Application of indigenous knowledge for control of insects-pests in field crop and diseases in livestock

Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) in agricultural and livestock sector, which is in vogue throughout rural India, is little documented. It is of utmost importance to document these practices so that this knowledge can be used in proper and refined way to be blended with modern Veterinary drug through laboratory experimentation and scientific rationality. Keeping all these in mind, a study on ITK for control of insects pests in filed crop and diseases in livestock were conducted during 2011 in Bar-ka-Nagla village of Farah block of Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. A semi-structured group interview was used for data collection from different men and woman farmers. An inventory ITK was prepared related to aphid control in mustard, neem-based application for termite control, bloating in animals, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in cattle, enhancing milk production, eye pain and swabbing in animals, constipation in cattle, wound healing and arthritis. This paper highlights the role of ITKs practiced in the selected village, as a basis for sustainable agriculture for developing technologies and programmes; a means to achieve empowerment of the local people in agriculture as well as in livestock; and as a tool for transfer of technologies for sustainable agriculture to other parts with similar agro-ecological conditions.