"Food Zones" for Giants: Assam Village Grows Dedicated Forests to End Human-Elephant Conflict
NAGAON/GUWAHATI — In the mist-covered foothills along the Nagaon-Karbi Anglong border in Assam, a quiet revolution is taking place. For decades, the villagers of Ronghang-Hatikhuli lived in fear of the "grey giants"—wild herds of elephants descending from the hills to raid paddy fields. Today, however, those same villagers are cultivating crops not just for themselves, but specifically for the elephants.
In a pioneering community-led initiative that has drawn national attention, local farmers have donated over 200 bighas (approximately 33 acres) of community land to create exclusive "Elephant Meal Zones." These buffer areas are effectively curbing the deadly human-elephant conflict that has plagued the region for years.
The "Meal Zone" Strategy
The initiative, spearheaded by the grassroots conservation group Hati Bondhu (Friends of Elephants), operates on a simple yet profound premise: hunger drives elephants into villages; feed them in the forest, and they will stay away.
"We realized that fighting the elephants was a losing battle," said Binod Dulu Bora, a conservationist leading the project. "Instead of fencing them out, we decided to invite them to their own dining table."
The villagers have planted a strategic mix of crops designed to keep the herds occupied. This includes Napier grass, a fast-growing forage that elephants love, alongside thousands of saplings of jackfruit, elephant apple (Outenga), and bananas.
"By the time the elephants finish the paddy and grass grown for them in the buffer zone, our own crops are ready for harvest," explained a local village headman. "It is a peace treaty written in crops."
From Conflict to Coexistence
The results have been nothing short of transformative. According to local data, the Ronghang-Hatikhuli area—once a hotspot for conflict—has seen a drastic reduction in crop raids and property damage since the initiative began in 2018.
Prior to this, the region frequently witnessed casualties on both sides. Since the establishment of the food zones, the tense standoff has softened into a peaceful coexistence.
"We used to spend our nights awake, guarding the fields with fire torches," said Saraswati Teronpi, a resident of Hatikhuli. "Now, we sleep. The elephants eat in their zone and go back to the hills."
A Model for the Nation
The success of the Ronghang model has rippled across the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently hailed the initiative in his Mann Ki Baat radio address, calling it an "inspiring example of nature conservation."
The Assam state government is now looking to replicate this community-based model in other conflict-prone districts. For the villagers of Assam, the solution was never about conquering nature, but understanding it. By sharing their land, they have not only saved their crops but restored a centuries-old bond of respect with the heritage animal of India.