Knowledge of the tribal farmers on indigenous agricultural practices in paddy cultivation in the Pachaimalai hills of Tiruchirappalli district in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

In the last ten years, there has been a significant focus by researchers on indigenous practices, primarily due to the alarming rate of diseases among urban populations caused by the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides on agricultural land. These contemporary technologies have a direct and indirect effect on both people and the land. To address this issue, a study was conducted in the Pachaimalai hills, where a considerable number of tribal individuals reside in the Tiruchirapalli District. Therefore, the research was specifically conducted in the Pachaimalai Hills of Tiruchirapalli District in Tamil Nadu. Among the 30 revenue villages, twelve were selected through purposive sampling based on their high tribal population. The main crop cultivated in this area is paddy. This paper particularly discusses the indigenous practices that the respondents have implemented in paddy cultivation. It also highlights the aspects of paddy cultivation that tribal farmers prioritize, such as seed germination and storage. The tribal farmers mainly adhered to these practices to manage seed-borne diseases and improve storage techniques. They consistently use a unique container referred to as 'kudhir' to effectively protect against pests and diseases during storage. In this context, the indigenous knowledge employed by the tribal respondents is low-cost, reliable, and viable, having been traditionally upheld by their ancestors in their tribal paddy cultivation regions.