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Nursery (Terrace
DESIGN PROGRAMME
Repellent Crop Experiment
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Repellent crop experiment is to find out what kind of crop will not consume by elephants and its economic value. The research found out that the experimental crops did well while the traditional crops suffered severe damage from elephant raids. Furthermore, the income from experimental annual crops was initially low. However, with the combination of perennial crops, it can provide higher income than traditional crops while also reducing the risk of elephant raids.
Tradition Crops
Rice Sugarcane Sorghum
Survival rate: 20-80%
Expected income per 1000 m2
Rice: $ 35 Sugarcane: $ 217 Sorghum: $ 209
Rice: $ 17.5 Sugarcane: $ 108.5 Sorghum: $ 104.5
Taro
(Colocasia esculenta)
Annual Crops
Turmeric
(Cuscuma longa) Chilli
(Capsicum sp.)
Repellent Crop
Eggplant
(Solanum sp.) Teak
(Tectona grandis)
Perennial Crops
Tamarind
(Tamarindus indica) Pomelo
(Citrus maxima)
The Establishment of Elephant Canteen
Elephant canteen is a way to lure elephants away from farmer’s fields by planting elephant food crops near elephant’s habitat.
Jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) NHPA village
Population: 1346 Ethnic: Lao Loum Type of agriculture: Rice, corn, tea & citrus; Chicken & pig
Chicken farm
Before Tea plantation
Survival rate: 86-93%
Mean: 89.5%
Expected income per 1000 m2
Taro: $ 174 Turmeric: $ 53 Chilli: $ 50 Eggplant: $ 44
Taro: $ 155.5 Turmeric: $ 47.7 Chilli: $ 45 Eggplant: $ 39.6
Tamarind Tree
Repellent Crop Survival rate: 85-90%
Mean: 87.5%
Expected income per 1000 m2
Teak: $ 362 Tamarind: $ 226 Pomelo: $ 250 Jujube: $ 227
Teak: $ 318.6 Tamarind: $ 198.8 Pomelo: $ 220 Jujube: $ 199.8
Maize
Elephant Food Crops
Sugarcan Banana Cassava
Monitoring system
There is 20 staff working in monitoring and early warning service. They monitor elephant movement through drones and infrared cameras. They inform villagers to take precautions when elephants get close to the village.
After
Beacon Tower
Using smoke & fire to alarm villagers when elephant enter cross the fence
Pomelo Tree Jujube Tree Farmland area
Total farmland: 171 ha Farmland per person: 0.13 ha
Rice field Corn farm HEC incident
Deforestation due to the expansion of rubber tree plantations and farmland, intensifies elephants raiding during food shortages (July to March). Farmers stop cultivating some of the farmland, due to the fear of elephants.
HEC consequences
Human deaths & injuries: 32 deaths & 159 injuries Economic loss: $1 million damage in crops per year Elephant deaths: More than 40 Asian elephants die from electric shocks, eating poisonous
crops & falling into agricultural reservoirs,
Rubber Plantation
The presence of wild elephants has stopped many people from entering the forest for rubber
Incentive to farmer
The government rent farmland and hire farmers to work in the elephant canteen Rent: $32/mu Salary: $17/day (~$470/month) Insurance (personal death): $95 000 Insurance (crops): As market price The project is heavily dependent on the government since the government decides and funds all the development. The elephant canteen cannot be continued if the government stops funding.
Elephant Canteen
The elephant canteen is planted with banana trees to lure elephants away from villagers’ farmland. It reportedly reduces 50% of the HEC in this area.
Elephant behaviour
The efficacy of elephant food crops fades with time as elephants become picky and re-enter the village to eat crops like corn and sugarcane again.
Elephant Canteen (80ha)
Elephant Food Crops
