Escape Velocity Grants

Rodent pests (Bandicota bengalensis, Rattus spp.) cause an estimated 10–25% yield loss in dryland millet and pulse systems in southern India, equivalent to approximately 250–300 kg ha⁻¹ or ₹10,000–30,000 per hectare, depending on crop and season. These losses have driven widespread use of chemical rodenticides, particularly zinc phosphide, which can achieve short-term control but is associated with high non-target mortality, and bromadiolone, an anticoagulant rodenticide linked to documented secondary poisoning in owls and other raptors. Studies from Indian agroecosystems report detectable rodenticide residues in 25–40% of sampled owls, raising significant conservation concerns.

In the dry deciduous forest–agriculture mosaic of the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) landscape, located at the Eastern–Western Ghats ecotone, native owls such as the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) persist but are functionally underutilized in farmlands due to the absence of perching and nesting structures. Diet studies indicate that rodents constitute over 70% of prey items for these species, and individual owls are capable of removing hundreds to over a thousand rodents annually, suggesting substantial potential for natural pest suppression if habitat access is restored. This 12-week pilot project, supported by a ₹50,000 micro-grant, will install owl perch stands across 12 dryland farms and evaluate outcomes using a before–after control–impact (BACI) design.

Monitoring will focus on owl activity, rodent damage indicators, and farmer perceptions of effectiveness and feasibility. The project aims to generate early field evidence on whether perch-based interventions can achieve a minimum 20% reduction in observable rodent damage over a single season. By validating a low-cost, biodiversity-based pest control method, this pilot will inform scalable agroecological strategies aligned with sustainable agriculture priorities, including reduced chemical dependence and potential future incentives for biodiversity-friendly pulse and millet systems.