Identification Of Different Indigenous Technical Knowledge Application In Agriculture And Allied Sector In Some Selected Areas Of West Bengal

Abstract

Traditional knowledge or Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) is the knowledge that people in a given community have developed over time, and continue to develop. It is based on experience. Often tested over long period of use, adopted to local use and environment, dynamic and changing, and lays emphasis on minimizing risks rather than maximizing profits. The studies conducted on three blocks (Mahammad Bazar, Sainthia, Bolpur Sriniketan block) of Birbhum district for documentation of traditional knowledge in different sector. Ninety respondents from nine villages are randomly selected and simple random sampling techniques followed for this study. The data were collected through direct observation, group interview, tapping the knowledge of elderly women and young boys. The traditional knowledge is documented in agriculture, animal husbandry and allied sector. In agricultural sector traditional knowledge are practiced from seed germination to post harvest management. In animal husbandry traditional knowledge is used from milk production to disease control and traditional implements were also catalogued with their use and status and medicinal plans which are used in formulation of different ethno medicinal preparation for curing various types of diseases and ailments. This indigenous knowledge regarded as environment friendly, ecological sound, location specific and cost effective. Farmers are using these different technologies through generation-to-generation and few of them have learned to use these technologies from the neighbours. Studies on ITK shows the way for incorporating ITK and scientific knowledge for development of eco-friendly technologies for sustainable agriculture and for development of technologies that would be more need based, better problem solving, locally applicable, easily acceptable and more convincing to the farmers.