A Review Study on Sustainable Indigenous Farming System Practice in Nagaland

The present paper aims to explore the Indigenous farming practices in the regional context of Nagaland. Over the years, due to the need for improved techniques for increasing productivity and production of the farm, the local farmers, through their past farming experiences developed modified farming system, most suitable for their locality. It also signifies their way of life besides being sustainable and profitable. Alder based farming, zabo farming system and terrace rice cultivation are very significant indigenous farming system acceptable among the scientific community and adopted by the people in the state of Nagaland. In Alder based farming, Alder tree is incorporated in their jhum field. Ader based farming system has the potential to rejuvenate the vegetation and soil fertility at the faster rate in jhum land as compared to the normal jhum land. Zabo farming system is an integrated model of farming whereby farmers maintain a protected forest, water harvesting pond, livestock components and paddy cultivation along the slope of the hills. Terrace Rice Cultivation is the cultivation of paddy on the terrace area of hill slope with a laid out terrace with impounding of water brought from the upward stream.