Tribal Villages Research Articles

Establishing communication mechanism for malaria prevention in Baiga tribal villages in Baiga Chak area of Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh.

Background & objectives:Malaria is a serious public health concern in several parts of India, particularly in tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh (MP). Dindori district inhabitated by Baiga tribe, contributes about 15 per cent to the total malaria burden in MP. The tribal and other local inhabitants believe in magico-religious treatment of malaria and use modern health facilities only as second line of treatment. The present study was planned in the villages of one of the particularly vulnerable tribal group of MP, the Baigas. The objective of the study was to generate awareness and utilization of health services for malaria by establishing a communication strategy using local students and unemployed youths as agents of change.Methods:The study was undertaken in 47 villages and the need based IEC (information, education and communication) intervention was evaluated within four months of initiation by adopting before and after with control design. For both baseline and resurvey the households covered each time were 2350.Results:The baseline data generated revealed that around 53 per cent of the people in the study villages were aware of malaria. Among the non Baigas, 59 per cent were aware of malaria, while among the Baigas it was 49 per cent. IEC intervention could raise the level of awareness to malaria significantly with a net intervention effect of 23 per cent. The IEC intervention also improved the utilization of modern health services significantly.Interpretation & conclusions:The IEC strategy designed by using local children and youths was effective as the malaria was on decline in the study area. The same strategy with necessary modifications may be replicated in other areas pandemic for malaria.

Emergence of dengue in tribal villages of Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Background & objectives:Dengue (DEN) is a rapidly spreading arboviral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Although it is endemic in India, dengue virus (DENV) infection has not been reported from tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh. Investigations were conducted to establish the aetiology of sudden upsurge of cases with febrile illness in June 2013 from tribal villages of Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, India.Methods:The rapid response team of the National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, conducted clinical investigations and field surveys to collect the samples from suspected cases. Samples were tested using molecular and serological tools. Collected mosquitoes were identified and tested for the presence of virus using semi nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR). The sequences were analysed to identify serotype and genotype of the virus.Results:Of the 648 samples collected from 18 villages of Mandla, 321 (49.53%) were found to be positive for dengue. The nRT-PCR and sequencing confirmed the aetiology as dengue virus type 2. Eighteen per cent of patients needed hospitalization and five deaths were attributed to dengue. The virus was also detected from Aedes aegypti mosquito, which was incriminated as a vector. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the dengue virus 2 detected belonged to cosmopolitan genotype of the virus.Interpretation & conclusions:Dengue virus serotype 2 was detected as the aetiological agent in the outbreak in tribal villages of Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh. Conducive man-made environment favouring mosquitogenic conditions and seeding of virus could be the probable reasons for this outbreak. Urgent attention is needed to control this new threat to tribal population, which is already overburdened with other vector borne diseases.

INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME AT GUNJALA VILLAGE – A CASE STUDY

Integrated watershed management programme was launched in Tamsi mandal of gunjala village by using ‘Four water Concept’. Case study included Questionnaire survey from farmers living in that village, and continuous study over a period of two years. Tamsi village is a tribal village and drought area with very less rainfall. Total project area is 4566 Hac, Project Cost Rs. 547.92 Lakhs. The sanctioned area of Gunjala micro watershed is 710 Hac with a outlay of Rs. 85.20 Lakhs. Out of which the total expenditure incurred was Rs.39.12 Lakhs and constructed structures were LBS, RFDs, PTs, CDs and Plantation. Over two year period, it was observed that, 2 years of period the ground water has been improved in this village and three Bore wells are drilled and they are successful, even during peak summer they could meet their day today activities. The farmer Jadhav Uttam has an additional income of Rs. 17600 per Acre in cotton and Rs. 6300 per Acre in Red Gram. The farmer Gnan Singh had an additional income of Rs. 17600 per Acre in cotton and Rs. 5,250 per Acre in Red Gram. The farmer Amber Singh had an additional income of Rs. 13200 per Acre in cotton and Rs. 3,500 per Acre in Red Gram. In the same way, others farmers were also able to generate the benefits from the construction of water storage structures. Total Additional income generated for Seven farmers was Rs. 6, 31000/in 2011-2012 Cropping Season with construction of Check Dams of Rs.3,24000/an additional average income per Acre to the farmer is of Rs. 22,500/and a series of 8 Nos. check dams are constructed on single 3 rd order stream which flows Across the 6 Grama Panchayats from ridge to valley. There are 90 farmers cultivating 168 Acre of land who are benefited by getting an additional income of Rs.37,80,000/-.

