[Assam] Apatanis showing the way to sustainable agriculture

[muktikam phukan]

From Sivasish Thakur
 ITANAGAR, March 9 – The unique integrated agricultural system of the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is a testimony to the fact that traditional agro practices and knowledge of the farming communities can be instrumental in maintaining sustainable production in a specific agro-ecosystem. Arunachal has great ethno-cultural diversity with 26 major and 110 sub-tribes, which explains the wealth of traditional ecological knowledge among farmers, especially relating to agro practices.

“The traditional farmers’ groups of the Apatanis in the Apatani Valley in central-western Arunachal Himalayas have successfully been managing their natural resources since ages. Their traditional agro-ecosystems are intrically linked with nature, and are well-suited to local environmental conditions and cultural needs,” Mihin Dollo, a scientist with the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Itanagar, says.

Over the centuries the Apatanis have evolved a indigenous farming system with a very high degree of energy and economic efficiency, partly due to effective recycling of organic wastes and crop residues, Dollo says.

The integration of irrigation, animal husbandry and fishery with agriculture adds more novelty to the Apatanis’ farming practices. The Apatani system of irrigation is over a century old, which has been worked on and perfected through community involvement and equitable sharing of water resources. 

“The water is tapped near the forests on the foothills of the valley, and is channelled through to main canals on either side of the valley to supply to the agricultural land. Then the water is distributed through numerous small canals in a manner that every plot of land gets sufficient water for rice and fish culture,” Dollo says, adding that the surplus water is drained back to the main canal without outflow of any organic matter or soil loss. 

The Apatanis practise high crop diversity, which helps effective utilisation of different soil types. The highly-developed cropping system enables them to grow Emo paddy even on low fertile land and Mipya on high fertile land. “There are 18 rice varities with Emo and Mipya, all of which are grown as per soil requirement which ensures sustainability,” Dollo says.

As part of a wider research into the little-studied but fascinating facets of tribal practices, the GB Pant Institute had carried out a drive to document, validate and revitalise traditional knowledge in relation to sustainable agriculture across the Arunachal Himalayas. 

“The main objectives of the study were to examine the different farmers’ groups in three villages in the Apatani Valley, their nature of association, their role in agro-ecosystem management and the changes they are facing,” Dollo says.

According to Dollo, the traditional farmers’ groups are now passing through a transitional phase, mainly due to outside influences. “A conservative community, the Apatanis are on the verge of parting with some of the traditional agro-ecosystem management practices due to integration of hired labour forces from outside. For example, barbed wire fencing has been used recently whereas the traditional bio-fencing is more eco-friendly and efficient,” he says.

Experts believe that the traditional agricultural systems may benefit from the use of newer, appropriate technologies based on farmers’ agro-ecological knowledge, but it is important to document and revitalise this knowledge, which is quickly disappearing as farmers’ groups change, and there is more intervention in indigenous communities.

 
Muktikam Phukan 
Deputy Director (NR)
Petroleum Conservation Research Association
Sanrakshan Bhawan,10, Bhikaiji Cama Place,New Delhi 110066
Ph: +91 11 26198856 Ext 385, Mob: +91 9818598565
email: phukanm at pcra.org , muktikamp at yahoo.co.in 
                      


      Now you can chat without downloading messenger. Go to http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php