India can lead the way when it comes to balancing wildlife conservation and sustainable crop production
A recent video of a tigress on a wall in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, has gone viral. The tigress had traversed fields to reach the village; she sat on a wall as a crowd gathered to watch her. In July last year, a tiger walked through a field in the same area. In the background, a farmer continued his progress on a tractor. Sighting tigers and other large mammals in fields are often normal for local communities—agricultural areas are habitats or movement corridors for endangered wildlife. Yet, some encounters lead to a fierce competition for land and resources as well as psychological costs for the farmer.
Sighting tigers and other large mammals in fields are often normal for local communities—agricultural areas are habitats or movement corridors for endangered wildlife.
Crop damage by animals is currently addressed through compensation measures by forest departments, but these are contingent on filling forms and proving damage. Instead of an emphasis on damage being proved by a farmer, we propose a market-based solution that accommodates the losses a farmer may have because of wildlife utilising crop fields. We suggest a framework for wildlife-friendly products aided by market-based approaches that boost a farmer’s participation in the market and offer a premium for wildlife-friendly products.
An unpublished market-based consumer perception study commissioned by WWF-India threw up useful results. The survey was done in Gurugram, Bengaluru and Mumbai (chosen for their high-value market), Indore (situated near well-known Central Indian forests) and Kochi (which is an existing market for nature-based or organic products). It was found that high-end consumers value a set of certifications over a single one. For instance, the study respondents revealed they are willing to pay a premium for wildlife-friendly products that are also organic. The study also found that people are more interested in products they can directly use/consume like pulses/oranges. The premium that high-end consumers are willing to pay for wildlife-friendly products varies from 13 percent to 40 percent above certified organic prices, depending on the specific product category. This indicates a substantial potential for willingness to pay, with figures exceeding 30 percent to 70 percent compared to non-organic products.
Agricultural areas are part of the mosaic that wild animals use as they move towards safe habitat.
In the 15th Convention of Parties of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity held in December 2022, India agreed to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). This comprehensive framework includes new commitments for nature conservation and sustainable agriculture. By 2030, we must halt species extinction, protect 30 percent of our land and water, make agriculture more sustainable, and reduce excess pesticides by 50 percent. Species conservation is not just about animals in protected areas; it is also about managing interactions with wildlife in fields and larger landscapes. As per several estimations, over 20 percent of tigers are outside protected areas in India. For elephants, the number is even higher—60 to 80 percent of elephant range is outside protected areas. Agricultural areas are part of the mosaic that wild animals use as they move towards safe habitat. For some critically endangered species like the Great Indian bustard, agricultural landscapes are an important part of actual habitat. Thus, maintaining wildlife-friendly, conflict-free agricultural areas is key for safeguarding wildlife and helping farming communities. The wildlife-friendly product approach will help achieve a clutch of targets under the global biodiversity framework.
The wildlife-friendly product framework aims to identify and understand how wildlife conservation and sustainable crop production can be achieved in a manner that ensures livelihood while reducing harm to wildlife. Certifications for wildlife-friendly products do exist. Examples include Cambodian Ibis rice and tea that is produced in a manner that is friendly for elephants. These crops do not harm animals in the production process and are sold at a premium. Yet, similar practices are yet to be fully mainstreamed in India. In the following paragraphs and table, we outline a practical approach for wildlife-friendly products.
The wildlife-friendly product framework aims to identify and understand how wildlife conservation and sustainable crop production can be achieved in a manner that ensures livelihood while reducing harm to wildlife.
Further, an agro-ecological approach will be used, which will avoid excessive chemical use to prevent adverse effects on human health, biodiversity, and wildlife. Growing crops organically or with minimum chemical use will increase health benefits from the product, and reduce chances of wildlife getting poisoned. The premium for the product—the selling price—can be decided based on a spectrum from low chemical use to fully organic production. Crop diversity will be encouraged to help regenerate the soil, and aid diverse pollination. The concept is elaborated below in Table 1.
A further goal will be to ensure there is no over-extraction or overproduction of the resource or product; instead, the aim will be small-scale but sustainably produced goods, using fair trade practices (please refer point 4 in Table 1).
Table 1. Concept matrix for wildlife friendly products
| Concept | Criteria | Limitations and assumptions |
| 1. ‘Wildlife friendly’ |
|
Animals may be chased from fields In the beginning, this will be for select areas with high wildlife populations |
| 2. Sustainable |
|
Is process-based, and timelines or outcomes cannot be fully predicted. Regenerative agriculture can be time-consuming. |
| 3. Fields as Habitat/wildlife corridor |
|
Focus will be on already biodiverse areas, such as tiger reserve fringes and biodiversity hotspots. In effect, may not cover other regions. |
| 4. Trade is fair/ community friendly concept |
|
Requires a certification and monitoring scheme. |
Secondly, the concept could be piloted by focusing on geographical locations that have populations of endangered animals, or comprise places prioritised for conservation. For example, this concept can be applied in buffer areas of tiger reserves, eco-sensitive zones of protected areas, and wildlife corridors between two tiger reserves are places with high or imperilled wildlife populations.
The rising global awareness of ethical and sustainable consumption fosters a favourable environment for wildlife-friendly products. Conscious consumers actively seek items aligned with their values, driving demand for products contributing to ethical practices and wildlife conservation. This prompts discussions on verifying legitimate wildlife-friendly attributes, and acknowledging the consumer’s right to know the actual conservation impact of products.
Conscious consumers actively seek items aligned with their values, driving demand for products contributing to ethical practices and wildlife conservation.
Finally, it will be imperative to provide handholding and market linkages to the farmers, and to come up with indicators which can be evaluated by a third party.
Is it possible to have green farms, which are friendly for both people and wildlife? This approach will take time to yield results and will not be a silver bullet for all places. Yet, we believe this is possible and India is at the right place to pilot this.
Neha Sinha is Head of Policy & Communication at WWF India
Sumit Roy is Head of Production Landscape at WWF India
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Neha Sinha is a conservation biologist and Head of Policy and Communications at WWF-India. ...
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