Traditional knowledge used in paddy cultivation in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh – A paper in the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

 Rice is the main crop cultivated in the State and several indigenous technologies are being used by farmers for seed germination, preventing the crop from insect/pest attack in the field as well as for storage.

Farmers find indigenous knowledge very useful, economically affordable, sustainable and less risky and as a consequence there is an urgent need to identify and help understand these viable and reliable technologies in the area. The study conducted in six villages of Dharsiva block with 120 respondents based on an ex-post facto research design indicates the following –

• Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) is possessed by the farmers and passed on from generation to generation.
• In all the six villages, respondents were making use of the indigenous knowledge for seed selection. Farmers take 21 seeds, tie them in a cloth and dip the cloth in water over night. Next day they bury it under soil for 2-3 days for germination. After 2-3 days, if all the 21 seeds germinate, they are considered to be suitable for sowing. Another method for seed collection is the cleaning of seed with the help of supa.
• Farmers have also developed various means for protecting the rice crop from insect/ pests. To save the paddy crop from the attack of insect/pests in the field, farmers mix kerosene oil with cow dung and straw. Small pellets are made out of the mix and spread in the field. Another ITK used for preventing the crop from pests in the field is to mix mahua leaves with kerosene oil and cow dung. After making the pellets out of this mixture, these are placed in the paddy field.
• Farmers were found to store the grains in a structure made of mud called kothi; the kothi is cleaned and sprinkled with salt water and thereafter dried before storing the seeds in it. Jute bags are placed over the stored grains. A paste of dung and ash is prepared and applied on the top of jute bags so as to seal the kothi and thereby prevent the entry of pests.
• Farmers also make use of neem leaves and dried peel of bitter gourd to protect the paddy grains while storing them in the kothis.

The paper can be downloaded below: