In an early period, Agriculture farming becomes more conventional, farmers during that time merely depend on chemical agricultural inputs, solely rely on the availability of natural resources to solve farming problems. Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) is quite different from the knowledge that are gained from formal educations, these technical knowledges are acquired by local indigenous people based on their experiences and learning during any agricultural farming activities and these practices are passed on from one generation to other (
Warren, 1991). Over the several generations there is a change of environmental conditions and the farming practices must compliances with such changes of abiotic factors and to ensuing sustainability various local masses evolved their farming practices through experimental farming, curiosity experiments, problem solving experiments and adaptation experiments
(Devi et al., 2018). However, such indigenous practices may vary place to place, locality to locality based on the availability of resources of that particular area (
Wang, 1988,
Laired and Kate, 1998). Many biotic factors that hinder agricultural production may tackle by using Indigenous Technical Knowledge. Indigenous Technical Knowledge is specifically concerns on actual application of thinking of the local people in various activities of agriculture and allied areas of farming based on continuous experiences (
Haverkort, 1988)
. It covers a vast area of subjects related to crop production, plant protection, livestock rearing, fisheries, natural resources etc. The North Easten Region of India is native to many tribal communities having different ethnic diversity, they have their own method of crop cultivations which are very unique and this traditional knowledge of farming are passing through generations to generations orally since its discovery (
Sharma, 1999). However, due to rapid urbanization, modernization and easy availability of agricultural inputs in farming sector leads to extinction of such ITKS. Moreover, most of the workers of this region confined their study on particular subject only, leaving some other important disciplines of farming. Considering the importance, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Cachar with other line departments of the district executed these tedious efforts to delineate some of the popular ITKs in agriculture and allied fields which are predominantly practised in these Barak Valley regions of Assam.
The survey programme was conducted during 2020-22 in three different districts
viz., Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. The GPS locations of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi located at latitude of 25°5'0"N and longitude of 92°55'0"E, latitude 24°52'12"N and longitude 92°2'0"E and latitude 24°40'48"N and longitude 92°34'12"E respectively. There are 27 blocks of the three districts had been covered where most of the indigenous tribal communities resides. Collection of data was recorded in vernacular language using different tools like personal interview and questionnaire involving village level extension workers, almost 500 numbers of farmers were reached through such data collecting tools. To highlight such indigenous practices adopted in this valley, a methodology given by
Deka et al., (2006) had been followed where different responses of farmers were recorded as occasional, regular and frequent users based on practicing of different ITKs with reference to Animal Husbandry, Plant Protection and Fish Capturing Technique. In the survey programme following points were considered to prepare the questionnaire:
I. Do you know about ITK?
II. Have you come across any ITK?
III. Where from you get to know the ITK?
IV. Have you followed any ITKs on Animal Husbandry, Pest Management and Fishery sector?
V. What are the popular and common ITKs practiced in Animal Husbandry, Pest Management and Fishery sector?
VI. In what extend these ITKs are used?
VII. What are the reasons for short fall for not adopting these ITKs?
Perusal of the data presented in the Table 1 reveals that many farmers were aware about the Indigenous Technical Knowledge practiced in various Agriculture and Allied activities. Most of the farmers where questionnaire had been collected belong to small and marginal farmers specially communities from Namasudra, Kaibarta, Deshwali, Tripuri, Khasi and Manipuri. The traditional practiced they acquired from their ancestors with improvisation of old practices because of changing cropping pattern, weather, land situation and soil edaphic factors. Data presented in Table 1 exhibited that in case of Animal Husbandry there were practices like curing of Mastitis diseases of dairy cattle and Stomach Pain /Blot condition through indigenous techniques registered more percentage of occasional users than frequent and regular users. In another study conducted by
Galav et al., (2013) in Rajasthan, they observed that the rural farmers prepared a paste from the 100-gram ash of the stem of
Cocculus plants and 100 ml cow milk fat which was then applied topically to treat the mastitis disease. Swelling of udder due to Mastitis cured through application of termite mound soil suspension. About 200 gram of termite mound soil collected and boiled for 10-15 minutes and after cooling the suspension is applied on udder for quick relief (
Sow and Ranjan 2021). Whereas curing of Indigestion problem of livestock through application of tender beetle vine leaves registered a greater number of regular users than frequent and occasional users. This finding corroborated with the study conducted by
Aziz et al. (2018) at Bajaur Agency Pakistan they mentioned that dry powder of
Beta vulgaris plant mixed with floor and black tea and bulb of the crushed onion and mixed with milk gave promising results to treat indigestion problem in livestock, details of some traditional practices to cure some animal diseases are mentioned in the Table 2. More or less a similar kind of trend was registered in case of pest management practices where infestation of stem borer, hispa, leaf folder and Rice weevil on paddy through indigenous methods registered a smaller number of frequent and regular users compare to occasional users. Checking of early infestation of stemborer, hispa and leaf folder on paddy through application of chopped leaves and twigs of Posotia (
Eupatorium odoratum), Bel (
Zizipus sp.), peel of pummelo and orange also put forwarded by (
Pathak et al., 2001). They also mentioned that citrus plant after decomposition released an offensive smell over the paddy field which retard the infestation of these pests. Management of pest problem through indigenous practices are highlighted in the Table 3. On the other hand, in case of fishery sector most prominent and regular practiced of indigenous fish capturing method like fusing through nets, bamboo canes and trapping device were very much popular in this valley of Assam. This study confirmatory with the survey conducted by
Sharma et al., (2017) at two different locations of Cachar District
viz., Irongmara and Dwarband, they revealed a total of 21 fishing devices operated in that area in the form of traps, nets and hooks accompanied with accessories used while fishing. Indigenous method of fish capturing technique through naturally available resources are summarized in the Table 4, where bamboo was mainly used for the construction of fishing gadgets which is locally available and economical.
Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) on animal husbandry
Indigenous Technical Knowledge on animal husbandry is as old as the domestication of different livestock since civilisation. These, practices are extensively followed in rural areas to treat many livestock diseases. However, with modern medical facilities these practices are slowly reduced and leads to eliminate from the rural societies. Considering the importance some useful ITKs on Animal Husbandry particularly on Live stock are highlighted below:
Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) on pest management
Indigenous technical knowledge to get rid of pest problem is an old practiced followed by tribal farmers of this region. Farmers based on their experiences and learning from decades depends on availability of local resources and technical knowledge they owned from their ancestors, assist them to reduce pest infestation problem. However, with ease of availability of insecticides, the demand of synthetic insecticides during recent past has increased and practising of such traditional knowledge in pest management sector has been slowly diminishing. In view of, some of the important traditional knowledge practiced in pest management sector are highlighted in (Table 3).
Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) on fshery sector
Fishing is one of the oldest livelihood practices followed by different indigenous communities of Assam. The rich biodiversity and wet land area encourages many fresh waters fish to proliferate. Among all the districts of Assam, Barak Valley Zone has highest number of artificial and natural wetlands. Fishery farmers maintain those wetland areas for fishing to generate income with least investments. This part of Assam constitutes different indigenous communities rely on various locally available resources made by bamboos and other canes for fishing. This fishing practices are more or less similar with fishing practices followed by other parts of Assam. However, the techniques and device, farmers use have different names as most of the people resides in this valley are belongs to Bengali community. Considering this, some of the common traditional methods, which are practiced for fishing in this region of Assam are highlighted in this section.
