Addressing Elephant Infestation in the Farmland of North Bengal Through Strategic Horticultural Plantations:

             Paddy in Bengal is linked with food security, being the staple food, the Kharif season is almost entirely dominated by paddy cultivation, in many districts this crop is cultivated even during the Rabi(winter) season. More than 80 percent of the farming community in the state are small and marginal farm holders. Farming in rainfed areas with small and marginal land holding has always been challenging. Some of the major challenges are, water scarcity, unavailability of community based institutional framework for operation & management, appropriate technologies, a ready market and last but not the least, climate resilient agriculture. The uncertainties propagated by these challenges has prompted migration of many youths from the rural Bengal towards distant urban cities in search of a better life. In this regard, The World Bank funded West Bengal Accelerated Development of Minor Irrigation Project (WBADMIP) has been able to develop a successful model with its integrated approach on agri water management thus bringing a ray of hope to these economically as well as ecologically disadvantaged rural farmers of the state.

A Female WUA member from Nipania Block, Darjeeling District
 displaying paddy crop destroyed by elephants.

                  While farmers in the WBADMI project areas are leveraging from the incremental benefits catalysed by assured irrigation and appropriate technologies, some of their counterparts are still living with uncertainties. These ill fated farmers are inhabitants  of areas adjoining to the forests and frequently encounter elephant infestations. Despite having assured irrigation and agriculture support services, farmers hasn't been able to leverage much from the project deliverable. The elephants often maraud their cropland and destroy everything .

With the degradation of natural food habitat, the elephants gets tempted to shift towards human habitat in search of food and destroy crops in the process. Their taste buds are also shifting more towards agriculture crops like paddy, maize, vegetables etc. than usual wild trees and shrubs.

Black pepper cultivation in Chenga Basti, Mirik Block, Darjeeling

      Based on consultation with wildlife experts and local communities, Project introduced black pepper as non preferred crops for elephant on pilot basis initially in Darjeeling district. A total number of 8086 black pepper saplings were planted covering 292 farmers from Chenga Basti under Mirik Block with technical support from Central Plantation Crop Research Institute, Mohitnagar, Jalpaiguri in the financial year 2017-18. With a market value of Rs 500/kg, these 8086 plants are expected to generate a cumulative net profit of INR 1.05 Crore ( USD 147000) after three years against an investment of INR 16,17,200( USD 22677).
        Further expanding this initiative, Project is also introducing citrus plantation as a barrier crop in the areas with human elephant conflict . Citrus based plants act as repellent to marauding elephants besides the additional income the fruits generates.