Tradition in treating taboo: Folkloric medicinal wisdom of the aboriginals of Purulia district, West Bengal, India against sexual, gynaecological and related disorders

Ethnopharmacological relevanceIn order to explore the traditional medicine practised by the ethnic communities residing in the topographically and climatically challenged Purulia, an underprivileged district of West Bengal, India, a quantitative ethnobiological approach was adopted to document the folkloric use of ethnomedicinals against different sexual, gynaecological and related ailments. Materials and methodsEthnobiological surveys were conducted during 2012–2015 by interviewing 82 informants or traditional healers with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire. The survey included questions on botanical and non-botanical ingredients and additives mixed with monoherbal and polyherbal formulations, vernacular names of the plants and animals, methods of preparation and administration and restrictions during medications. Additional quantitative indices such as use value, informant׳s consensus factor and fidelity level were used for data analysis. ResultsTwenty eight sexual and gynaecological disorders were found to be treated with 18 monoherbal and 31 polyherbal formulations consisting of a total number of 96 plant species from 86 genera and 47 families and four animal species. A variety of additives, either botanicals or non-botanicals were used with the formulations for higher efficacy and taste enhancement. Fabaceae (16 species) was found to be the most common family of medicinal plants whereas herbs (42.7%) and roots (32%) were the most common habit type and plant part used respectively. Use value, informant׳s consensus factor and fidelity level indicate frequency and coherence of citations. ConclusionAge old belief on traditional medicine prevails in the studied area due to its efficacy, inexpensive price and the remoteness of tribal villages from conventional medical centres. Traditional healers had detailed knowledge of preparations, doses, methods of administration, restrictions during medications, safety and efficacy of using folkloric therapeutics against sexual and gynaecological disorders. Possible synergistic interactions among phytochemicals and additives were indicated to explain enhanced therapeutic efficacy of mixed herbal formulations.

Medicinal Plants for Diabetes by the Orang Asli in Selangor, Malaysia

Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in Malaysia and the world. The aim of this study is to document the plant species used by the Orang Asli in Selangor to treat diabetes. Thirteen Orang Asli villages in Selangor comprising of four Mah Meri tribe villages and nine Temuan tribe villages were involved in this study. A total of 24 species of plants from 20 families were mentioned. Half of these species were cultivated, 10 species were wild, and two species of plants were both cultivated and obtained in the wild, that is, Acanthus ilicifolius and Eurycoma longifolia. Seven species of plants on the other hand possibly have not been studied its ability in treating this disease. The highest Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) among the species recorded was Parkia speciosa with 0.33, followed by Archidendron bubalinum with 0.26.

Ethnomedicinal knowledge for treating stomachache among the Bagata tribe of Visakhapatnam District (Andhra Pradesh)

The paper examines traditional uses of some plants used to treat stomachache by the Bagata tribe of Visakhapatnam district. Forests have provided enough material to tribes for use in the traditional medicine. During the survey of the tribal villages, data on 47 medicinal plants used to cure stomachache were collected. Forty-seven plant species belongs to 45 genera and 30 families are reported along with family, vernacular and English names, dosage rate and mode of administration have been enumerated.

Can integrated watershed management contribute to improvement of public health? A cross-sectional study from hilly tribal villages in India.

Tribal people living in hilly areas suffer from water scarcity in many parts of the world, including India. Water scarcity adversely impacts all aspects of life, including public health. Implementation of an Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) can help solve the problems arising out of water scarcity in such areas. However, the knowledge about and views of the water scarcity sufferers on the public health implications of IWMP have not been well documented. This cross-sectional study was performed in six purposively selected tribal villages located in Maharashtra, India. In three of the villages IWMP had been implemented (IWMV), but not in the other three (NWMV). The head of each household in all villages was interviewed using a questionnaire covering various public health aspects relevant to the villages. A total of 286/313 (92%) households participated in the study. Compared to NWMV, respondents in IWMV experienced significantly lesser prolonged water scarcity (OR = 0.39), had greater number of toilets (OR = 6.95), cultivated more variety of crops (OR = 2.61), had lower migration (OR = 0.59), higher number of girls continuing education (OR = 3.04) and better utilized modern healthcare facilities in the antenatal, natal and postnatal period (OR = 3.75, 2.57, 4.88 respectively). Thus, tribal people in IWMP-implemented villages reported advantages in many aspects of public health.

