The wicked elephant of the east: Coping with human elephant conflicts in coffee agroforestry landscapes in Kodagu (India)

Bal Payal, Nath Cheryl D., Kushalappa Cheppudira G., Garcia Claude A.. 2009. The wicked elephant of the east: Coping with human elephant conflicts in coffee agroforestry landscapes in Kodagu (India). In : Book of abstracts of the 2nd World Congress of Agroforestry, 23-28 August 2009, Nairobi, Kenya : Agroforestry, the future of global land use. ICRAF. Nairobi : WCA [Nairobi], Résumé, 61. ISBN 978-92-9059-255-6 World Congress of Agroforestry. 2, Nairobi, Kenya, 23 Août 2009/28 Août 2009.

Communication avec actes

Version publiée - Anglais
Accès réservé aux personnels Cirad
Utilisation soumise à autorisation de l'auteur ou du Cirad.
document_553614.pdf
Télécharger (213kB)

Résumé : Human elephant conflicts (HEC) occur when both species¿ habitats overlap. These conflicts cause detrimental effects on human social, economic or cultural life, on elephant conservation and on the environment. In Kodagu district (India) such conflicts have caused 6 deaths and 1USD0 000 of damage on average per year over the last decade, compromising the conservation of this flagship species. Kodagu produces 1-2% of the world's coffee, in complex multi-storied agro-forestry systems. The district forests harbour a large population of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). The combined effects of high elephant density and major landscape changes due to the expansion of coffee area appear to influence the intensity of HEC. Mitigation strategies, including electric fences and compensation schemes through the Forest Department have shown limitations. Building on previous studies, we assess the current spatial and temporal trends of HEC, analyse local stakeholders¿ perceptions and identify the factors attracting the elephants into coffee estates. Our study shows: 1) established elephant dietary preferences for paddy and coffee; 2) a lack of coordinated action among the stakeholders; and 3) elephant movement along corridors connecting the eastern and western forests of the district are the major drivers of HEC intensification. The multiplicity of stakeholders involved, the difficulty in defining the problem, and the limits of the technical solutions proposed, suggest that HEC in Kodagu is a complex problem. We propose alternative strategies such as development of insurance schemes or an elephant-friendly coffee label that could raise public tolerance towards elephants. Conflict resolution in Kodagu requires a combination of deterrent, compensation and tolerance-raising strategies and the acknowledgement by the stakeholders of the true nature of the problem at hand. (Texte intégral)

Mots-clés Agrovoc : éléphant d'Asie, agroforesterie, Coffea

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Karnataka

Classification Agris : L20 - Écologie animale
F08 - Systèmes et modes de culture

Auteurs et affiliations