---
title: "Assam Village Grows 66 Acres to Halt Elephant Crop Raids"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/assam-village-66-acres-elephants-p0bxo
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Society
published: 2026-08-26T02:01:08.911Z
modified: 2026-08-26T03:30:04.929Z
language: en-IN
---

# Assam Village Grows 66 Acres to Halt Elephant Crop Raids

In Hatikhuli Ronghang village, Assam, residents transformed conflict with wild elephants by dedicating 66 acres to crops elephants favor, creating a controlled forage area. The plan reduced raids, allowed farmers to harvest undisturbed, and now thousands of elephants pass through the area annually.

## Key takeaways

- Hatikhuli Ronghang village created a 66-acre forage zone to feed wild elephants.
- The community guided elephants to the designated fields, reducing raids on crops.
- Today, more than 300 wild elephants pass through Hatikhuli each year without conflict with farmers.

## What Happened

In Hatikhuli Ronghang village in the Indian state of Assam, farmers historically faced recurring crop raids by wild elephant herds at night, leading to fear, crop loss, and casualties. Conservationists Pradip Kumar Bhuyan and Binod Dulu Bora proposed an approach in 2018 that shifted the focus from frightening elephants away to feeding them in designated spaces. Villagers offered land to establish a 66-acre corridor where crops such as paddy, Napier grass, bananas, jackfruit, and other wild fruits were grown specifically for elephants. When the crops matured, the community used torchlight to guide more than 100 elephants to the feeding fields, enabling farmers to harvest crops without encounters with raiding herds. Over time, the elephants learned the route, and crop raids stopped, while the village reported that more than 300 wild elephants now pass safely through Hatikhuli each year.

Advocates describe the initiative as Hati Bondhu, or Friends of Elephants, a collaborative effort that integrates land from villagers and targeted forage production to reduce human-elephant conflict and protect livelihoods.

## Why It Matters

The program represents a shift in how human-wildlife conflict can be managed by aligning conservation goals with local economic needs. By providing a reliable foraging area for elephants, farmers in Hatikhuli can cultivate their fields without repeated losses to raids, while elephants gain access to predictable food sources, potentially reducing danger to villagers and lowering conflict-driven tensions between communities and wildlife management efforts.

## Background

The idea emerged in 2018 when conservationists explored whether supplying elephants with designated food spaces could prevent raids on nearby farms. The Hatikhuli initiative relies on community land contributions and a coordinated feeding strategy to maintain coexistence between people and elephants.

## Key Facts

- Location: Hatikhuli Ronghang village, Assam, India
- Scale of forage project: 66 acres
- Foods grown for elephants: paddy, Napier grass, bananas, jackfruit, and other wild fruits
- Number of elephants guided to fields during feeding: over 100 at times
- Impact on raids: crop raids by elephants stopped in the area
- Current elephant passage: more than 300 wild elephants pass safely through Hatikhuli each year
- Initiative name: Hati Bondhu (Friends of Elephants)
- Founders/early proponents: conservationists Pradip Kumar Bhuyan and Binod Dulu Bora

---
Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/assam-village-66-acres-elephants-p0bxo
Reported from: Multiple Sources