A mobilities approach to trekking: a 1978 trek to Hua Mae Kham, Northern Thailand

The author's 1978 nine-day trek to hill tribe villages in the remote Mae Kham River Valley in the extreme northwest of Thailand is analysed, on the basis of excerpts from his diaries, in terms of Cresswell's mobilities approach. The trekking guide's choice of the route, and the representations, experiences and practices of the participants on the trek and in the villages, are examined in detail against the background of the unsettled conditions of the area at the time. The analysis leads to suggestions for the expansion of the conceptual framework of Cresswell's mobilities approach, and proposes the development of a systematic comparative analysis of mobility regimes.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania donovani in the tribal population of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve forest, Western Ghats, Kerala, India.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a neglected tropical disease, is reported to be prevalent in tribal villages located in the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve forests of Western Ghats, Kerala state, India. We carried out an investigation to characterize the species of Leishmania parasites involved in these infections prevalent among one of the oldest human tribal populations in India. Skin aspirates collected from 13 clinically diagnosed cases were subjected to histopathological investigations, serological rapid tests using 'rk39' and molecular diagnostics. Clinical manifestations recorded among the patients were hypo-pigmented erythematous nodules/papules on limbs and other parts of the body. Histopathological investigations of these skin lesions among patients showed Leishman-Donovan bodies in macrophages. None of the patients were found to be positive for rk39 tests, which detect active visceral leishmaniasis. Using three different genetic markers [kinetoplast minicircle DNA, 3' UTR region of heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and Hsp70 gene] we identified the parasite species involved in these infections to be Leishmania donovani. The 6-phosphogluconate (6-PGDH) gene sequences of the parasite isolates from Western Ghats indicated close genetic relatedness to L. donovani isolates reported from Sri Lanka, also causing CL. This could be cited as another instance of 'local endemism' of organisms in this single 'bio-geographic unit'.

Assessing the prevalence of malnutrition in tribal children using MUAC as a screening tool

Children malnutrition is a major public health problem in India. Malnutrition has the maximum impact on children living in rural and tribal areas. Various anthropometric indices such as weight–for-age, height-for-age, weight-for- height and Body Mass Index (BMI) are used to assess the nutritional status of the children. Mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) is being used as an alternative to traditional measurements like height and weight, particularly in emergency settings. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended MUAC to be used as an independent diagnostic criterion for assessing severe acute malnutrition among children. A total of 4502 children between 6-59 months of age were screened over a period of 12 months, in seven Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF) Project mobile clinic sites located in states of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh border areas in India. MUAC was measured with MSF-designed fiber optic measuring tapes. In general, the overall prevalence of malnutrition among 6-59 months children was 15.2%. However the prevalence of malnutrition was higher among children of 6-23 months age group (25.8%) as compared to children of 24-59 months (5.4%). Despite various national nutritional intervention programs have been in operation for about four decades, the malnutrition remains very high particularly among the children living in hilly and remote tribal villages.

Fuel choices in rural Maharashtra

We report on and analyze the results of an energy use survey in two tribal villages in rural Maharashtra, India. Though there is significant heterogeneity between the effects of the variables in the two villages there are some robust results. We find modest evidence for the ‘energy ladder’ hypothesis and that use of higher quality energy sources reduces total energy use, ceteris paribus. Income elasticities of fuel use are small. Additionally, we demonstrate that household size, stove ownership, and season influence energy choices. However, the effects of improved stoves are small and not consistent across the villages.

Prevalence of under nutrition in under-five tribal children of Melghat: A community based cross sectional study in Central India

