Manipur: Modern Science Must Help Sustain Traditional Knowledge Systems

Guwahati: Today in Imphal ,a  NITI Aayog member Joram Aniya said that traditional knowledge systems are gradually disappearing as younger generations move away from traditional livelihoods, making it necessary for modern science to adapt and help sustain practices that remain relevan.

Speaking at a lecture on indigenous knowledge systems organised by the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) at Takyel, Aniya said traditional practices should not merely be preserved as cultural heritage but studied and improved through scientific methods.

She said communities had developed extensive knowledge of agriculture and natural resources over generations by observing their surroundings. In villages, natural indicators such as the flowering of plants, appearance of fruits and changes in weather were traditionally used to determine agricultural cycles.

Citing the Apatani agricultural system of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh, Aniya highlighted how paddy cultivation is integrated with fish farming, while crops such as millet are grown along field bunds. She said the system demonstrated how agriculture, biodiversity and traditional knowledge could work together.

However, Aniya noted that maintaining such systems was becoming increasingly difficult as younger people moved to urban areas for education and employment. The labour required to maintain agricultural structures, including field bunds, was another challenge.

She called for scientific and technological interventions to address these difficulties without disrupting traditional systems. Biotechnology, she said, could potentially help reduce soil erosion and improve soil and water conservation while preserving existing biodiversity.

“The objective should be to support the traditional system rather than replace it,” she said.

Aniya also highlighted traditional community-based mechanisms for regulating hunting and managing natural resources, saying such practices could provide valuable lessons for biodiversity conservation.

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