Introduction

Indigenous Peoples with centuries of their intimate links and relationship with nature has broad knowledge base on the complex ecological system. They have a clear perception on the bio-resource for generating ecological services and on which their entire life depend, that they have effectively developed a stake in managing and conserving the bio-resources in their surroundings (Martemjen et al., 2013). The indigenous technical knowledge is the localized knowledge, transmitted from generation to generations and time tested by local community to solve the particular problems taking cognizance of local factors. It is based on resource conservation to the betterment of next generations. These resource conservation attitudes of indigenous technical knowledge foster the sustainability and sustainable agriculture is the urgent need to conserve the agricultural resources for next generations (Banerjee, 2011). Indigenous knowledge is the knowledge of indigenous people inhabiting different geographical region of the world with their own language, culture, tradition, belief, folklore, rites and rituals (Chhetry and Belbahri, 2009). Indigenous knowledge is type of knowledge, which has evolved within the community and has been passed on from one generation to another (Natarajan and Govind, 2006). The farmers from different ethnic diversity of the region have developed their own systems in cultivation of various crops (Sharma and Gogoi, 1999).

Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) is the product of centuries of trial and error, natural selection and keen observation that can form the knowledge base on which researchers and extension workers can plan their research strategy and experimental procedures. Thus, peoples’ knowledge is more detailed than that of others, who have not had the same experience or do not have the same skills in observation or analysis (Sankaran, 2005). Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) is the knowledge that people in given community have developed. It is based on experience, often tested over long period of use, adapted to local culture and environment, dynamic, changing and lay emphasis on minimizing risk rather than maximizing profits. Knowledge, skill and survival strategy of farmers operating with low external inputs have often ignored to promote modern agriculture (Haverkort and Zeeum, 1992).  Indigenous Knowledge is the local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. It is the basis for agriculture, health care, food preparation, environmental conservation and a host of other activities. It is a people derived science and it represents people’s creativity, innovations and skills (Ulluwishewa, 1993).

The concept of sustainable agriculture in late eighties in Indian agricultural scenario has evoked interest on indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) that has the element of use of natural products to solve the problems pertaining to agriculture and allied activities. Indigenous rice landraces have been associated with ethnic cultivation techniques. Ethnic and socio-religious life affects the survival of these landraces under the scenario of a disappearing indigenous rice biodiversity. Biodiversity observed in their morphological and physiological characters, tolerance to stress and response to different traditional agro techniques (Sen et al., 2016).  Rice is most important cereal crop. India is the second largest producer of rice in the World next to china having 44.11 mha area, 105.48 mt production and 2391 kg ha^-1 productivity. In Chhattisgarh rice occupies an area of 3.81 mha with production of 6.32 mt with average productivity 1660 kg ha^-1 (Anonymous, 2016). Rice as a food crop is cultivated throughout the country by all farmers (tribals to most progressive farmers) there are lots of native technologies evolved over a period of time.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, India. There are seven blocks viz., Bastanar, Darbha, Bakawand, Bastar, Jagdalpur, Tokapal and Lohandiguda. Among these two blocks viz., Tokapal and Lohandiguda were selected purposively in 2015–16 because of paddy is the main kharif crop in that area. The Ex-Post-Facto research design was used for the study. The sample has been selected through multi-stage sampling technique. From each selected block, six villages were randomly selected. The villages selected were Karanji, Metawada, Arandwal, Tokapal, Koypal, Rajoor from Tokapal block and Karkapal, Chitrakot, Belar, Takraguda, Usaribeda, Gadiya from Lohandiguda. Thus total 12 villages were selected for the study. From each of the selected villages, 10 respondents were selected by simple random sampling procedure, thus the sample size for the study was 120. The data were collected through personal interview technique with the help of an interview schedule. The statistics applied were percentage, mean and mean score. The awareness level was measured by using a set of practices of indigenous technical knowledge for paddy cultivation was prepared. In the awareness level, there were 27 practices. The weightage of 3 for high awareness, 2 for medium and 1 for low awareness were assigned for each practice. Thus maximum obtainable score of awareness was 81; whereas minimum could be 27 and extent of awareness was calculated by following formula.

Results and Discussion

3.1.  Practice wise awareness regarding indigenous technological knowledge practices among paddy growers 

The study showed in Table 1 that the 46.66% paddy growers belonged to high level category with respect to overall level of awareness about ITK practices in paddy cultivation. On analyzing practice wise level of awareness of ITK in paddy cultivation it was found that majority (76.67%) traditional

Table 1: Distribution of practice wise indigenous technical knowledge

Table 1: Continue...

biasi method, followed by use of decomposed FYM (Farm Yard Manure) (71.67%), ploughing through indigenous (Desi) plough (66.67%), use of FYM slurry for disease control (64.17%), water locking in the field (64.17%), collection and destruction of insects with hands (58.34%), deep summer ploughing (57.50%), choppi boni after mansson starts (55.83%), use of neem carnel for termite control (55.83%), soaking of seeds for germination (53.33%), sun drying (50.00%), separation of floating seeds in water (47.50%), selection of bold seeds through Supa (46.67%), eradication of weeds with hands (46.67%) and bins made by mud, cowdung and rice husks (51.67%).

In case of medium level of awareness category it was found that majority of the respondents (59.17%) had selection of healthy panicles from field and threshing floor, followed by  use of gunny bags (49.17%), use of fertilizer bags (49.17%), use of brine solution (48.33%), removal of crop residues through bukkher (47.50%), chitka boni (47.50%), use of compost (47.50%), irrigation through outer channel (47.50%), kurra boni (Dry seeding) (46.66%) and use of pata for field leveling (45.00%). In case of low level of awareness it was found use of karra (Karla) trees sticks (50.00%)

3.2. Extent of awareness regarding indigenous technical knowledge practices

The findings presented in Table 2 revealed that the high per cent of paddy growers (46.66%) were found to have high awareness, followed by medium awareness (39.17%) and low awareness (14.17%) regarding indigenous technical knowledge practices respectively. Similar results are also reported by Sheikh et al. (2006) and Mbanaso et al.(2012). The category wise mean score for indigenous technical knowledge practices was found least for low awareness (0.14) followed by medium awareness (0.78) and high awareness (1.87) respectively. The overall mean score of awareness regarding indigenous technical knowledge practices was found to 2.79.

Table 2: Distribution of paddy growers according to their extent of awareness

Table 3 shows that the paddy growers found to have highest awareness in respect of field preparation and ploughing practices with average mean score 2.94 and ranked I, followed

Table 3: Rank order wise extent of awareness of paddy growers about ITK practices in paddy cultivation

by irrigation management practices with average mean score 2.90 and ranked II, Plant protection measure practices ranked III with average mean score 2.87, Method of sowing ranked IV with average mean score 2.81, weed management practices ranked V with average mean score 2.81, selection of seeds practices ranked VI with average mean score 2.76, manure application practices ranked VII with average mean score 2.70, storage practices ranked VIII with average mean score 2.59 and pre-sowing treatment of seeds ranked IX with average mean score 2.58, respectively. The overall mean score was 2.79.

Conclusion

Paddy growers had high level of awareness regarding indigenous technological practices in paddy cultivation, followed by medium and low. The highest extent of rank order wise awareness about field preparation and ploughing practices were I^st (2.94), followed by irrigation management practices (2.90) II^nd and plant protection measure practices (2.87) III^rd.

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