Suchergebnisse

In recent years, erosion of local indigenous biodiversity knowledge has been seen as one of the major global threats to biodiversity. Government and various developmental agencies have been trying to articulate ways of preserving biodiversity and its associated knowledge systems through education and knowledge documentation. Organizing "biodiversity contests" among younger generations of indigenous and local people, and recipe contests of uncommon forest plants and field crops among rural women are two important methods to reduce erosion of indigenous biodiversity knowledge. In view of the importance of such approaches, the National Innovation Foundation (NIF), Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India has been organizing biodiversity knowledge contests and recipe contests from 2003 onwards among Adi tribal members, especially school children and rural women, respectively in selected schools and villages of East Siang district of Arunchal Pradesh. The villages in which to hold recipe contests were selected purposively based on forest cover, ethnicity, remoteness and people"s livelihood dependency on forest resources. Initially, the projects were explained and rapport established with participating schools and villages around the district. Different events including radio talks, public meetings, contact with key individuals, circulation of posters and pamphlets and group discussions were organized. In second phase, individual schools and villages were contacted to set up the biodiversity and recipe contests. We found that school children demonstrated encouraging results by presenting systematic herbaria of local plants, including uses, ecology and source of information. The children from rural backgrounds were found to be more knowledgeable than those from more settled areas, and were able to contribute more than 100 forest and semi-forest plants in their collections. Creation of vertical knowledge networks created by the school children through contest was evolved. These group contests resulted in revealing more knowledge about local biodiversity as compared to individual participation, reflecting synergism. In the case of the recipe contests, Adi women showed a sound knowledge of local biodiversity, presenting as traditional foods more than 50 indigenous forest based plants, many of which are locally uncommon. Significantly, the Gaon Burha (village headman) further helped to diffuse the knowledge network created from this activity. We found that creating a platform on which local knowledge systems can inform, interact with and transform formal knowledge systems in a collaborative and cooperative way, as in these biodiversity contests ultimately can contribute to conserving biodiversity more effectively. ; ICAR

This study reports how Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and informal cultural institutions have conserved key varieties of the wildgrowing rice, 'tinni' (red rice, or brownbeard rice, Oriza rufipogon Griff.), within the Bhar community of eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. The study was conducted, using conventional and participatory methods, in 10 purposively selected Bhar villages. Two distinct varieties of tinni ('tinni patali' and 'tinni moti') with differing habitats and phenotypic characters were identified. Seven microecosystems (Kari, Badaila, Chammo, Karmol, Bhainsiki, Bhainsala and Khodailia) were found to support these varieties in differing proportions. Tinni rice can withstand more extreme weather conditions (the highest as well as lowest temperatures and rainfall regimes) than the 'genetically improved' varieties of rice (Oriza sativa L.) grown in the region. Both tinni varieties are important bioresources for the Bhar's subsistence livelihoods, and they use distinctive conservation approaches in their maintenance. Bhar women are the main custodians of tinni rice agrobiodiversity, conserving tinni through an institution called Sajha. Democratic decision-making at meetings organized by village elders determines the market price of the tinni varieties. Overall, the indigenous institutions and women's participation seem to have provided safeguards from excessive exploitation of tinni rice varieties. The maintenance of tinni through cultural knowledge and institutions serves as an example of the importance of locally maintained crop varieties in contributing to people's resilience and food security in times of rapid social and environmental change.

Community knowledge and local institutions play a significant role in sustainable comanagement, use and conservation of natural resources. Looking to the importance of these resources, a project, funded by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF), Ahmedabad, India was implemented to document the community knowledge associated with agriculture and natural resources in few selected Monpa tribe dominating villages of West Kameng and Tawang Districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Dynamics of various indigenous practices, gender role, culture and informal rural social institutions, cultural edges significantly contribute in managing and using the natural resources sustainably. Experiential learning and location specific knowledge play a pivotal role in ecosystem sustainability. Study also indicates the synergistic relation existing between local knowledge and ecological edges, thereby helping in sustaining livelihood in high altitude. Indigenous resource management systems are not mere traditions but adaptive responses that have evolved over time.