Merits and Limitations of indigenous practices in dry lands

 

P. BALASUBRAMANIAM, Associate Professor (Agrl. Extn.),

 Directorate of Open and Distance Learning, TNAU, Coimbatore - 3.

---

 

Abstract

 

View from any angle, be it the contribution to national income, export earnings and livelihood of the people agriculture is the backbone of India. Every effort is being made to develop and strengthen this sector. Land is a limited resource and hence the present efforts should mainly rely upon increasing the productivity of the existing land. Increase of productivity is dependent upon increasing the potential of irrigation resource of the land. Of the 153 million hectares of cultivated land, only 28 per cent enjoy the irrigation facilities while the rest of the land is rainfed. The interest in traditional knowledge is growing with considerable momentum, more so, in case of rainfed agriculture where inadequate to overcome the problems. There is undoubtedly a need to initiate systematic efforts for collecting the traditional practices from different areas, perhaps on the pattern of germ plasm collection so that these could be catalogued for wide use.

The indigenous knowledge would be helpful to develop ecologically compatible and socially accepted technologies in the difficult areas of crop and animal culture.

 

Introduction

Dryland cultivation in India produces about 44 per cent of the food grains and 75percent of oilseeds and pulses. In all about 75 million tonnes of food grains come from dry tracts of our country. Under these circumstances, that dryland agriculture assumes crucial role and needs through investigation and developmental efforts. This dryland area is characterized by small farm holdings periodical droughts, soil erosion and low crop yields.

There has been a tremendous increase of the use of modern technologies in boosting production in agriculture recently. Adoption of these technologies has however, been limited to irrigated areas, where these technologies have proved profitable. The farmers of the dry tracts however, face severe constraints in adoption of these technologies, due to a variety of reasons. production risk is one of the important features of rainfed agriculture from the farmers perspective, the risk could be observed not only due to drought but also due to wet weather, frost, pests, diseases, market rates etc., The factors associated with risk, however vary from year to year and also from location in an unpredictable manner.

Traditionally, a number of practices have been evolved by farmers to address the problem of risk. These traditional practices are relevant under the changing scenario in rain fed agriculture and also to impress upon the need for blending the traditional practices of risk management with modern practices at high production. The knowledge in today's parlance is called local knowledge/traditional knowledge (or) indigenous knowledge.

Indigenous knowledge may also be defined as the sum total of knowledge and practices which are based on people's accumulated experience in dealing with situations and problems in various aspects of life and suck knowledge and practices are special to a particular culture.

Indigenous knowledge is the knowledge of the people living in certain area, generated by their own and their ancestors experience and including knowledge originating from else where which has been internalized by the local people. Farmers have found ways of conserving soil and water, protecting crops and nutrient availability without the use of artificial inputs.

 

Sampling Procedure

Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu purposively selected for this study as the researcher was familiar with the culture and dialect prevalent in the district. The study concerns with the local farm in dryland. Coimbatore district consists of 21 blocks which Palladam block was purposively selected because of the representativeness of the typical dry tract of the district. Palladam block is administratively divided into 21 revenue villages. Of them, five villages were selected and they are Ganapathipalayam, Anupatty, Panickampatti, Bumalur and Samalapuram. Dryland farmers constitute the sampling for this study. The study population comprises all farmers of selected villages. Based on the statistical requirement, time constraint and other limitations for the researcher a sample of 120 respondents was considered adequate in the study. 

Findings and discussion.

 

A. Identification of Indigenous Practice followed by Dryland farmers

 

IK is dynamic. IK changes through indigenous creativity and innovativeness as well as through contact with other knowledge system. IK is well known that the indigenous creativity, innovativeness as well as contact with other knowledge system vary from farmer to farmer.

An attempt was made to identify the indigenous practices that were prevalent in the study area. The twenty five  indigenous practices were identified and  classified in to eight major heads viz., Preparatory cultivation, seeds and sowing, manure and manuring, mixed cropping, intercultural operation, plant protection, post harvest and storage practices.

