Habitat loss driven by agriculture simultaneously displaces elephants and other wildlife while replacing natural forage with highly palatable cultivated crops

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, through the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund (CFDA 15.621), awarded a $653,349 project grant to Trunks & Leaves Inc. on August 1, 2024. The grant supports a 3-year effort to explore alternatives to conflict-prone food crops in areas where human and elephant habitats overlap in Thailand. The project aims to develop elephant-friendly agricultural products and sustainable models for coexistence, with a focus on movement corridors and habitat bottlenecks. Key activities include experimental testing of alternative crops, assessing feasibility and efficacy, and ultimately working to transform elephants from liabilities to assets through market-driven conservation solutions.

This dual impact poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of millions of small holder farmers which subjects them to economic physical and psychological harm. Negative interactions between people and elephants create cycles of conflict and retaliation that harm both parties. A potential solution lies in promoting positive interactions by exploring alternatives to conflict prone food crops. This involves supplementing or substituting these crops with more robust alternatives that offer various economic and ecological benefits. We focus on movement corridors and habitat bottlenecks where land sharing between people and elephants is an essential need. We evaluate the potential of alternative crops as a market driven solution to transform elephants from liabilities to assets by developing elephant friendly products derived from botanical sources. We test this approach experimentally in two distinct countries that each represent different cultures and ecological contexts. We evaluate feasibility and efficacy ultimately striving to build sustainable model for conservation that fosters coexistence. This is a continuation of F22AP00332