Grounds for Change – New Initiative Sees Coffee Farming Help Save Thailand’s elephants
By Conservation Correspondent
Coffee farming could be a solution to decades of conflict between farmers and elephants in Thailand, as the roll-out of an innovative new project yields promising results.
Global conservation charity ZSL, working with Thai NGO Eco-exist Society has been working with local communities in the Kanchanaburi province to establish farms dedicated to growing coffee – which has less appeal to the land giants than crops like bananas or sugar cane – in an effort to reduce conflict between people and the region’s population of Endangered Asian elephants.
Water shortages and the expansion of agricultural land along elephant migration routes means elephants are increasingly likely to turn to farms and human settlements in search for food and water – risking damage to crops, threatening farmer’s entire livelihoods, and driving tensions between communities and elephant herds.
To protect farms, the ZSL & Eco-exist Society team will support local farmers as they transition from growing crops such as bananas and sugar cane in favour of coffee.
The coffee shrubs can be grown on elephant-resistant forest plots, alongside marigolds, chilli bushes and bee hives that also help deter the giant herbivores.
Saravanee Namsupak, Community Engagement Coordinator for ZSL Thailand, explained:
“Elephants are an integral part of Thai culture. They’re our national animal, and their lives have been entwined with ours for thousands of years. Yet growing pressures for limited land have been making everyday life increasingly more challenging for the people living alongside them.
"Coffee beans, sheltered from hungry herds as they grow under the shade of native trees, may sound like a humble solution to such a massive challenge, but they will be essential to ensure we can share not only our past with these magnificent creatures, but our future too.”
Over the next few years, the team will work with local communities to grow and improve a sustainable, elephant-friendly coffee farming model across the region.
Through a farmer-led cooperative, the goal is to create up to 1,000 hectares of elephant-friendly farmland by 2030.
The Chiang Yim Cooperative – meaning ‘Smiling Elephant’ – will help farmers access new markets and income by securing long-term deals with coffee buyers and promoting Good Agricultural Practices, which focus on growing high-quality, sustainable crops.
Over 40 farmers have already joined and started training in coffee cultivation, harvesting, and processing, improving both crop quality and income.
Asian elephants, the largest land animal in Asia, play a vital role in forest health by spreading seeds and creating paths for other wildlife. They are listed as Endangered, with only about 3,500–4,000 remaining in Thailand. Habitat loss increases the risk of conflict between elephants and people.
May Moe Wah, who leads ZSL’s Thailand team, said:
“By working with local communities, we’re creating solutions that benefit both people and wildlife. This is just the beginning, and we’re excited to see it grow – and enjoy great local coffee too.”
This project not only supports farmers but also improves soil health, provides habitats for other species, boosts water retention, and stores carbon – helping protect the environment for future generations.
Wildlife monitoring will track how the project benefits elephants and increases biodiversity, including birds, bats, and pollinators in the forests.
Bhichet Noonto of Eco-exist Society said:
“This is the start of lasting change. Elephant-friendly coffee helps farmers earn a stable income while reducing crop damage from elephants. It supports peaceful coexistence and protects both livelihoods and nature.”
The project is part of ZSL’s wider conservation finance work, which brings together communities, investors, and businesses to create sustainable solutions for people and the planet.
ZSL believes nature can recover, and that conservation is most effective when driven by science. We call for science to guide all global decisions on environment and biodiversity and build a healthier future for wildlife, people and the planet.
Find out more and support ZSL’s world-leading, collaborative science and conservation work at www.zsl.org
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