 

 

B. Adoption of indigenous practices among farmers

 

In the foregoing, 25 indigenous practices were identified from farmers' awareness. Most of the practices were known to all farmers and the rest were at the varying levels of awareness in forms of percentage of farmers. Small and big farmers also differed in their awareness in respect of a few practices. The differences in such cases were statistically significant.

 

Of the 25 practices known to farmers, only 18 of them were in adoption stage. Farmers ranging from 70 to 95 percent were practicing 11 technologies, about 60 percent two technologies, about 33-45 percent two more technologies and a little less them 20 percent three other technologies as shown in table 3.

 

In three indigenous practices alone viz., soaking Bengal gram in water, cow dung cake used as burrow fumigant, tieing polythene sheet to a pole, users of small farmers out numbered big farmers. It was reverse in the practice of cotton treated with red soil.

 

In all other 14 practices, adoption percentages of small and big farmers were nearly same. A higher percentage of adoption in most of the practices is quite understandable since they are indigenous in nature. In contrast, such higher adoption percentage does not normally occur when technologies through top down approach percolate in the farming community. This situation implies that there is need to farmers participation in technology development process.

 

C. merits of Indigenous Practices

 

When the farmers continuously practicing indigenous knowledge, it will be also relevant to enquire why they do so. In other words, what are the advantages of such practices as perceived by farmers. Understanding the rational of such practices from farmers point of view, may also help researchers to look into the valid factors while they research to farmers need and help extension workers to select appropriate technologies based on few criteria

 

1.  Summer ploughing (SF : Small Farmers, BF : Big Farmers)

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total	'Z' value
		(n=44)	(n=66)
1.	Conservation of moisture during drought period	100	98.48	90.83	1.007 NS
2.	Eradication of weeds	100	100	91.66	NS
3.	Control of soil erosion	86.36	100	86.66	2.63 **
4.	Reduction in no. of ploughings at the time of sowing	72.72	87.87	75	1.93NS

 

          Majority of the farmers (75-92 percent) had gone for summer ploughing because it conserves moisture, eradicates needs, consolidates soil erosion and minimizes the number of ploughings at the time of sowing.  Percentage of farmers who had convinced about soil erosion control was more among big farmers than among small farmers.

 

2. Cowdung coating for cotton seeds

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total	'Z' value
		(n=45) (%)	(n=64) (%)
1.	Pest reduction	86.66	100	85.83	2.03**
2.	No cost	93.33	85.93	88.33	1.29 NS
3.	Easy dibbling of seeds owing to fuzz removal	100	100	90.83	NS
4.	Good germination	95.55	92.18	85	0.74 NS

 

** - Significant at 1% level.

 

          Majority and 100 percent of small and big farmers expressed that due to cowdung coating for cotton seeds, the easy dibbling of seeds to remove fuzz, good germination, no cost and pest-reduction were the advantages.

 

3. Soaking sorghum in cow urine

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total (%)	'Z' value
		(n=39) (%)	(n=48) (%)
1.	No cost	92.30	83.33	63.33	1.30 NS
2.	Drought tolerance	100	100	72.50	NS
3.	Easy establishment of seeds with minimum showers	61.53	85.41	54.16	2.56**

 

** - Significant at 1% level.

 

          In the study sample, 87 farmers used to soak sorghum seeds in cow urine before sowing. About 72 percent had been using the practice, because of drought tolerance. About half of them were of the opinion that the seeds had germination with minimum rain and big farmers attributing this reason numbered more than small farmers. Two-thirds of farmers considered this technology as no cost practice.

 

4. Soaking Bengal gram in water

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total (%)	'Z' value
		(n=49) (%)	(n=42) (%)
1.	No cost	15.15	35.17	18.33	2.20*
2.	Establishment of seeds with minimum shower	100	100	72.50	NS

 

** - Significant at 5% level.

 

          As found with the previous practice, 87 farmers had resorted to the practice of soaking bengal gram in water before sowing. The motivating factors appeared to be no cost (18 percent) and withstanding water stress (72 percent).

