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In areas of high human-elephant conflict, cultivating crops that are less attractive to elephants can be a viable strategy for coexistence. Farmers in these regions often grow crops like pineapple, which are palatable to elephants and attract them into human-dominated landscapes. This study, conducted in Ruam Thai Village, adjacent to Kuiburi National Park in Thailand, evaluated the socio-economic factors affecting farmers' interest in alternative crop cultivation and assessed the impact of elephants and environmental threats on plots containing pineapple and alternative crops. Our findings revealed that 70% of households (N = 239) rely on pineapple cultivation as their primary source of income. However, 49% of interviewed pineapple farmers reported that their cultivation was not profitable, largely owing to the high costs of agro-chemical inputs. The majority (91%) of farmers experienced negative consequences from living near wild elephants, and 50% expressed interest in cultivating alternative crops. Farmers who frequently experienced elephant visits, felt they could coexist with elephants, and perceived both positive and negative consequences from them were more likely to be interested in alternative crop cultivation. Elephants eliminated over 80% of the pineapple but less than 6% of any alternative crop species across all test plots. Using a crop scoring system based on ecological, economic, and social factors, we identified lemongrass and citronella as the most suitable alternative crop species for the study site. This multidisciplinary study highlights interventions needed to reduce barriers and increase motivators for local farmers to adopt elephant-friendly agriculture as a sustainable human–elephant coexistence strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Human–elephant conflict is a growing global problem. To mitigate such conflict, understanding factors affecting elephant intrusions into human-dominated areas is crucial. These factors are, however, complex because they are site specific and context dependent. Aims: This study aimed to identify factors associated with crop damage incidents from elephants in a buffer zone of a protected area in western Thailand. Methods: Interviews were conducted with local people to quantify crop damage by elephants between November 2020 to April 2021. We used compositional analysis to determine whether different crop types received different damage from elephants, and logistic regression analysis to examine environmental factors associated with crop damage incidents. Key results: Although it was previously thought that elephants focus on dominant palatable crops, we found that small patches of highly preferred crops can influence where elephants choose to feed. Distance from village was also a significant factor in crop foraging. Crop damage was not different between dry and wet seasons, probably because key crops were available year-round. Conclusions: Crop damage occurred across multiple crop types but mainly those with higher sugar content. The damage mostly occurred in fields farther from villages, suggesting that presence of humans may alter elephant crop foraging. No specific seasonal period of crop damage was observed. Implications: Changing crop types from species preferred by elephants to less preferred species and growing mixed species (multi-crop systems) instead of single species (mono-crops) may reduce elephant incursions. However, this needs field testing, including market-based assessments to evaluate the economic viability for farmers. Human–elephant conflicts occur frequently across countries within the elephant species range, but solutions remain elusive and are probably site-specific. In our study in western Thailand, pineapple received the most damage. Plantations further away from villages and those with larger areas of corn (an elephant-preferred crop) were associated with more crop damage. Based on local experience, planting multiple crops less preferred by elephants may reduce conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]