This document discusses the documentation, validation, and contemporary relevance of indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) related to agriculture and homestead practices in the Kumaon hill region of Uttarakhand, India. It provides background on the importance of ITK for sustainable development and rural livelihoods. The study methodology involved surveying 480 farm families across 6 panchayats in 3 districts to document ITK practices. The practices were then validated by experts and some were experimentally tested. The document aims to preserve valuable local knowledge while promoting practices with scientific backing or potential for wider adoption.

1. DOCUMENTATION, VALIDATION AND
CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE OF ITK IN
AGRICULTURE AND HOMESTEAD AREAS
IN KUMAON HILL REGION OF
UTTARAKHNAD STATE
PRESENTER
TARA NEGI
RESEARCH SCHOLAR
MAJOR ADVISOR
PROFESSOR
DHRITI SLOANKI

2. Introduction
• It is a well known fact that India has a charitable and
glorious heritage of past both in richness and variety in
performing agricultural and allied practices.
• Modern practices which are being used in today’s
world are acting like a slow poison and have created
havoc on both man and his surrounding.
• To lessen the burden on both human and environment,
there is a need to find ways for sustainable
development which are environmentally sound, low
cost, easily acceptable and which make the mother
earth a better place to live in.

3. Continue…….
• Indigenous knowledge is a part of the lives of the
rural poor and their livelihood depends almost
entirely on specific skills and knowledge essential for
their survival.
• The indigenous practices are farmer friendly, socially
accepted, economically feasible, environmentally
sound and suited to the specific local and
environmental conditions.

4. JUSTIFICATION
• Kumaon people have store house of rich
indigenous knowledge regarding agricultural
and homestead practices.
• In the field of Indigenous knowledge
regarding agriculture and homestead areas
little work has been done in documentation
and validation part as the agriculture is the
main occupation and source of livelihood of
Himalayan people.

5. Continue….
• Instead the entrance of green revolution the
Himalayan people still practicing their
traditional local wisdom, so it is important to
explore all the practices.
• In Postharvest practices the losses (20-30%)
are more due to human and climatic
conditions, in order to minimise these losses it
is important to aware the people about
improved indigenous postharvest practices
among other farming community.

6. Continue….
• Families are mainly using the Indigenous
practices with regard to storage of cereals and
pulses, so it is important to identify and to
validate these practices which have a great
significance.
• There is no proper and adequate facilities of
treatment of common health problems.

7. Continue….
• The old practices known to elder ladies have a
strong hold in the area and are still practiced
by community. Documentation would help to
preserve the age-old practices.
• Kumaon is famous for impressive
festivals, traditions, culture and delicious
mouthwatering nutritious dishes, so it is
important to document and validate the
traditional food practices.

8. IMPLICATIONS
• Indigenous agriculture practices can be used in
other part of the country having similar agro-climatic
and micro- farming conditions.
• Homestead practices of post harvest and
treatment of human ailments can have wider
implications in other states of country.
• Indigenous practices which have contemporary
relevance need to be modify and need to be
blended with modern technologies for wider
acceptability.

9. DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
• The study was delimited to the only three major
crops i.e. Paddy (Dhaan), Finger millet
(Mandua) and Horse gram (Gahat)
• The study was delimited to the farm couples
above 45years and involved in agriculture.
• Postpartum practices of mother after delivery to
six months is taken
• Child care practices from brth to two year is
taken

10. METHODOLOGY
LOCALE
UTTARAKHAND
STATE
KUMAON REGION

11. SELECTION OF DISTRICTS
1 2
3 4
Fig 1: Study map of Uttarakhand state(1), Bageshwar district(2), Nainital district(3) and Almora district(4)

12. SELECTION OF
PANCHAYAT SAMITIES
Almora Bageshwar Nainital
1111 PPSS 33 PPSS 88 P PSS
1 PS 1PS 1 PS 1 PS 1 PS 1 PS
TToottaall 6 6 P PAANNCCHHAAYYAATT S SAAMMIITTIIEESS