 

5. Soaking Sorghum in common salt

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total (%)	'Z' value
		(n=41) (%)	(n=56) (%)
1.	Less cost	31.70	17.85	19.16	1.5 NS
2.	Good germination even under adverse condition	85.36	94.64	73.33	1.47NS

 

          The indigenous practice of soaking sorghum in common salt had attracted 97 farmers out of 120 sample farmers. Majority of farmers (73 percent) opined that this practice recorded higher percentage germination even under adverse condition. About one fifth were of the view that no expenditure was involved.

 

6. Cotton treated with Red soil

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total (%)	'Z' value
		(n=4) (%)	(n=15) (%)
1.	Easy dibbling of seeds owing to fuzz removal	-	01.11	9.16	5.31**
2.	Good germination	100	3.83	9.16	3.32**

 

** - Significant at 1% level.

 

          A considerably less number of 22 farmers out of 120 had treated cotton seeds with red soil. Of them, there were 18 big farmers. Half of big farmers stated that this practice facilitates easy dibbling of seeds and however no small farmers were conscious of this reason. All the four small farmers referred to the factor of good germination.

 

 

7. Cattle penning

 

            Of the 120 farmers, 96 families comprising 38 small and 58 big farmers practiced cattle penning and all of them appeared to have fully understand the improvement of soil fertility owing to organic manure.

 

8. Sorghum raised as mixed crop with lab-lab

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total (%)	'Z' value
		(n=39) (%)	(n=63) (%)
1.	Additional yield	79.48	95.23	75.83	2.24*
2.	Nitrogen fixation	100	15.87	40.83	1.827**

 

*   - Significant at 5% level.

** - Significant at 1% level.

 

          Majority of farmers 102 out of 120 raised sorghum mixed with lab-lab. About three-fourths of them mentioned about additional yield owning to mixed cropping and about 41 percent cited nitrogen fixation by leguminous lab-lab. Big and small farmers however differed among themselves in these advantage wise responses.

 

9. Crop ploughing

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total (%)	'Z' value
		(n=30) (%)	(n=45) (%)
1.	Saving of labour charge	48.64	28.28	25.83	2.71**
2.	Weeds eradication	100	100	62.50	NS

 

** - Significant at 1% level.

 

          Three fourths of 120 farmers used to have crop ploughing practice and all of them had done so because of weed eradication. About 20 percent farmers hold that labour cost for weeding was considerably reduced compared to big farmers, small farmers were more conscious of cost factor.

 

10. Cow dung cake used as Burrow fumigant

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=15) percent	Big farmer (n=6) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	Less cost	66.66	-	8.33	5.47**
2.	Easy to kill rats	53.33	2.5	9.16	0.92 NS

 

          * Significant at 1% level

 

Use of cow dung cake as burrow fumigant is another indigenous practice in use by a lesser of farmers (21 out of 120). Again, mostly the small farmers had shown interest in this practice. They are at the view that the practice is economical in controlling rats.

 

11. Displaying Crow's Carcass for scaring Birds

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=48) percent	Big farmer (n=63) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	No cost	81.25	41.65	54.16	4.77**
2.	2 to 3 acres covered by a single carcass	100	100	92.5	NS
3.	Saving of labour charges	83.33	52.38	60.83	3.73**

 

 

** Significant at 1% level

 

Displaying crow's carcass for scaring birds is a very popular indigenous practice involving majority of farmers (111 out of 120). More than half of the adopting farmers were of the opinion that it was a labour saving practice with less cost to protect two (or) three acre crop with a single carcass.

