This document discusses indigenous traditional knowledge related to agricultural practices. It provides an overview of key plant production techniques using indigenous knowledge, including agroforestry, crop rotations, mixed/inter-cropping, polyculture, and water harvesting. These practices help maximize land and resource use while improving soil quality, biodiversity, and sustainability. While indigenous techniques are organic and cost-effective, the document argues they need further exploration, verification, and scientific validation to scale their application more widely.

1. Agricultural Heritage
By
Dr. V.Reeta
Department of Agriculture
www,cgc.ac.in Campus: Jhanjeri,
Mohali

2. Indigenous Traditional
Knowledge

3. Importance of Indigenous
Knowledge System
• Indigenous Knowledge is an essential part of the
development process of local communities.
• IKS provides the foundation for their beliefs and
traditional practices Indigenous knowledge
helps to promote biodiversity conservation.
• IK learning attitudes and values for a sustainable
future IK starting locally: From the “Known” to
the “Unknown”.

4. Sources of ITK
• Farmers
• Community leaders
• Elders
• Traditional stories
• Songs and poetry
• Ancient records
• NGO’s
• Extension agencies
• Published materials of different languages.

5. The differences between traditional
knowledge system and scientific system
Sl.No. Traditional Knowledge system Scientific System
1. All parts of the natural world are
regarded as animate, all life forms as
interdependent
Human life is generally regarded as
superior, with a moral right to control
other life forms
2. Knowledge is transmitted largely
through oral media.
Knowledge is transmitted largely
through the written word
3. Knowledge is developed and
acquired through observation and
practical experience
Knowledge is generally learned in a
situation, which is remote from its
applied context
4. Knowledge is universal, natural,
qualitative and practical
Knowledge is essentially reductionist,
quantitative, analytical and
theoretical

6. Contd.
5. Knowledge is generated by resource
users in a diachronic (long term) time
scale
Knowledge is generated largely by
specialist researchers on a
synchronic (short term) time scale
6. The nature and status of particular
knowledge is influenced by socio
cultural factors such as spiritual beliefs,
and is communally held
The nature and status of particular
knowledge is influenced by peer
review, and is held by individual
specialists
7. Explanations behind perceived
phenomena are often spiritually based
on subjective
Explanation behind perceived
phenomena are essentially rational
and objective
8. Knowledge is used to make suitable
decisions under variable conditions
Knowledge is used to put forward
hypothesis and to verify underlying
laws and constants

7. Plant Production
• The plant production system includes the basic
genetic and physiological regulations on plant
growth, the impact on growth of soil, water,
nutrients, disease and pests and the influence of
management processes.
• Plant productivity will be dependent on
implementing innovations across all aspects of
the production system while more efficiently
using resources and reducing negative impacts on
the environment.

8. Plant Production Through ITK
5-methods of plant production are:
1. Agroforestry
2. Crop Rotations
3. Mixed-/Inter-cropping
4. Poly culture
5. Water Harvesting

9. Agroforestry
• Agroforestry involves the measured maintenance
and planting of trees to develop a microclimate
that protects crops against extremes.
• Blending agricultural with forestry techniques,
this system helps to control temperature, sunlight
exposure, and exposure to wind, hail, and rain.
• This system provides food, fodder, firewood,
timber, and medicine while improving soil quality,
reducing erosion, and storing carbon.

10. Agroforestry

11. Crop Rotations
• Crop rotation is the practice of growing different
crops on the same land so that no bed or plot
sees the same crop in successive seasons.
• It is a practice designed to preserve the
productive capacity of the soil, minimize pests
and diseases, reduce chemical use, and manage
nutrient requirements, all of which help to
maximize yield.
• The practice of crop rotation builds better soil
structure and increases the ability to store carbon
on farms.

12. Crop Rotations

13. Mixed-/Inter-cropping
• Mixed cropping, also known as intercropping, is a
system of cropping in which farmers sow more
than two crops at the same time.
• By planting multiple crops, farmers can maximize
land use while reducing the risks associated with
single crop failure.
• Intercropping creates biodiversity, which attracts
a variety of beneficial and predatory insects to
minimize pests and can also increase soil organic
matter, fumigate the soil, and suppress weed
growth.

14. Mixed-/Inter-cropping

15. Poly culture
• Poly culture systems involve growing many plants of
different species in the same area, often in a way that
imitates nature.
• By increasing plant biodiversity, poly culture systems
promote diet diversity in local communities, are more
adaptable to climate variability and extreme weather
events, and are more resistant to pests and diseases.
• Poly cultures are basic to permaculture systems and
design and provide many advantages such as better
soil quality, less soil erosion, and more stable yields
when compared to monoculture systems.

16. Poly culture

17. Water Harvesting
• Water harvesting is defined as the redirection and
productive use of rainfall, involving a variety of methods to
collect as much water as possible out of each rainfall.
• Many water harvesting structures and systems are specific
to the eco regions and culture in which it has been
developed.
• This may involve collecting water from rooftops, from
swollen streams and rivers during monsoon season, or from
artificially constructed catchments.
• This ensures that farmers have a substantial amount of
water stored up in the case of drought or limited rainfall.

18. Water Harvesting

19. Conclusion
• Indigenous technical knowledge provides
valuable inputs to make efficient use of natural
resources and extends relevant support for
sustainable development.
• Indigenous techniques used in different
component of farming system are mostly organic,
eco-friendly, sustainable, viable and cost
effective. But, there is a need to explore, verify,
modify and scientifically validate these practices
for their wider use and application.

20. Some important questions
• Write short note on Indigenous traditional
knowledge.
• What do you mean by plant production?
• Discuss plant production techniques using
indigenous technological knowledge.

21. Thank You