Abstract
Indigenous technical knowledge derived from traditional wisdom is an asset of farmers in developing countries. To ensure the continuity of these practices for future generations, we need to understand the scientific rationality and their communication patterns, and then document them. This study aimed to document the indigenous pest management practices, test their scientific rationality, and determine their communication pattern among the farmers. A total of 120 farmers from district Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, India, were selected through the simple random sampling method. Interviews and focussed group discussions were used to collect data. Out of a total of 32 documented indigenous practices, 27 were found to be rational by the scientists. Neighbours ranked first as the source of information, followed by friends and relatives. Knowledge related to managing pests through indigenous methods was shared by the farmers, mainly in temples. They learned the practical application of these indigenous practices during childhood while working with parents in the fields, followed by observing their friends and relatives. The indigenous technical knowledge should be conserved and combined with the scientific cognizance for sustainable agriculture. Next- generation farmers need to be motivated to adopt these practices.
Highlights
IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
Education is an essential tool of human capital that can increase the ability of farmers to perceive, absorb, and implement innovations in the field, and may positively impact the adoption of indigenous pest management practices
Most farmers were small and subsistence farmers, they are often more associated with adopting indigenous technical knowledge than commercial farmers. These findings were consistent with previous findings [10], which found that ITK use was highest among subsistence farmers (85%) and lowest among commercial farmers (10%)
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) is knowledge of a particular community developed over a long period spanning multiple generations and continues to evolve with experience. This local knowledge is accepted and validated by society over time, which becomes a part of people’s social and cultural lives and becomes the indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) belonging to a particular society [1]. As early as 1987, Paul Feyeabend [2] defined this knowledge as that knowledge often encoded in rituals and the cultural practices of everyday life of individuals.
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