 

12. Beating Empty Iron Drums toward off Birds

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=43) percent	Big farmer (n=59) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	Less Cost	74.41	61.01	56.66	1.45 NS
2.	Saving of labour charge	23.25	72.88	44.16	5.73**
3.	Scaring away birds	100	100	85	NS

 

            ** Significant at 1% level

 

Beating empty drums toward off birds from damaging grain crops is one of the popular indigenous practices to a sizeable number of farmers (102 out of 120). It is the farmers conviction that the practice enabled them to save crop from birds' menace at less cost.

 

13. Tieing polythene sheet to a pole

 

          Tieing polythene sheet to a pole is another indigenous practice being used by a considerable number of farmers (53 out of 120) for scaring birds. Nearly same position of farmers in both side groups had been using the practice.

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=16) percent	Big farmer (n=24) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	Pest indicator plant	100	100	40	NS
2.	Additional yield	100	91.66	31.66	1.47 NS

 

14. Raising castor as a border crop in cotton field is in vogue among 40 farmers in the total sample. All the small and big farmers using the practice had experimented that castor had not only as trap crop for the cotton pest but also provided additional income.

 

15. Coating Red gram with Red Soil

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=48) percent	Big farmer (n=66) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	Easy separation of kernels	100	100	95	NS
2.	Removal of pest	93.75	78.78	80.53	2.44**
3.	Longer shelf life	62.50	87.87	73.73	3.14**
4.	No cost	100	72.72	80	4.97**

 

          *    Significant at 5% level

            **  Significant at 1% level

 

          Coating Red gram with red soil was one of the most popular indigenous method practiced by almost all farmers barring a few (114 out of 120), farmers of both size groups appeared to have interested in the practice for certain valid reasons. They were easy removal of pest, easy separation of kernels, longer shelf life and economic. However the small and big farmers differed in perception of these advantages and shown in the table.

 

16. Mixing green gram with ash

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=36) percent	Big farmer (n=48) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	Pest-reduction	91.66	100	67.5	1.80 NS
2.	No Cost	50	72.91	44.16	2.17*
3.	Pest Repellent	100	95.83	68.33	1.4 NS

 

          * Significant at 5% level

 

      Mixing green gram with ash was one of the post harvest indigenous practice involving 84 farmers out of 120. About two thirds of them had perceived certain advantages like pest reduction and cheaper method. In perception, the two size groups differed as shown in the table.

 

17. Mixing Sorghum with Dried Neem leaves

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=29) percent	Big farmer (n=47) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	No Cost	89.66	82.97	54.16	0.84 NS
2.	Pest Repellent	100	100	63.33	NS

 

Mixing sorghum with dried neem leaves is one more post harvest indigenous practice for 76 farmers of 120, both small and big farmers were equally interested in this practice because it was a cheap method to control storage pests.

 

18. Storing Grains in Mudkudhir

 

S. No.	Advantages	Small farmer (n=8) percent	Big farmer (n=12) percent	Total percent	'Z' Value
1.	Pest control	50	8.33	4.16	2.41
2.	Longer shelf life	100	100	16.66	NS

 

          * Significant at 5% level

 

          Storing grains in Mudkudhir is one more post harvest practice in which 20 out of 120 farmers were involved. Longer shelf life and control of storage pests were reported to be the advantages.

 

D. limitations in adoption of indigenous Practices

 

          Farmers who had used indigenous practices were asked for not only advantages but also for constraints if any, normally no farmer would prefer a practice whether it is indigenous (or) modern unless the practice gives more benefit them its constraints.

 

          Knowing the advantages of a practice answers as to why farmers evinced keen interest on such practice. At the same time, understanding the constraints will be useful to justify the modification of the practice if needed.

 

Constraints of indigenous practices (SF: Small Farmers, BF: Big Farmers).

