- Summary
- Objectives
- Status
- Project Publications
Summary
Through this project we aim to conserve individuals and populations of Asian elephants that persist in human‐dominated landscapes by creating opportunities for people, especially farmers, to attain their life goals. Our endeavor was to enrich the lives of the farmers by showcasing the intricate web of actors and processes which they, as much as the elephants, are an integral part of and are agents of change.
Objectives
1. Co‐creating spaces and lifestyle practices that are more compatible with the elephant use of the area, thereby improving our own adaptability and food security.
2. Storytelling to inform the farmers of the ways in which they can deal with their own issues with elephants rather than depending on external aid.
Status
- To help farmers gain a better price for their crops, we helped connect them to better markets and to consumers who are conscious of where and how their food is grown.
- We organised a workshop for the farmers at the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru. While conflict has reduced in farming, there is still much progress that can be made in other areas of life. This workshop was organised to explore such possibilities with the farming communities that we work with through a systems thinking framework. The other objectives of the workshop were to introduce the farmers from different areas to each other and to facilitate exchange of ideas and cross‐learning.
- The farmers talked about how, earlier, the loss of crops to elephants after spending considerable time and effort in growing and protecting their crops was often very large. Although they would usually approach the Forest Department to claim compensation, they felt demotivated. Now, by working together and trying new methods of crop protection, they were able to harvest all of their crops, which had boosted their morale and confidence to try new methods to live alongside elephants.
- Additionally, to raise awareness about human‐elephant conflict, we published a comic book that tells the story from the human and the elephant sides exploring ways in which co‐existence may be achieved.