A Recipe for Coexistence
Named after Thailand’s beloved spicy soup, the Tom Yum Project represents an ingenious fusion of culinary tradition and wildlife protection. Local farmers have discovered that their kitchen ingredients can become powerful conservation tools. By cultivating natural elephant deterrents—chili peppers, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and ginger—they create protective barriers that keep elephants away from crops while simultaneously generating sustainable income streams.
The transformation has been remarkable. Where elephants once destroyed 96.5% of traditional pineapple crops, leaving farmers devastated and wildlife under threat, these aromatic alternatives tell a different story. Elephants damaged only 5.2% of chili peppers and 4.8% of kaffir lime crops, while leaving lemongrass fields completely untouched. This dramatic shift demonstrates how understanding elephant behavior and preferences can turn conflict into coexistence.
Why This Project Matters
The Tom Yum Project succeeds because it places local farmers at the heart of conservation efforts. Rather than imposing external solutions, it empowers communities to drive change using traditional knowledge and familiar crops. This approach ensures long-term sustainability without requiring advanced technology or significant capital investment, making it accessible to farming communities throughout elephant range countries.
Beyond crop protection, the project creates meaningful economic empowerment. Farmers now diversify their income through multiple revenue streams, producing value-added products like lemongrass massage oil, ginger turmeric tea, and artisanal candles. These enterprises protect livelihoods from the unpredictability of crop raids while creating new opportunities for rural entrepreneurship.
The model’s potential for widespread impact is already becoming evident. Success in Ruam Thai village has sparked genuine interest from neighboring communities, creating a ripple effect that could transform human-elephant relationships across the region. This organic expansion demonstrates the project’s scalability and cultural resonance.
Help Elephants and Farmers Thrive!
By supporting the Tom Yum Project, you empower farmers to grow elephant-deterring crops, reducing conflict and securing their livelihoods. Donations go toward restoring elephant habitat and creating greater social, economic and ecological resilience in Ruam Thai village. Together, we make peaceful coexistence possible!