1Kabi Nazrul College, Murarai, Birbhum, West Bengal, India
2Department of Library and Information Science, Calcutta University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
This study aims at documentation of Indigenous Knowledge of plant protection in paddy and their practice among the farmers in Mursidabad district of West Bengal. This study was conducted in sixteen Community Development Blocks in the said district. Old and experienced farmers from the villages were randomly selected and interviewed for data collection. The farmers and the villages were purposively and randomly selected and interviewed. A total number of 14 Indigenous Knowledge have been found. Mostly the old farmers still use their knowledge for pest control in paddy, while the young farmers generally rely on the chemical pesticides that are readily available in the market. They are more concerned with production and not the hazards caused by the use of pesticides. As the young generation of farmers are not interested in the traditional knowledge, they are likely to be forgotten very soon after the death of these old farmers. So, these traditional knowledge should be properly documented.
In Murshidabad 14 indigenous knowledge of pest control in paddy farming have been identified.
Mostly the old farmers still use these traditional knowledge of pest control in paddy.
But the young generation is not interested in ITKs.
Scientific documentation and promotion of these knowledge is a must lest they are lost forever
Indigenous Knowledge, Plant protection, pest control, chemical pesticides, sustainable development
