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A STUDY ON INDIGENOUS TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE (ITKs) IN TRIBAL FARMING SYSTEM OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

KrishiKosh

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Title A STUDY ON INDIGENOUS TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE (ITKs) IN TRIBAL FARMING SYSTEM OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
 
Creator SAHIL SWANGLA
 
Contributor V. Sangeetha
 
Subject null
 
Description t-9781
Indian farmers, over centuries, have learnt to grow food and to survive in difficult
environments, where the rich tradition of Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) has
been interwoven with the agricultural practices followed by them. Though it is being
continued, but the impact of colonization and modernization on the current day
developing as well as developed countries have undermined and neglected their
indigenous technical knowledge. An attempt in this study was made to bring out the
judicious combination of indigenous and scientific knowledge that will help to speed up
the adoption of improved practice by the tribal farmers. Systematic documentation of
ITKs into an information and knowledge which can help in the enlightenment of all
stakeholders. The study was conducted purposively in the state i.e. Himachal Pradesh
(H.P.) which is very rich in ITKs. Two tribal districts i.e. Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti of
(H.P.) were selected for the study. Each district consists of three sub divisions and from
each sub division one village was selected randomly. Twenty respondents were
randomly selected from each village. So, a total of 120 farmers were selected as
respondent. Along with 120 farmers, 5 key informants were selected from each village
for the validation of ITK through Quantification of Indigenous Knowledge. Also, thirty
researchers, subject matter specialists and scientists were selected from KVK, SAUs and
other institutes for the validation of e-learning module. Thus, the total sample came out
to be 180. Main process of selection was personal interview, secondary data source.
Data collection tools used were semi-structured interview schedule, focused group
discussion and transect walk. The study found various ITK which were classified into
appropriate categories such as Soil and Water Management, Cropping system, Farm
Implements, Post Harvest Technology, Storage, Horticultural Crops, Food Product
Development, Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry and Medicinal. From the
results, it was revealed that farmers ranked Kothar for seed storage as the most useful
ITK in the tribal areas of Kinnaur district followed by Graat, a hydro flour mill, Suttar
for soil conservation, tying of branches of apple tree at tender age and chichi for fodder
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storage. The mean score indicated the high validity of ITK which was 4.27 for kothar
followed by graat ( = 4.22), suttar ( = 4.08), tying of branches of apple trees at
younger stage was also highly valid technique for the tribals to practice ( = 4.01).
Based on the adoption index (0-100), respondents were classified into low, medium and
high. Of the 30 ITKs documented, 16 ITKs were having high adoption index indicating
wide use of these practices. 9 ITKs were having low adoption index and 5 ITKs were
having medium adoption index. Personal localite and social norms were the factors
highly significantly contributing to the adoption of ITK with coefficient of 2.11 and 0.76
and marginal effect (dy/dx) of 0.52 and 0.18 respectively. E-learning module prepared
was validated based on four parameters: content design, ease in understanding, utility of
the content and satisfaction of felt information need. The result further revealed the
general acceptability of the module on ITK as the four parameters had mean score above
4. Content & design were ranked first with mean score of 4.33 followed by utility of
module with mean score of 4.30. The research clearly shows that there is declining of
ITKs in the tribal area. To increase the sustainability of ecosystem, the government
should initiate action or policy measures for promoting such vanishing ITKs. As
Indigenous Knowledge possesses potential for sustainability, they must be promoted
after establishing their scientific rationality. In the changing agricultural scenario, it will
help scientists, extension workers to understand a practice prevalent in a society so that
it can be up scaled or out scaled further.
 
Date 2018-10-09T05:16:53Z
2018-10-09T05:16:53Z
2017
 
Type Thesis
 
Identifier http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810075023
 
Language en_US
 
Format application/pdf
 
Publisher DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI