IDEA's intervention in the sustainable endogenous development of the tribals have yielded several successful qualitative and quantitative results in the tribal communities.

Revival of indigenous agro-eco-cultural practices and knowledge systems for endogenous development.

*

      1      

Established one indigenous knowledge research and conservation (IKRC) division at institutional level at E.M.R.T.D.C – IDEA, Araku village. And 4 farmers research stations in the tribal villages to conduct experimentations on traditional agro-ecological and health practices by the tribal farmers.

      2      

A seed conservation unit (BION) is established with 285 traditional seeds collection for multiplication and propagation.

      3      

KASTURI – the medicinal plant in-situ conservation and research unit with 500 species of medicinal plants, established.

      4      

KOILARI – the tribal wild leafy vegetables and edible tubers research and conservation unit with 243 wild vegetables and tubers under in-situ conservation is established.

      5      

ASEEL – the traditional poultry breed genetic research and conservation unit with 32 traditional breeds is established.

      6      

DHANVANTARI - A farmers research unit of IDEA conducting experimentations for validation of tribal indigenous knowledge on biological pest control, botanical pesticides and organic manures. This unit so far prepared 21 varieties of botanical pesticides, biological pest control techniques and organic manures
 

Thematic representation of tribal worldview practices is developed for the first time to understand the cosmovision philosophy of the tribal communities, this exercise is the first step of the tribals to develop a theory of their worldviews for scientific validations.
 

Diagrammatic representation of tribal magico religious herbal medical practices is developed as a theory building for their endogenous development.
 

Development significances of environmental, agriculture and health related tribal festivals / rituals is analysed and thematic presentation are produced for further analysis, enhancement and revival of relevant significances.
 

Eco-agricultural and health related festivals such as – Chaitra Parob (environmental and seed testing festival), Bali Parob (soil testing festival), Ashada Jatra (Pest control management ritual), Nuakia (First eating ceremonies) etc., have been successfully revived in more than 150 villages covering Andhra Pradesh and Orissa tribal belts
 

Agro-ecological and health related tribal worldview / ritual practice symbols known as Gondas and Chakras are documented and being analysed and tests are being conducted to validate and to measure the effects.

Tribal cosmo kit is developed by NAIK GOTNA the network of tribal traditional institutional functionaries with analysis of each component of the kit.

About 150 agro-ecological and health related tribal folk songs, dances and musics of tribal communities, have been documented. The women groups have analysed, reconstructed and revived some of the eco-agricultural and health related songs, dances and musics such as – Sankidi, Oili, Dhimsa, Pathorthola¸ Ninjani, Bagdhimsa etc,

Agro-ecological and health related indigenous knowledge systems and worldviews of 40 tribal communities have been documented and the book titled "Eco-cultures", Authored by : K.J.N. Gowtham Shankar.

A book (draft form) by name Science of Tribal animism is written by K.J.N. Gowtham Shankar.

Documented and revived about 76 clan totems of tribal communities. This traditional concept of conservation of clan totems by the tribals is successfully revived.

Traditional clan regulatory mechanisms revived to regulate the shifting cultivation management practices by the mountain farmers. About 8000 mountain agricultural farmers in 300 villages have initiated mountain farmers federation to revive these traditional mountain land management practices with the integration of modern knowledge systems. A paper on this subject is presented in the international conference on culture and biodiversity – Yunan, China

The indigenous knowledge on weed management practices is documented, classified and revived.

The indigenous knowledge on biological pest control, botanical pesticides and organic manures documented, experimented for validations and revived.

For the stability and sustainability of the tribal traditional agro-eco-cultural knowledge systems and worldviews, several dormitory education training programmes have been conducted to tribal youth and women with the help of tribal traditional institutional functionaries and the functionaries of modern development agencies. About 1200 tribal youth have been trained up so far.

Several training programmes have been conducted to project staff on the endogenous development methodologies, experimentations and on the programme management. Training programmes have also been conducted to the village leaders, youth, farmers, women and traditional institutional functionaries on the subjects such as – Agro-ecological and health practices, eco-development, watershed management, mountain land management etc.

TOP^