NEPED - An Integrated Development Project, and Its Role in Preservation of Indigenous Knowledge in Nagaland

The state of Nagaland inhabited by 16 major tribes has a rich source of Indigenous knowledge and practices of agriculture as the state consists of tribal inhabitants each with their own unique identity, customs and traditions. The cultural diversity of Nagaland makes it important to be aware of the local customs and practices, as different tribes have different ways of doing things. One thing though they have in common is the close relationship they share with the nature, and their cultures are deeply rooted to the biodiversity of the land. Any developmental effort should build upon the indigenous customs and practices of the local people. Keeping this in mind, the first ever externally aided project in Nagaland, NEPED, a registered society supported by Government of Nagaland ( GoN) was formed in the year 1995. The society has already implemented programmes in three phases. The first phase was called Nagaland Environmental Protection and Economic Development (NEPED I). The second phase was Nagaland Empowerment of People through Economic Development (NEPEDII). And the third phase was also called Nagaland Empowerment of people through Economic Development (NEPED III). NEPED is the only ever project that had given utmost importance in preservation of the indigenous knowledge and practices of the region through collection and documentation of the indigenous practices from different villages across Nagaland.