The Role of Cultural Values in Agrobiodiversity Conservation: A Case Study from Uttarakhand, Himalaya (original) (raw)
Related papers
isara solutions, 2023
Agrarian communities of the remote mountains, in Uttrakhand have developed several ecofriendly farming practices to conserve traditional crop diversity. Celebrating agro-diversity with religious and cultural fervour is an important instrument of conservation this process has helped the hill peasants to comprehend the linkages between nature and culture and has taught the precious less to turn harsh agro-climatic adversities in to fortune. The different cultural and ritual practices evolved in the process of conserving biodiversity have saved many crops which otherwise would have been extinct. Seed festivals, seed fairs, seed banks, seed movement and farmers to farmers' seed exchange are important social and cultural instruments of conservation and promotion of traditional crop diversity in mid Himalayan region of Uttrakhand. The transformation of indigenous knowledge of farmers (especially women) and farming innovations are highly effective in promoting participatory and sustainable livelihoods options in the tough , ecological sensitive topography. The innovative farmers of survey villages produce Baranaza, a mix of twelve grains and pluses, simultaneously in one field. This practice exhibits a great deal of variability in crop diversity, crop composition and crop rotations to support ecological sustainability, food security and socio-cultural prosperity. This paper is an modest attempt to comprehend how the natural and cultural practices of the region are intimately linked with the conservation of bi-diversity and are effective instrument of continuous sharpening of the farming skill and agricultural .
Journal of Biodiversity
Agrarian communities of the remote mountains, in Uttrakhand have developed several eco-friendly farming practices to conserve traditional crop diversity. Celebrating agro-diversity with religious and cultural fervour is an important instrument of conservation. This process has helped the hill peasants to comprehend the linkages between nature and culture and has taught the precious less to turn harsh agro-climatic adversities into fortune. The different cultural and ritual practices evolved in the process of conserving biodiversity have saved many crops which otherwise would have been extinct. Seed festivals, seed fairs, seed banks, seed movement and farmers to farmers' seed exchange are important social and cultural instruments of conservation and promotion of traditional crop diversity in the mid-Himalayan region of Uttrakhand. The transformation of indigenous knowledge of farmers (especially women) and farming innovations are highly effective in promoting participatory and sustainable livelihoods options in the tough, ecological sensitive topography. The innovative farmers of survey villages produce Baranaza, a mix of twelve grains and pulses, simultaneously in one field. This practice exhibits a great deal of variability in crop diversity, crop composition and crop rotations to support ecological sustainability, food security and socio-cultural prosperity. This paper is a modest attempt to comprehend how the cultural practice of the region are intimately linked with the conservation of biodiversity and are effective instruments of continuous sharpening of the farming and agricultural skills.
Loss of cultural values a threat to biodiversity in Uttaranchal Himalaya
Zoos' Print Journal, 2002
The flower festival is one of the important festivals of Hindu communities in Uttaranchal Himalaya celebrated especially to welcome the spring season. The celebrations by various ethnic groups have been studied in detail along with the ethnomusicology of the festival. About 35 plant species or plant-based products have been identified to be associated with this festival. It has been observed that westernisation and urbanisation has had a drastic effect on the ethnic, cultural heritage and religious rituals are on the verge of termination. This paper deals with the ethnobotany of these species in detail.
Culture and Biodiversity Conservation: Case studies from Uttarakhand, Central Himalaya
Cultural diversity is closely linked to biodiversity. The study of these interrelationships need to be studied mainly for the simple reason that culture is not only the ethical imperative for development, it is also a condition of its sustainability; for there exists a symbiotic relationship between habitats and cultures, between ecosystems and cultural identity, and that this relationship constitutes a determining factor in ensuring sustainable human development. The association of religion with eco-system management is interwoven in the symbolic network of the Himalayan traditional communities. Infact no one can think of ecology in the Himalaya without religion. The present study deals with the study of sacred natural sites (forests/groves, pastures, water bodies) along with the phenomenon of dedication of the forests to a deity, and the inherent taboos with regard to the resource exploitation and other traditional beliefs and customs being practiced in the Central Himalaya, and attempts to bring out the inherent environmental principles behind these practices.