 

Sl.No.	Advantages	SF	BF	Total (%)	'Z' value
		(%)	(%)
1.	Summer ploughing SF (n=44) BF (n=66) high cost	-	22.75	12.5	4.4**
2.	Cowdung coating for cotton seeds SF (n=45) BF (n=64) time consuming practice	33.33	50	39.16	1.77NS
	Difficult to follow this practice during rainy season	82.22	23.43	43.33	7.55**
	It cannot be utilized for long storage	-	46.87	25	7.51**
3.	Soaking sorghum in cow urine SF (n=45) BF (n=48) crop growth was not uniform	25.64	45.83	26.66	2.01*
4.	Soaking bengal gram in water SF (n=45) BF (n=42) crop growth not satisfactory	-	23.8	8.33	3.6**
5.	Soaking sorghum in common salt SF (n=41) BF (n=56) patches in the crop coverage	12.19	-	4.16	2.3*
6.	Cotton treated with red soil SF (n=4) BF (n=18) it cannot be utilized for long storage	100	88.88	16.16	1.5NS
7.	Cattle penning SF (n=28) BF (n=58) it is difficult to have cattle penning in time	51.28	60.34	45.83	0.746NS
	High cost	76.31	22.41	15	3.84**
8.	Sorghum raised as a mixed crop with lab-lab SF (n=39) BF (n=63) damage to main crop	46.15	4.76	17.5	4.91**
9.	Crop ploughing SF (n=30) BF (n=45) damage to main crop owing to bullock trampling	66.66	28.88	27.5	3.45**
	Complete removal of weeds was not possible	86.66	46.66	39.16	4.12**

10.	Cowdung cake used as burrow fumigant SF (n=15) BF (n=6) Laborious	100	100	17.5	NS
11.	Displaying crows carcass for scaring birds SF (n=48) BF (n=63) Nuisance caused by other carnivorous birds and animals Birds other than crow causes problem	45.83     41.66	55.55     55.55	47.5     45.83	1.01            NS     1.46 NS
12.	Beating empty iron drum towards off birds SF (n=43) BF (n=59) High cost	65.11	19.94	31.66	5.50**
13.	Tieing polythene sheet to a pole SF (n=28) BF (n=25) Damage by high wind	71.42	40	25	2.41*
14.	Raising castor as a border crop in cotton field SF (n=16) BF (n=24) Host plant for pest on cotton	93.75	75	27.5	1.56 NS
15.	Coating red gram with red soil SF (n=48) BF (n=66) Time consumption More labour requirement Unsuitability during rainy season Longer time for drying Impossible to store for longer period	41.66 31.25 87.5 20.83   77.08	12.12 19.69 15.15 39.39   27.27	33.33 23.33 43.33 30.00   45.83	3.65** 1.39 NS 11.12** 2.20*   6.09**
16.	Mixing green gram with ash SF (n=36) BF (n=48) Ash particles drop off in course of time and inability to store for longer period	100	93.75	67.50	1.75 NS
17.	Mixing sorghum with dried neem leaves SF (n=29) BF (n=47) Unsuitable for cooking purpose	51.72	8.91	15.83	4.26**
18.	Storing grains in Mudkudhir SF (n=8) BF (n=12) Pest Problem	37.5	41.66	6.66	1.8 NS

 

          *   Significant at 5% level

            ** Significant at 1% level

 

Of 110 farmers, 12.5 percent however felt that summer ploughing costed much to them and all of them happened to be big farmers. No small farmer had thought of this practice as costly affair.

 

Regarding the practice of cow dung coating for cotton. It had invited many constraints as shown in this table. Of the 108 farmers, about half of them had felt that it would be difficult to follow the practice during rainy season and also treated seeds had taken more time for drying before sowing, about 40 percent farmers considered it to be a time consuming practice. According to 50 percent of 64 big farmers, they treated cotton seeds had to be sown the earliest as it would not last long storage.

 

Of the 87 farmers who had soaked sorghum in cow urine, one-forth of them opined that crop growth was not uniform. Those who had given such opinion were mostly big farmers.

 

Of the 87 farmers who had soaked bengal gram in water, a few of them
(8 percent) were of the opinion that crop growth was not satisfactory and all of them were big farmers.