ObjectiveUnder nutrition has chronically remained a major public health problem among tribal children population in India. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of various forms of under nutrition in ‘under five’ children in Melghat – a difficult to reach, hilly, forest area of Maharashtra in Central India using different standards. MethodsA community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Dharni & Chikhaldara blocks in tribal area of Melghat over a period of two months. A representative sample of 2926 under-five children from randomly chosen 33 villages in two blocks was selected with cluster sampling. Information on various demographic and anthropometric characteristics (e.g. age, sex, height, weight) of study subjects was collected in a pre-designed proforma by trained tribal female village health workers (VHWs). Under nutrition was assessed by using Standard WHO criteria like stunting, underweight, wasting, and IAP grades; alone and in combination. Crude and adjusted prevalence estimates accounting for clustering effect were obtained along with 95% Confidence Intervals. ResultsOut of total 2926 U5 children, 1006 (34.4%) were severely stunted, 547 (18.7%) were SUW and 209 (7.1%) were SAM, and 199 (6.8%) were severely under nourished (grade III–IV) according to IAP standards. However, when various WHO criteria & IAP gradations were applied in combination, more number 2241 i.e. (76.59%) of the U5 children in Melghat were found to be severely or moderately under nourished. by one or more standards. ConclusionVery high prevalence of severe stunting, severe underweight and severe acute malnutrition was found in tribal U5 children population in Melghat. A combination of more than one criteria may be useful in tracking more number of under nourished children in tribal communities, which otherwise would be missed by any single criterion alone. The study findings will be helpful in planning prevention and planning of programmes that would focus more on populations most affected.

Socio-Economic Status and Associate Problems of the Tribals: A Case Study of a Village in Kurung Kumey District of Arunachal Pradesh

Hiya is a Nyishi tribal village located in the Nyapin block of Kurung Kumey district, Arunachal Pradesh. The present study slots in the socio-economic conditions and associate problems of the Nyishi tribal villagers of Hiya. This study tries to highlight various aspects of socio-economic structure like age-sex structure, marital status, educational structure, economic status etc. It also attempts to explore the problems faced by the tribal villagers like low income, lack of drinking water, low rate of literacy, transportation problem, etc. The study aims at suggesting ways how to overcome their social constraints in receiving proper facility.

Chiefdoms, Collapse, and Coalescence in the Early American South by Robin Beck (review)

Reviewed by: Chiefdoms, Collapse, and Coalescence in the Early American South by Robin Beck Karl G. Lorenz (bio) Chiefdoms, Collapse, and Coalescence in the Early American South. By Robin Beck. (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013. Pp. 316. $90.00 cloth) This book addresses the evolution of the Catawba nation of the Carolina piedmont using the regional archaeological and ethnohistorical records from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries. Beck draws on social theories of structure and event to frame his arguments about the factors that led to the rupture and re-articulation of Native [End Page 656] tribal populations in this region. The Catawba endured great cultural upheaval during these centuries, including the cyclical collapse of many regional Mississippian chiefdoms in the fifteenth century, the sixteenth-century disruptions caused by Spanish exploration, and finally, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the destructive, long-lasting acculturating force of European colonial powers jockeying for control of the trade and territory of Native people. The book is thematically organized into three principal sections indicated by the book’s title: chiefdoms, collapse, and coalescence. The first section deals with the role played by the Mississippian chiefdom of regionally integrating populations of agriculturalists under the umbrella of a hereditary chief, whose authority was supported by a tributary economy of maize surplus and whose legitimacy was reinforced by mound ceremonialism. This system began to unravel as a result of the sixteenth-century intrusions of Hernando de Soto (1539–43) and Juan Pardo (1567–68) into the Carolina piedmont, which disrupted the established alliances between towns and villages associated with these tributary chiefdoms. Beck synthesizes compelling evidence from previous excavations for the archaeological identification of two chiefly centers named by de Soto and Pardo at the Mulberry (called Cofitachequi by de Soto/Canos by Pardo) and Berry (called Xualla by de Soto/Joara by Pardo) mound sites in the Carolina piedmont. In the second section, Beck contends that British market demand for slaves and animal skins was the principal cause of the collapse of the chiefdom structure. Beck relies heavily on documentary sources to argue that the slave-raiding Westo and Occaneechi tribes hastened the collapse of the chiefdom due to the loss of laborers for accumulating maize surplus and the loss of male warriors to provide defense. Moreover, British commodity exchange would have altered Native conceptions of status and prestige and, in turn, increased competition for leadership authority between the highest-ranking hereditary chief and lower-ranking warriors who were successful slavers and hunters. Finally, Beck documents the Native population loss from epidemic [End Page 657] diseases occurring after 1696 due to increased direct contact with British traders. Such population losses would have led to displacements of people from one river valley to the next. Here, Beck is on more tenuous ground as he attempts to link village names with varying degrees of spelling correspondences from one valley to the next, arguing that these name correspondences are evidence of population migrations. The third section of the book focuses mainly on the factors leading to Catawba coalescence, a process resulting from the replacement of chiefdoms with chieftaincies, which are defined as confederacies of autonomous tribal towns and villages of displaced descendants of some of the original piedmont chiefdoms. Beck cites several eighteenth-century historical accounts that testified to the changing allegiances of Catawba villages in their political dealings with Europeans and other Indian tribes. In summary, the book succeeds in synthesizing previous research by archaeologists and historians regarding the prehistory and history of the Carolina piedmont. Most of the ideas in this book for southeastern chiefdom collapse and subsequent coalescence are not new, but Beck has adapted them from other scholars to provide a working explanation for the transformation of the political organization of Native peoples of the Carolina piedmont. Interestingly, many of the arguments and much of the documentary support contained in chapters two and three appeared previously (sometimes verbatim) in a book chapter by Beck in an edited volume, Mapping the Mississippian Shatter Zone: The Colonial Indian Slave Trade and Regional Instability in the American South (2009). Nevertheless, his use of documentary evidence from four centuries of European contact is appropriate and quite thorough. His...

