Indigenous technology knowledge for watershed management in upper north-west Himalayas of India (1998): Foreword

Indigenous technology knowledge for watershed management in upper north-west Himalayas of India (1998)

(introduction...)

Foreword

Chapter 1 - Bio-physical and socio-economic set up in the Indian Upper Himalayas

Introduction

Cold deserts in Western Himalayas

Bio-physical features

Socio-economic features

Temperate Zone in Western Himalayas

Bio-physical features

Socio-economic features

Chapter 2 - Soil and water management techniques

(introduction...)

Sources of irrigation water

Construction of kuhls (water channels)

Distribution of kuhl water in fields

Use of kuhl water for running water mills

Methods of irrigation

Water harvesting methods

Moisture conservation through mulching

Drainage

Use of smoke for protecting fruit crops from frost damage

Soil management

Soil fertility management

Use of ash in Ladakh

Chapter 3 - Forestry and agro-forestry management practices

Silviculture

Katha extraction

Agri-silviculture

Plantation crop combination

Large cardamom based agroforestry system

Bamboo groves as a component of agriculture holdings (Agri-silviculture)

Multipurpose trees on the crop land

Private and community fodder wood blocks

Seabuckthorn: Potential resource

Chapter 4 - Livestock and fodder management

(introduction...)

Migration of flocks of sheep and goats

Traditional management practices adopted by Gaddi Shepherds

Grazing in higher reaches for Pashmina Wool

Traditional methods of animal treatment herbal treatment

Ethnopharmaceutical care of cattle

Sustained livestock/animal husbandry

Hay/dry grass storage in fields

Traditional wool combing and spinning

Chapter 5 - Folk agronomy

(introduction...)

Prioritisation of crop sowing

Mixed cropping

Rotational farming

Crop threshing employing animals

Use of yak and bullocks for ploughing

Traditional germplasm of agricultural crops

Uniform seed broadcasting and appropriate seed rate

Rice dehusking

Weeding, strengthening, thinning and gap filling in maize crop

Crushing of coriander seeds with shoe before sowing

Crop harvesting on slopy lands

Seed selection for higher productivity

Distribution of organic manure

Minimum tillage (mechanical and biological practices for soil management)

Dividing the fields into sub-plots

Landuse for optimum resource management

ITK for vegetable cultivation

ITK for horticultural crops

Chapter 6 - Plant protection practices

(introduction...)

Ploughing, hoeing and basin preparation

Hand picking of pests

Cow-dung and clay mixture

Pruning of fruit trees

Use of wood ash on and around vegetable crops

Beating drums and using domestic dogs for combating the menace of birds and monkeys

Kerosene oil for killing borers

Use of walnut and swetflag leaves against pests in stored grains

Indigenous beekeeping practices

Chapter 7 - Post-harvest management of food crops

(introduction...)

Cleaning of grains

Packaging of food commodities

Storage of food commodities

Wheat in Chhota Bhangal (Kangra)

Drying of fruit and vegetables

Distilled country liquor

Traditional apple plucking

Chapter 8 - Weather forecasting

(introduction...)

History of indigenous rain making

ITK for weather prediction

Social and cultural beliefs

Chapter 9 - Tools and implements

(introduction...)

Tillage implements

Interculture operation tools

Harvesting tools:

Postharvest tools and implements

Miscellaneous tools

Glossary of local terms

Acknowledgements

Foreword

The Participatory Watershed Management Training in Asia (PWMTA) program GCP/RAS/161/NET recognizes the importance of indigenous technology knowledge (ITK) and practices for watershed management (WM) in the Tropics and Himalayan region of Asia as paramount to their sustainable development process. New technologies and practices can be successful if they are well ingrained into the indigenous systems.

With this the PWMTA commissioned ITK for WM studies in its member countries, some of which have been published as PWMTA Field Docs. 11 and 12 and the rest are still under preparation. In the regional workshop on the subject in Nov. 1998 in Beijing, many of the focal points of the PWMTA decided to further document the ITK for WM practices in their countries. The present document is an output of further studies carried out by the Indian WATMANET center for Upper Himalayas. Most of the populations of the Upper Himalayas in Asia being isolated, still live in an indigenous way hence the importance of integrating their indigenous knowledge in to the present day development programs. I hope this document helps bring an appreciation of the ITK among the professionals so that they can facilitate the development and conservation of the Upper Himalayas in a sustainable manner.

I wish to express my sincere thanks to Dr. L. R. Verma and other faculty members of the YSP University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, India, for their efforts at institutionalizing the ITK concepts in the university work through this study. It is a path breaking work as it brings to the fore-front a glimpse of the rich knowledge base of the Upper Himalayan people. The artist have also captured the ideas very well and given an excellent depiction of their indigenous knowledge base.

I hope all concerned with the development of the Upper Himalayas as well as those related to training, education and research in natural resources management in upper mountain watersheds will take note of this work and carry it forward by making use of it in the development process. The document is also being made available to the Asian region as many of the ideas are also applicable to other countries in similar situations.

Aug., 1998

Prem N. Sharma
Participatory Watershed Management
Training in Asia (PWMTA) Program,
PWMTA-FARM, FAO (UN),
Kathmandu, Nepal