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Traditional Knowledge System for Sustainable Agriculture Practices of Rural Communities of North-Western Himalaya, India

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Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Resource Management in Asia

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Abstract

The present study aims to the exploration of traditional cropping patterns and the sustainable advancement of the hilly regions based on the Traditional Agricultural Knowledge System (TAKS) of local communities in the Indian Himalayan Region. The study was based on a qualitative method, which includes questionnaires, interviews, public participation, and analyses of field data, mainly from 2014 to 2019. The results revealed that old traditional crops like Amaranth, Barley, Buckwheat, Finger Millet, etc. signify as traditional hill farming system. In addition, traditional crops are mainly cultivated by following traditional farming practices such as mixed-cropping, inter-cropping, and crop rotation systems, sustaining hill agriculture by soil and water conservation of fragile hilly regions. This traditional knowledge system of agriculture contributes to the food and health security of rural communities. The results also suggested that traditional farming offers an innovative approach to conserving local crop diversity; sustain the natural environment, social welfare, and traditional values. Hence, the study recognizes traditional hill agriculture practices as significant mechanisms to strengthen or conserve IHR and further improve low-lying regions ecologically.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, for providing financial assistance and GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Himachal Regional Centre, Mohal-Kullu Himachal Pradesh for providing all support and encouragement that made this work successful. We also acknowledge the support of local communities for sharing their indigenous knowledge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horticultural Research Station, Seobagh, Kullu, 175 138, Himachal Pradesh, India

    Abhay Sharma

  2. GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Himachal Regional Centre, Mohal-Kullu, 175 126, Himachal Pradesh, India

    Sarla Shashni & Sumati Rathore

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  1. Abhay Sharma
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  2. Sarla Shashni
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Correspondence to Sarla Shashni .

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  1. Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Suresh Chand Rai

  2. Department of Geography, Shivaji College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Prabuddh Kumar Mishra

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Sharma, A., Shashni, S., Rathore, S. (2022). Traditional Knowledge System for Sustainable Agriculture Practices of Rural Communities of North-Western Himalaya, India. In: Rai, S.C., Mishra, P.K. (eds) Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Resource Management in Asia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16840-6_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16840-6_12

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