Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Review Articles

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2025)

Integrating indigenous knowledge in modern agriculture: Challenges and opportunities

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.7875
Submitted
22 February 2025
Published
14-04-2025 — Updated on 23-04-2025
Versions

Abstract

Around 10000 years ago, humans began domesticating plants and understanding the role of weather and soil in agriculture. Over generations, they developed environmentally friendly farming practices, that sustained productivity while preserving local ecosystems. This historical perspective underscores the value of indigenous knowledge in developing alternative resource management approaches. Traditional techniques, refined through centuries, hold immense significance and must be safeguarded from extinction. These methods are eco-friendly and community-centric, offering viable solutions to contemporary agricultural challenges, including climate change, resource depletion and food insecurity. Their low-cost, sustainable nature makes them an essential complement to modern high-input farming. Integrating these practices with contemporary agriculture can foster resilient, environmentally sound and culturally significant farming systems. However, to fully leverage their potential, further research scientific validation and systematic documentation are imperative. Research institutions, NGOs and policymakers must collaborate to revive, adapt and disseminate these techniques among farming communities. This synergy between traditional wisdom and modern innovation can bridge the gap, ensuring a more sustainable agricultural future. By recognizing, validating and integrating traditional agricultural knowledge, we can create robust farming systems that preserve biodiversity, improve resilience and support food security for future generations.

