful people!!!
Merci à toutes ces belles personnes qui contribuent au bien être animal!
This is good news and I congratulate the people for doing this. They are acting responsibily and it would be great if others would follow their example. Well done to them.
At last some feel good news warms the heart to read these kind of articles.
Take care
Thank you for helping the elephants.
When I hear of the cruelty that has happened there, it breaks my heart.
I am very happy to know that people there do care. Thank you.
Great news!! Any way to contribute to these villages??
Thank you Mr Bhuyan , you have set an excellent example for others to follow. It means elephants can live in peace with natives.