Book of Abstracts
11th IFOAM
Scientific Conference
11-15 August 1996
Copenhagen, Denmark

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Symposia

Indigenous Knowledge in Agriculture in Nepal S7

Ghimire, M.

Ecological Services Centre P.O. Box 04, Narayangarh, Chitwan, Nepal.

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Nepalese Agriculture system is passing through different types of interaction. Modern agriculture system was introduced after 1950 with systematic planning at different level of governmental institution. After the decade of 1960, the slogan of Green Revolution was spread in different part of Nepal where public infrastructure were developed like; transportation, communication and level of so called of education. Majority of area in Nepal is not connected by road transportation. Therefore, any incentives provided by governmental and other institution on the name of modern agriculture has been utilised by rich, educated farmers and elite class of society. Majority of farmers who are living below poverty line in remote rural areas of Nepal are practices in southern plain and inner valleys of mid hill region of Nepal, the biological diversity due to the physiographic condition of country the wide spread of negative consequences of modern agriculture is relatively low. Similarly indigenous practices for agriculture differs in terms of application methodology. For the Hindu and Buddhist community source and dissemination of indigenous knowledge from generation to generation is Vedic system and its application in day to day life from father to son and exchange between the members of community. Similarly role of different types of shamans, faith healer, priest is also very important.

The way of applying indigenous knowledge differs according to the ethnicity. However it differs in methodology where the goal is somehow similar. The major basis for the use of indigenous knowledge in summary is spiritual, cultural, tradition and local myth.

Most of the belief and practices on indigenous knowledge are based on locally specific natural and social environment. In Nepal, availability of natural resources is declining. Because of natural resources decline, nowadays farmer express that it is very difficult to predict or forecast the forthcoming climatic situation in the locality. Similarly, intervention of improved crop varieties of different crop and animal breed forecasting of climate on the basis of animal behaviour is also being difficult.

Through study need to be carried out to see the ethnological and phenomenological perspective of indigenous knowledge which can support for the need of farmers according to the increasing requirement which can support for the need of farmers according to the increasing requirement of different agriculture product for farm family. This may be possible bringing different group of people for exchange of information. However, ethnoscience and cosmological studies enforce that it is possible to understand in depth with empirical observation and concentration self for the inner understanding.