Farmers turn to rubber cultivation to keep elephants and monkeys at bay

Farmers in Nepal's Jhapa district are increasingly abandoning traditional crops like paddy and maize in favor of rubber cultivation. This strategic shift comes as a response to persistent and significant crop losses inflicted by wild animals, primarily elephants and monkeys, which have rendered conventional farming economically unviable.

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When I used to grow paddy and maize, elephants and monkeys would never let me harvest the crops. That is when I started rubber cultivation. Now, I earn between Rs35,000 and Rs40,000 a month.

Sitaram Bastola, a local farmer, recounted abandoning paddy and maize cultivation over a decade ago due to constant wildlife damage. He transitioned to growing rubber on approximately 10 katthas of land and now reports a monthly income between Rs35,000 and Rs40,000. Bastola noted that rubber plantations experience negligible damage from wildlife, offering farmers substantial relief.

Another farmer, Punya Prasad Khatiwada, also replaced grain crops with rubber. He began in 2011, frustrated by wildlife-related losses. "Production began seven years after planting the trees," Khatiwada said. "Now, I am earning a good income while staying at home." He cultivates 150 rubber trees on about nine katthas, with each tree yielding approximately 15 liters of latex during the eight-month production season. While latex production decreases in winter, farmers currently sell processed rubber for around Rs300 per kg.

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Production began seven years after planting the trees. Now, I am earning a good income while staying at home.

Chandra Adhikari, president of the Small Farmers Natural Rubber Producers Association, confirmed that traditional farming has become challenging in many parts of Jhapa due to the growing wildlife menace. "In elephant-affected areas, rubber farming has not only reduced the risk of crop damage but also provided farmers with a reliable source of income," Adhikari stated. Rubber is now cultivated on over 500 hectares across several districts, with Jhapa alone accounting for about 130 hectares, including plantations in community forests. The crop's expansion is particularly rapid in areas heavily impacted by wildlife.

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In elephant-affected areas, rubber farming has not only reduced the risk of crop damage but also provided farmers with a reliable source of income.