A Comprehensive Review of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in India and its Importance and Role in Biodiversity Conservation

Abstract

Biodiversity is an essential support system consisting of humans, organisms, animals, etc., interacting with each other to maintain a balanced life on Earth. It is important for all the living organisms on the Earth to sustain a natural world. It consists of diverse forms of animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, etc. Among the components of biodiversity, plants are the important element that assists the other life forms. Diversifying the plants through various agricultural practices should be taken as prima facia in the changing environmental conditions. To enhance the productivity and sustainable development in agriculture, Indigenous knowledge of the farmers acts as a keystone in agriculture. It is a unique and traditional character of a group of people residing at a particular place. It is considered an essential human capital but often overlooked and unexplored. Various local practices have developed over time, which have been innovated, tested, and adapted since time immemorial. These practices are non-scientific, developed through various trial and error methods, location-specific, and dynamic. Various practices that are followed in the states of India are the Panikheti system, Apatani, Dafla in Andhra Pradesh, Boro, dimasa techniques in Assam, Kanaja technique in Karnataka, Bidd cultivation in Rajasthan, etc. Local people feel a connection with their environment and try to develop practices that are non-harming and conserving in nature. The role of indigenous people and their knowledge have been mainly contributing to preserving biodiversity for a long time. They try to interact with their local environment to keep them immaculate. The diversity of various plants and crops is maintained with the efforts of the indigenous people and their knowledge, which ultimately assures improving food security and helps adapt the changing climate. According to an estimate, 75 percent of the diversity of the crop was lost between the years 1900 and 2000 when the local seed varieties were replaced, and modern varieties were grown. To solve this issue, spending millions of dollars cannot be the solution, but focusing on applying the knowledge of indigenous people in the modern-day world would be of great help as they have developed improved, tested varieties over the years, which can sustain in the changing environment. The invaluable resource of the country in the form of indigenous knowledge is disappearing fast; hence, measures need to be taken in their favor to sustain biodiversity and maintain food security.