International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Samala Akhila, Dr. K Madhu Babu, Dr. B Savitha, Dr. K Suhasini, Dr. BS Yashavanth and Dr. I Aruna Sri

abstract
Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) poses a growing threat to rural livelihoods in Telangana, particularly in forest-fringe farming communities that experience frequent crop damage from wild boars, monkeys and other wildlife species. This study was undertaken to analyze the socio-economic profile of farmers affected by HWC. The study was conducted across all three Agro-climatic zones of Telangana - Northern, Central, and Southern zones ensuring comprehensive geographical representation. From each zone, one district with the highest recorded forest cover and frequent Human-Wildlife Conflict cases was purposively selected. Accordingly, Mancherial district was chosen from the Northern zone, Bhadradri Kothagudem from the Central zone, and Nagarkurnool from the Southern zone. Within each selected district, one mandal with the highest incidence of wildlife-related crop damage was identified. From each mandal, five villages located near forest fringes were selected for the study. In each village, 20 farmers who had experienced crop loss due to wildlife were selected using purposive sampling, culminating in a total sample size of 300 respondents. Data were collected through structured interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were middle-aged, had middle level of educational backgrounds and operated small to semi-medium landholdings. Most farmers reported medium level of annual income, low level of extension contact, community participation, trainings and poor access to mass media exposure related to HWC. Furthermore, a significant portion of farmers lived within 5 kilometres of forest areas, increasing their exposure to wildlife, had superstitious beliefs, no one had claimed compensation and government support. The study highlights the need for targeted awareness programs, improved institutional outreach and the development of tailored interventions to address the socio-economic challenges faced by conflict-prone farming communities.