Maternal Knowledge and Practices towards Sanitation and Their Relationships with Occurrence of Diarrhoea in Children

<p>Diarrhoea, a major contributor of childhood morbidity and mortality is mostly caused by poor hygiene and sanitation. Literature reveal that hygiene practices at household levels greatly affects the occurrence of diarrhoea among children. A cross sectional study was conducted to determine association between hygiene knowledge and practices of mothers with occurrence of diarrhoea in young children below 3 years in the tribal villages of Gujarat. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on personal hygiene (PH), food Hygiene (FH), and environmental Hygiene (EH) practices of 536 mothers with children between 6-36 months of age. Past one month diarrhoeal episodes were recorded using the recall method. The mean percent scores for FH, PH and EH practices were 77%, 88% and 80% respectively. Almost 35% children suffered from diarrhoea in the past one month of which 10 were admitted to the hospital. Diarrhoeal incidences were associated with FH and EH practices (p<0.001) and not with PH practices. Improvement in the environmental and personal hygiene practices of the mothers can contribute largely in reducing the prevalence of diarrhoea among children in Chikhli taluka of Gujarat.</p>

Maternal Knowledge and Practices towards Sanitation and Their Relationships with Occurrence of Diarrhoea in Children

<p>Diarrhoea, a major contributor of childhood morbidity and mortality is mostly caused by poor hygiene and sanitation. Literature reveal that hygiene practices at household levels greatly affects the occurrence of diarrhoea among children. A cross sectional study was conducted to determine association between hygiene knowledge and practices of mothers with occurrence of diarrhoea in young children below 3 years in the tribal villages of Gujarat. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on personal hygiene (PH), food Hygiene (FH), and environmental Hygiene (EH) practices of 536 mothers with children between 6-36 months of age. Past one month diarrhoeal episodes were recorded using the recall method. The mean percent scores for FH, PH and EH practices were 77%, 88% and 80% respectively. Almost 35% children suffered from diarrhoea in the past one month of which 10 were admitted to the hospital. Diarrhoeal incidences were associated with FH and EH practices (p<0.001) and not with PH practices. Improvement in the environmental and personal hygiene practices of the mothers can contribute largely in reducing the prevalence of diarrhoea among children in Chikhli taluka of Gujarat.</p>

Implications of Conservation Agriculture for Men's and Women's Workloads Among Marginalized Farmers in the Central Middle Hills of Nepal

Measures of gender-based labor distribution can contribute to understanding the feasibility of agricultural development in mountainous subsistence farming communities. Conservation agriculture (CA) can provide sustained crop yield and improved soil and water conservation in mountain areas prone to degradation and where few inputs are available. This study sought to measure the gendered labor impacts of CA practices and to assess their feasibility in remote farming communities. We surveyed farmers in 3 tribal villages in the Middle Hills of Nepal, where communities consist of smallholder (<2 ha) farmers cultivating highly sloping, marginal lands. Face-to-face interviews and time allocation surveys were used to quantify distribution of labor and to identify engagement in agricultural decision-making in 87% of the households. On-farm plots were used to measure differences between the gender-based labor demands of conventional and CA practices. Results show that women bear a disproportionate burden (53–55%) of on-farm labor. Field trials showed that women would predominantly manage increases in labor demands from CA, particularly where more labor for plowing, sowing, and harvesting is required, yet 51.3% indicated that they have limited control over adoption of new practices. In situations where women are already overburdened, technologies that require additional labor may prove unsustainable. It is crucial to adapt technologies to provide gender-sensitive solutions and meet the needs of the local community. Identifying the gendered constraints of CA is vital to improving understanding of agricultural livelihoods.

