Traditional Agriculture, Culture and the Indigenous Knowledge (IK) among the Kondhs in Odisha, India

Abstract

The study aims to explore different types of agricultural practices including the shifting and the settled cultivation practices of the Kondhs in Kandhamal district in Odisha. The author attempts to understand their traditional beliefs, perception, rationality and knowledge in agricultural practices. Besides, the author briefly focuses on the issue of transformation in traditional agriculture, opportunities and challenges. The nature of the research is purposive and exploratory and is based on grounded theory. Field observation, household schedule and focus group discussions were employed for primary data collection. For information about indigenous knowledge, mainly elderly people were interviewed. The Kondhs’ traditional agriculture has a strong cultural and ecological foundation. The community is not short of innovation. With the blend of both perception and rationality the traditional agricultural practice of the community continued for generations, but now in transition. Therefore, this practice needs to be protected from its potential threat of extinction.