 

Of the 97 farmers who had soaked sorghum in common salt solution, 4 percent of them had observed patches in the crop standing. Those giving such view were all small farmers.

 

There were 21 farmers who had treated cotton seeds with red soil. About 16 percent of them had experienced that they could not store the treated seeds for long before sowing.

 

Cattle penning was one of the popular indigenous practices for 96 farmers of whom about half of them found it difficult to have goats penning in time.  About 21 percent farmers understood that it was possible to have goat penning only during fallow season and 15 percent remarked about the practice to be costly.

 

In raising a mixed crop of sorghum with lab-lab.  Of the 102 farmers. About 10 percent were of the view that the harvest operation of early matured crop had somewhat affected the other crops in maturity stage. This opinion was more prevalent among the small farmers as compared to big farmers.

 

The crop ploughing practice was reported to have two constraints. About 28 percent of the adopters informed that the damage to main crop owing to bullock trampling during crop ploughing was unavoidable. It was also the view of about 40 percent farmers that complete removal of weeds was not possible. As shown in the table, both small and big farmers differed in their opinion.

 

Twenty-one farmers had experienced with burning cow dung cake as burrow fumigant in rat burrows. All of them uniformly expressed that the practices was laborious, since a team of two or three people is needed to chase the out coming rats with necessary tools.

 

Regarding the indigenous practice of displaying crow's carcass to protect the crop from crow menace, there were three constraints as detailed in the table. About half of the 111 adopters reported on the nuisance caused by other carnivorous birds and animals feeding on dead crows. Birds other than crow were however not deterred by this practice.

 

One hundred and two farmers had used the practice of beating empty iron drums toward off birds. One third of them particularly a high proposition of small farmers were found to be more concerned with cost factor in engaging a drum beater in continuous basis.

 

Of the study sample, 53 farmers had used the practice of tieing polythene sheet to a pole. One fourth of them mentioned a problem that the polythene sheet tied to the pole would not last long as it would be taken away by high wind. More small farmers as compared to big farmers were sensitive to this constraint.

 

The indigenous practice of raising castor as a border crop to cotton was in use by 40 farmers of whom, one fourth were under the belief that there were chances for castor to be the host plants for certain pests on cotton.

 

The practice of coating red gram with red soil had invited several constraints from farmers' side. Percentage of farmers ranging from 23 to 46 from the 114 adopting farmers listed out the constraints such as time consumption, more labour requirement, unsuitability during rainy season, longer time for drying and impossibility to store for longer period.

 

Farmers mixing green gram with ash numbered 84 out of 120 sample farmers, Two-Thirds of them were of the view that the effect of the coating would fade away after some time as the ash particles drop off in course of time and there by it would be difficult to store for longer period.

 

Seventy six farmers out of 120 used to mix sorghum with dried neem leaves. About 16 percent reported that sorghum meant for house consumption could not be subjected to this practice as the cooked food would give bitter taste.

 

One fifty of study sample stored grains in mudkudhir. A few of them (6.66 percent) expressed the problem of pest invasion sometimes even in such storage system.

 

E. Conclusion

 

1. Some of the indigenous practices like summer ploughing, cowdung coating for cotton seeds, sorghum raised with bal-lab, displaying crow's carcass for scaring birds, beating empty iron drums toward off birds and coating red gram with red soil were the practices adopted by more number of dryland farmers. These can be popularized as low cost indigenous practices among the other farmers.
2. For cattle penning, goats and sheep were not available in time. To compensate, sources of other organic manures should be explored and use of bio-fertilizers needs to be promoted. There is also need to involve more farmers in goats and sheep rearing programmes as part of farming system approach.
3. The practices like cotton treatment with red soil, use of cow dung cake as burrow fumigant and raising castor as a border crop in cotton field were adopted by very less number of farmers. The scientific basis of these practices should be established for their soundness and other advantages.
4. The extension worker should catalogue all the available indigenous practices crop wise and location wise, blend them with modern practices and then popularize in the farming community.