Quality of water and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli from water sources of hilly tribal villages with and without integrated watershed management-a one year prospective study.

In many hilly tribal areas of the world, water scarcity is a major problem and diarrhoea is common. Poor quality of water also affects the environment. An integrated watershed management programme (IWMP) aims to increase availability of water and to improve life conditions. Globally, there is a lack of information on water contamination, occurrence of diarrhoea and antibiotic resistance, a serious global concern, in relation to IWMP in hilly tribal areas. Therefore, a prospective observational study was conducted during 2011–2012 in six villages in a hilly tribal belt of India, three with and three without implementation of an IWMP, to explore quality of water, diarrhoeal cases in the community and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli from water sources. The results showed that physico-chemical quality of water was within limits of safe consumption in all samples. The odds of coliform contamination in water samples was 2.3 times higher in non-watershed management villages (NWMV) compared to integrated watershed management villages (IWMV) (95% CI 0.8–6.45, p = 0.081). The number of diarrhoeal cases (18/663 vs. 42/639, p < 0.05) was lower in IWMV as compared to NWMV. Overall E. coli isolates showed high susceptibility to antibiotics. Resistance to a wider range of antibiotics was observed in NWMV.

Medicinal plants used by tribal population of Coochbehar district, West Bengal, India–an ethnobotanical survey

To explore traditional ethnomedicinal knowledge of different tribes of Coochbehar district of West Bengal, India, and its present status. With the help of standardized questionnaires, traditional healers and resource persons were interviewed on medicinal use of local flora in all the tribal villages of Coochbehar district during July, 2007 to December, 2009 and some of the places were revisited for this purpose again during July to December of 2012. A total of 46 plant species belonging to 42 genera and 27 families were reported to be used for treating 33 various physical ailments. In terms of the number of medicinal plant species, Fabaceae (5 species) and Euphorbiaceae (4 species) are dominant families. Among different plant parts used for the preparation of medicine, leaves were most frequently used for the treatment of diseases. In all tribal villages we found the use of medicinal plants, particularly to treat common physical problems like smaller injuries, stomachache and abdominal disorder. However, non-availability of such plants in close vicinity is imposing restriction on using medicinal plants. Further research on these species may lead to the discovery of novel bioactive molecules in one hand and also it may open up a new horizon of sustainable development.

Analysis of conservation agriculture preferences for researchers, extension agents, and tribal farmers in Nepal using Analytic Hierarchy Process

Many smallholders in Nepal rely on marginal lands that are subject to declining fertility due in part to traditional farming practices. The adoption of conservation agriculture practices has the potential to improve livelihoods and food security but depends on knowledge sharing among farmers, extension agents, and researchers. This study uses Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine farmer, extension professional, and researcher preferences for selected conservation agriculture production systems (CAPS) and a widely-practiced traditional production system. This data is then used to determine which CAPS have the highest likelihood of adoption and identify misunderstandings or knowledge gaps among farmers, extension personnel and scientists. AHP was conducted in three tribal villages and at two NGOs that provide research and extension services to smallholders in the central Middle Hills region of Nepal. Overall, soil quality was identified as the most important factor affecting long-term household income, the primary motivator of adoption in study villages. Farmers generally preferred full tillage followed by cowpea solo crop in the second growing season while extension agents and researchers preferred strip tillage followed by cowpea and millet intercrop in the second season. Results indicate that (1) stakeholders prefer CAPS over traditional systems, (2) farmers prefer full tillage over minimum tillage and (3) the farmers in the village of Khola Gaun may be more prepared to adopt minimum tillage and intercropping than the other villages. Communication among all stakeholders should be improved and the results of on-farm plots should be used to reinforce understanding of CAPS benefits. It should be kept in mind that labor savings is not a main motivator of adoption among village farmers and further research should be conducted in Khola Gaun to learn why farmer preferences there differ significantly from farmer preferences in other villages.