Beyond Biodiversity: Culture in Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation in the Himalayan Foothills
Beyond the Biophysical, 2010
This chapter explores the cultural dimensions of agricultural biodiversity conservation through a case study of the relationships between caste-based food traditions and local varieties of rice and finger millet managed by smallholder subsistence farmers in the Himalayan foothills of western Nepal. The empirical material for this study is derived from interviews with primary stakeholders, a household survey, and direct observation of cultural practices and spiritual traditions of rural farming communities. The different caste-based food traditions in the study area relate directly to differential use and appreciation of the local landraces of both crops, which are in turn conserved or managed to varying degrees. The empirical data provide strong evidence that agro-biodiversity management is not simply an agronomic or biogenetic issue, but that cultural preferences and practices are central to the creation, maintenance, and ultimate viability of biodiversity in agroecosystems. These findings suggest that future conservation efforts must engage local communities and their cultures fully in agro-biodiversity management, through participatory plant breeding, increased awareness and marketing of landrace identity within commodity supply chains, and through advocacy on behalf of smallholders' rights.
Conservation-A Case Study from Western Himalaya, India
Religious and traditional beliefs, cultural mores, and practices play a crucial role in the conservation of environment and biodiversity. The present paper describes a case study of two sacred groves in Western Himalaya. Sacred groves (SGs) are patches of land that are communally protected with religious zeal. A preliminary survey was conducted in these SGs to study their role in biodiversity conservation. The data collected included the general information regarding the SGs and the associated deity, nearest human habitation, access to them, and their floral and faunal diversity. Ethnomedicinal property of plants was collected from the indigenous communities. Many taboos are associated with both the SGs, which help in managing resources well through ritual representation. Different festivals are organized, where the local communities reaffirm their commitment to the forest and the deity. Sacred groves, in general, are a valuable tool of biodiversity conservation. But people's changing attitudes, erosion of traditional beliefs, and human impact have caused degradation of sacred groves over the years. Their conservation would not be possible without the active participation of the local people. By improving their living standards and by giving benefits of conservation to them, long-term conservation goals in these SGs can be achieved.
Cultural diversity is closely linked to bio-diversity. The study of these interrelationships need to be studied mainly for the simple reason that culture is not only the ethical imperative for development, it is a condition of its sustainability; for there exists a symbiotic relationship between habitats and cultures, between ecosystems and cultural identity, and that this relationship constitutes a determining factor in ensuring sustainable human development. The association of religion with eco-system management is interwoven in the symbolic network of the Himalayan traditional communities. Infact, we cannot think of ecology in the Himalaya without religion. The present study deals with the study of sacred natural sites (forests/groves, pastures, water bodies), within the State of Uttarakhand, and the inherent traditional knowledgebased systems, the taboos, as regards the resource exploitation and other traditional beliefs and customs, in practice surrounding these sacred natural sites. Even though, dilution in norms and taboos restricting the resource use, has undoubtedly got diluted in many of the sacred forests, a significant number of very-well preserved sacred forests, with religiously guarded taboos, do exists, which warrants a detail study, for their floral and faunal diversity. © Kamla-Raj 2010 J Biodiversity, 1 (1): 43-62 (2010)
Conservation of Seed Biodiversity by the tribes of Northern Part of Andhra Pradesh, India
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRENT SCIENCE, 2018
Increase in the hybrids have been a threat to the conservation of local varieties. The lack of awareness among the farmers is posing a challenge in conserving the indigenous traits. This paper gives insights in to conservation methods practiced by tribes of Eastern Ghats, Northern part of Andhra Pradesh, India. The study was carried out during the years 2015-17 in Sovva village. The data has been generated through individual interviews, group discussion, attending religious ceremonies. The festivals associated with the village attributed to the conservation of Agro-biodiversity specific to the location. The objective of the study was to document the traditional festivals of the local tribes and their beliefs' with respect to nature.
Conservation ethos in local traditions: the West Bengal heritage
In spite of the unrelenting advent of modernization involving industrializatio n and market-oriented land use policies, traditional ecological ethos still survive in many indigenous societies, albeit in much attenuated forms. Based on a series of our past investigations into the traditional resource use norms and associated cultural institution s prevailing in rural Bengal societies, we demonstrate here that a large number of elements of local biodiversity, regardless of their use value, are protected by the local cultural practices. Certain cultural elements (e.g., auguries) may not have any conservation consequences, yet may re ect, in symbolic terms, a collective appreciation of the intrinsic or existence value of life forms, and the basic love and respect for nature. The study suggests that traditional conservation ethics are still capable of protecting much of the country's decimating biodiversity, as long as the local communities have even a minor share in the management of natural resources.