The Kerala Independent Farmers Association (KIFA)—a whistleblower activist group in Kerala demanding a permanent solution to the rising human–wildlife conflict—has raised the slogan of “Karshakane Marakkunnavar, Niyamasabha Marannekkoo” (“Those who forget the farmer can forget the Assembly too”) ahead of the upcoming polls.
The organisation, formed in the aftermath of the backlash high-range farmers faced after a pregnant wild elephant accidentally died in Palakkad in May 2020 after eating a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers, recently came up with a 35-point manifesto aimed at addressing the human–wildlife conflict as well as reviving Kerala’s agriculture sector.
A key demand of KIFA is that the government should take a policy decision not to file cases against people who defend themselves against wild animals that enter revenue land and threaten life or property. KIFA chairman Alex Ozhukayil told THE WEEK that the demand is based on Section 11(2) of the Central Wildlife Protection Act, which states that killing or injuring a wild animal in self-defence is not an offence.
Other demands include scientifically estimating the population of wild animals in Kerala and regulating their numbers according to the forest’s carrying capacity, as well as using the powers vested in the State Chief Wildlife Warden under Section 12BB of the Wildlife Protection Act to urgently undertake the translocation of animals from areas facing severe conflict.
Permitting controlled hunting as part of the traditional practices of Adivasi communities living inside and along forest boundaries and implementing the Forest Rights Act (2006) in its true spirit—ending practices that disadvantage Adivasis—have also been raised as key demands.
According to Ozhukayil, in 2025 alone, 35 people in Kerala were killed in elephant attacks, nearly half of them Adivasis—even though official data claims a lower figure, which organisations like KIFA describe as inaccurate.
“The problem is intensifying each year, showing no signs of decline, and the Forest Department is widely seen as apathetic on the issue. Wild animal attacks have gone far beyond being a routine nuisance; not only in the high-range hills but even in the midland regions, they have become a question of farmers’ survival,” said Ozhukayil, adding that government figures themselves indicate wildlife disturbance in 78 constituencies in Kerala. Among these, 54 are currently held by the LDF and 24 by the UDF.
It is estimated that around 30 of these constituencies face severe wildlife conflict. The KIFA chairman noted that in many of them, sitting MLAs won by very small margins and warned that if political fronts do not address the concerns raised in its manifesto, KIFA would field candidates in these constituencies.
“For the past five years, KIFA has effectively assumed the role of the principal opposition on issues such as wildlife conflict, buffer zones, ESA, construction restrictions, amendments to forest laws, buffer zones around dams, and the right to kill wild boar,” Ozhukayil said. “The government has often been compelled to yield to KIFA’s positions. In around 30 high-range constituencies, KIFA’s stance could play a decisive role in determining victory or defeat.”