13. 80
UTTARAKHAND
ALMORA NAINITAL BAGESHWAR
Tarikhet Garur Kapkot
Takula Bhimtal Okhalakhan
dDddd
Basoli(40)
Pandekhola(40
))
Manan(40) Channi(40)
Ratighat(40) Tilsari(40)
Danpur(40)
Gankhet(40)
Kanda(40)
Garampani(40)
Jyolikot(40)
Mahragaon(40
)
80 80 80 80 80
480
FFFFAR
40= Farm Couples
480= Total Respondents

14. SELECTION OF ITK AREAS
Agriculture : Included major crops i.e. Paddy , Finger millet
and Whole horse gram
Homestead :
1. Post harvest practices in selected cereals, pulses and millets
2. Health care practices
3. Postpartum practices related to mother just after delivery
upto six months
4. Child care practices just after delivery upto two years of
age
5. Indigenous ethnic food of Kumaon region

15. CONSTRUCTION OF TOOL
SECTION I
GENERAL INFORMATION

16. SECTION II
Documentation of indigenous practices
related to Paddy (Oryza sativa), Finger millet
(Eleusine coracana) and Horsegram
(Macrotyloma uniflorum) in components
Weather forecasting, water storage system,
preparation of land, preparation of seed bed
and care of the seedlings, ploughing, tillage,
sowing, transplantation, manure application,
intercropping, irrigation, controlling crop from
birds and animals, insect pest management and
harvesting practices.

17. SECTION III
a. Post harvest practices: It include
information pertaining to operations
like threshing, winnowing, cleaning,
drying or dehydration, storage,
extraction and milling related to
cereals (Paddy and wheat), millets
(Finger millet, Foxtail millet and
Barnyard millet) and pulses
(Blacksoyabean, Horsegram and
Lentil).

18. b. Indigenous Health care
practices includes:
• Respiratory diseases
• Gastrointestinal diseases
• Gastroenteritis
• Liver disease
• Skin related disease
• Nervous system related
• Different body pain
• Gynaecology problems
• Urinary tract infections
• measles, sunstroke, fracture
• Renal calculi
• Cancer

19. Continue…
• Indigenous Postpartum Practices
(Delivery to six months): It includes
- effective delivery practices,
- removal of placenta,
- first diet given to women,
- indigenous food preferences,
- food avoided after delivery,
- bathing, rest and relaxation,
- breast feeding and massage practices.
• Child care practices
(Birth to 2 years of age)-
It includes:
- Practices related to child birth,
- care of new born,
- breast feeding,
- weaning practices.
- health care practices.

20. SECTION IV
SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION OF INDIGENOUS PRACTICES
A separate tool was constructed after recording the farm
families responses
Activities Indigenous practices
followed by farm families
Reason Expert opinion
S* US** UN*** CR****
S*= Scientific
US**= Unscientific
UN***=Uncertain
CR***=Contemporary relevance

21. PRETESTING OF TOOL
REALIABILITY REALIABILITY OOFF TTHHEE TTOOOOLL
VVAALLIIDDIITTYY OOFF TTHHEE TTOOOOLL

22. PRETESTING OF TOOL
REALIABILITY REALIABILITY OOFF TTHHEE TTOOOOLL
VVAALLIIDDIITTYY OOFF TTHHEE TTOOOOLL

23. DATA COLLECTION
Following methods were used for
data collection:-
•Field Survey
•Personal interview techniques
•Focused group discussion
•Transect walk

24. II SCIENTIFIC VAIDATION
By panel of experts Experimentation

25. a. By panel of experts
The collected indigenous practices given to total 30
experts for its validation
 Vivekananda Krishi Anusandhan Kendra(ICAR
regional centre) Almora
 G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and
Technology,Pantnagar
Maharan Pratap University of Agriculture and
Technology, Udaipur
Scientists from CIMAP, Garur,
Bageshwar(Uttarakhand)
Doctors from Ayurveda college i.e. Patanjali Haridwar
and Ayurveda college Dehradun

26. b. Experimentation of Indigenous
practices
•Weed control practice by sprinkling the salt water
solution in paddy plant at growth stage
•Sprinkling the paste of Fenugreek seed and cow’s
urine at 10 days interval at growth stage of paddy
plant for insect pest control
• Storage practices in wheat grain by keeping wall nut
leaves
• Consumption of Silfer(Brayophylum) and Gahat
soop(Wholehorse gram) in Kidney stone