References

  1. Giri U, Hedayetullah M. Text Book of Agricultural Heritage. Scientific Publishers; 2020.
  2. Nene YL. Utilizing traditional knowledge in agriculture. Traditional knowledge system of India and Sri Lanka. 1999;32–8.
  3. Nene YL. Potential of some methods described in Vrikshayurvedas in crop yield increase and disease management. Asian Agrihist. 2012;16(1):45–54.
  4. Vaidya VB, Pandey V, Dhabale S. Ancient science of weather forecasting in India with special reference to rainfall prediction. Journal of Agrometeorology. 2023;25(4):477-90. https://doi.org/10.54386/jam.v25i4.2422
  5. Shankar KR, Maraty P, Murthy VRK, Ramakrishna YS. Indigenous rain forecasting in Andhra Pradesh. Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture; 2008.
  6. Manna T, Anitha A. Precipitation prediction by integrating rough set on fuzzy approximation space with deep learning techniques. Appl Soft Comput. 2023;139:110253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2023.110253
  7. Palakkal DS. Reviving India’s indigenous knowledge system: An attempt towards a ‘sustainable future. Emerging.140.
  8. Patel SK, Sharma A, Singh GS. Traditional agricultural practices in India: an approach for environmental sustainability and food security. Energy Ecol Environ. 2020;5(4):253–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-020-00158-2
  9. Adhikari U. Insect pest management: mechanical and physical techniques. Reviews in Food and Agriculture (RFNA). 2022;3(1):48–53. https://doi.org/10.26480/rfna.01.2022.48.53
  10. Barzman M, Bàrberi P, Birch ANE, Boonekamp P, Dachbrodt-Saaydeh S, Graf B, et al. Eight principles of integrated pest management. Agron Sustain Dev. 2015;35:1199–215. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-015-0327-9
  11. Hoddle MS, Van Driesche RG. Biological control of insect pests. In: Encyclopedia of insects. Elsevier; 2009. p. 91–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-374144-8.00033-3
  12. Abbas M, Ramzan M, Hussain N, Ghaffar A, Hussain K, Abbas S, et al. Role of light traps in attracting, killing and biodiversity studies of insect pests in Thal. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Research. 2019;32(4):684-90. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjar/2019/32.4.684.690
  13. Areson CW. Structural bird control - An overview. In Decker, D. J. (Ed.), The First Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference (pp. 333-346). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University. 1983.
  14. Mir SA, Mohammad I, Khan MR, Myint MZ, Mansoor T, Amin Z, et al. Role of intercropping in sustainable insect-pest management: a review. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change. 2022;12(11):3390–404. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2022/v12i111390
  15. Bond EJ, Monro HAU. Manual of fumigation for insect control. Vol. 54. FAO Rome, Italy; 1984.
  16. Nath P, Bhushan S, Singh AK. Evaluation of neem-based formulations and neem seed kernel extract against the insect pests of sesamum. Annals of Plant Protection Sciences. 2002;10(2):207–11.
  17. Lokanadhan S, Muthukrishnan P, Jeyaraman S. Neem products and their agricultural applications. Journal of Biopesticides. 2012;5:72. https://doi.org/10.57182/jbiopestic.5.0.72-76
  18. Benelli G, Murugan K, Panneerselvam C, Madhiyazhagan P, Conti B, Nicoletti M. Old ingredients for a new recipe? Neem cake, a low-cost botanical by-product in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases. Parasitol Res. 2015;114:391–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4286-x
  19. Parimala K, Subramanian K, Mahalinga Kannan S, Vijayalakshmi K. Seed storage techniques–a primer. CIKS, Chennai, India. 2013.
  20. Karthikeyan C, Veeraragavathatham D, Karpagam D, Firdouse SA. Traditional storage practices. 2009.
  21. Gc YD. Efficacy of indigenous plant materials and modified storage structures to insect pests of maize seed during on-farm storage. J Inst Agric Anim Sci. 2006;27:69–76. https://doi.org/10.3126/jiaas.v27i0.698
  22. Saxena RC. Practical applications of neem against pests of stored products. 2006.
  23. SAHOO A. Seed quality attributes in paddy as influenced by neem pesticides against storage insect pests. 2020.
  24. Sharma A, Manpoong C, Pandey H, Gupta CK, Baja Y, Singh MS, et al. A comprehensive update on traditional agricultural knowledge of farmers in India. In: Wild food plants for zero hunger and resilient agriculture. Springer; 2023. p. 331–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6502-9_14
  25. DAS D. Medicinal Plants and Traditional Knowledge in the Indian Subcontinent. Shashwat Publication; 2023.
  26. Balikai RA, Jahagirdar S, Patil RR. Management of post-harvest pests and diseases in cereals, pulses and oilseeds. J Exp Zoology India. 2024;27(2). https://doi.org/10.51470/JEZ.2024.27.2.2107
  27. Mbeyagala KE, Amayo R, Obuo JP, Pandey AK, War AR, Nair RM. A manual for mungbean (green gram) production in Uganda. National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO). 2017;32.
  28. Maliwichi?Nyirenda C, Maliwichi LL, Kamanula JF. Plants Used for Pest Management in Malawi. Novel Plant Bioresources: Applications in Food, Medicine and Cosmetics. 2014;295–302. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118460566.ch22
  29. Sharon M, Abirami C V, Alagusundaram K. Grain storage management in India. Journal of Postharvest Technology. 2014;2(1):12–24.
  30. Karthikeyan C, Veeragavathatham D, Karpagamand S, Firdouse SA. Indigenous low-cost technologies for sustainable dry land agriculture. Indian Journal of Extension Education. 2006;42:27–31.
  31. Moses JA. Indigenous food grain storage concepts of India. Trends Biosci. 2015;8(22):6210–16.
  32. Singh V, Verma DK, Srivastav PP. Food Grain Storage Structures: Introduction and Applications. In: Engineering Interventions in Foods and Plants. Apple Academic Press; 2017. p. 247–84. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315194677-8
  33. Sundaramari M, Ganesh S, Kannan GS, Seethalakshmi M, Gopalsamy K. Indigenous grain storage structures of South Tamil Nadu. 2011.
  34. Kiran Babu P, Rampal. Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Sustainable Conservation of Seeds and Food Grains in the Himalayas. In: Addressing the Climate Crisis in the Indian Himalayas: Can Traditional Ecological Knowledge Help? Springer; 2024. p. 53–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50097-8_3
  35. Board N. Hand Book on Neem & Allied Products. Asia Pacific Business Press Inc.; 2003.
  36. Bohensky EL, Maru Y. Indigenous knowledge, science, and resilience: What have we learned from a decade of international literature on “integration”?. Ecology and Society. 2011;16(4). https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-04342-160406
  37. Gorjestani N. Indigenous knowledge for development. Protecting AND Promoting Traditional Knowledge: Systems, National Experiences AND International Dimensions. 2004;265.
  38. da Silva C, Pereira F, Amorim JP. The integration of indigenous knowledge in school: a systematic review. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education. 2024;54(7):1210-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2023.2184200
  39. Baul TK, McDonald M. Integration of Indigenous knowledge in addressing climate change.
  40. Biswas R. Exploring indigenous knowledge systems of education in ancient India: a comprehensive study. New Trends of Teaching, Learning and Technology. 2024;2:161.
  41. Baig SA. Exploring Indian Knowledge System: Veda and Life Science. SGSH Publications; 2024.
  42. Majumder NM. Local knowledge dynamics: Through an overview of indigenous knowledge and its trend with prospective. Indian Journal of Research in Anthropology. 2017;3(2):67-74. https://doi.org/10.21088/ijra.2454.9118.3217.2
  43. Singh RK, Sureja AK. Indigenous knowledge and sustainable agricultural resources management under rainfed agro ecosystem. 2008.
  44. Singh RK, Singh A, Ksherchokpa L, Rallen O, Taniang B, Lego YJ, et al. Grassroots approaches for sustaining biocultural diversity and livelihood Security: insights from Indian eastern Himalaya. Environmental Management. 2021;68:17-37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01462-1
  45. Sillitoe P. The development of indigenous knowledge: a new applied anthropology. Current Anthropology. 1998;39(2):223-52. https://doi.org/10.1086/204722
  46. Singh RK, Sureja AK. Indigenous knowledge and sustainable agricultural resources management under rainfed agro ecosystem. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 2008;7(4):642-54.
  47. Eliazer Nelson AR, Ravichandran K, Antony U. The impact of the Green Revolution on indigenous crops of India. Journal of Ethnic Foods. 2019;6(1):1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-019-0011-9
  48. Turner NJ, Turner KL. “Where our women used to get the food”: cumulative effects and loss of ethnobotanical knowledge and practice; case study from coastal British Columbia. Botany. 2008;86(2):103-15. https://doi.org/10.1139/B07-020
  49. Warren DM. Using indigenous knowledge in agricultural development. World Bank Discussion Papers. 1991;127.
  50. Warren DM, Rajasekaran B. Putting local knowledge to good use. International Agricultural Development. 1993;13(4):8-10.
  51. Warren DM, Slikkerveer LJ, Brokensha D. (Eds.). The cultural dimension of development: Indigenous knowledge systems. Intermediate Technology Publications. 1995. https://doi.org/10.3362/9781780444734.000
  52. Bank W. Indigenous knowledge for development: a framework for action. Africa Region: Knowledge and Learning Center. 1998.
  53. Agrawal A. Dismantling the divide between indigenous and scientific knowledge. Development and Change. 1995;26(3):413-39. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7660.1995.tb00560.x
  54. Berkes F. Sacred ecology: traditional ecological knowledge and resource management Taylor and Francis. London Science and the St Elias. 1999;203.
  55. Chambers R. Rural development: Putting the last first. Routledge; 2014. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315835815
  56. Gadgil M, Berkes F, Folke C. Indigenous knowledge for biodiversity conservation. AMBIO-STOCKHOLM. 1993;22:151-53.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.