DOI: 10.11648/j.ajset.20261104.28 ISSN: 2578-8353

Sustainable Cereal Production in an Era of Climate Change in the Tribal Dominated Regions of Koraput District of Odisha Through Indigenous Sustainable Farming Practices

Samir Mohanty, Nirmal Biswal, Kartik Lenka
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Agriculture and forestry are the life support system for tribal. Tribal men and women have been involved in agriculture since the inception of tribal civilization. Our study included 4 revenue blocks, namely Koraput, Jeypore, Kundra, and Boipariguda, of Koraput district of Odisha. We interviewed about 120 stakeholders from farming families using PRA tools and a pre-structured questionnaires. Rice, Finger millet, and Maize were the most commonly cultivated cereals, providing food, nutrition, and livelihood support. In this agricultural system, women farmers play a vital role in preparing organic formulations, as they are the main stakeholders in the entire agricultural operation. Basically, the traditional farming practices they followed meant low-level sustainable production for year-round consumption only. However, tribal farming communities aged 20-35 were found to adopt the introduction of high-yielding and resistant varieties, contributing to enhanced production and economic benefits. Production of local and resistant, high-yielding varieties was compared with the use of both traditional and modern sustainable practices. However, poor infrastructure, economic instability, and a lack of knowledge in commercial-scale cultivation often keep production gains below desired levels. Govt. and private sector participation can improve modern technical knowledge and combine traditional agricultural practices with improved agro-economic practices to enhance sustainable cereal production for livelihoods, socio-economic development, and self-sustainability of vulnerable, resource-poor tribal communities in an era of climate change and modern agricultural systems.

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