Blending Traditional Knowledge of Farmers in Agriculture with Modern Scientific Technologies in Stress-Prone Ecologies of Odisha
摘要
This chapter exhibits the farmers’ traditional intelligence, insight, and the criteria developed for the conservation of natural resources in the stress-prone agroecologies of Odisha. Farmers and farm families are very much acquainted with location-specific various indigenous technical knowledge for management of soil, water, crops, and pests in crop production. This indigenous technical knowledge of farmers is productive, sustainable, ecologically sound, and tuned to the socioeconomic and cultural features of the native population. The inherited traditional knowledge has the capability to manage harsh environments and meet their subsistence need without depending on costly modern agricultural practices. Some of the traditional knowledge for nutrient management like incorporation of Dhaincha, application of pond silt, and inclusion of legume crop in cropping system has the potential to curtail the chemical nitrogenous fertiliser requirement by 20–30%. Similarly, the indigenous pest management practices like summer ploughing, fixing straw bundles with bamboo sticks, and application of cow dung have the potential to reduce the cost of cultivation by approx. Rs. 3500–6000/ha. Under the changing climatic scenario, the need of revival of sustainable agriculture is in demand. Blending of traditional knowledge with modern technologies will ensure maximisation of yield with improvement in quality of the produce by reducing input cost which ultimately enhances the farmer’s income. Thus, it is essential to promote the relevant indigenous knowledge in agricultural production system and to blend the developed modern technologies with suitable traditional knowledge for enhancing the productivity and profitability without degrading the natural resources.