Krishi Vigyan Kendra, West Sikkim : Thrust Area

Indigenous Knowledge on Food Processing and Indigenous Food Product

Experiences have shown that development efforts that ignore indigenous knowledge, local system of knowledge and local environment generally fail to achieve their desired objectives. Indigenous known to the unique, traditional, local knowledge (IK) refers to the unique, traditional, local knowledge existing with in and developed around the specific conditions of human being indigenous to particular geographic area. Indigenous knowledge is not confined to tribal group or the original inhabitants of an area. It is not even confined to tribal group or original inhabitants of an area or rural people rather, any community possesses indigenous knowledge- rural and urban, settled and nomadic, original inhabitants and migrants. Other names of IK are local knowledge, indigenous technical knowledge and traditional knowledge.

Indigenous varieties and landraces

The majority of farmers of West Sikkim still rely on the indigenous landraces or the varieties of different crops. Some of the landraces are most acceptable by the farmers. Over the time farmers have assessed different varieties and type of the cultivable plant and the technology so developed is widely accepted and very difficult to diverse the farmers to the modern varieties and technology. Any scientific fraternity and the policy makers can make the wiser decisions on improving those technologies through participatory methods.

Paddy

Some of the well adapted indigenous selection with no proper documentation grown especially in West Sikkim is Attey, Phudungey, Khanti etc. These varieties are difficult to replace by the High Yielding Varieties. The district practice the agriculture + animal husbandry type of farming system, the only alternative for the fodder to the animal during winter or dry season is paddy straw. Therefore the farmers’ preference for the varieties is due to higher biomass (long straw) than HYV. The nutrient application causes the crop to lodge, but at low nutrient level it yields better than HYV with higher biomass. The Attay is found growing at all elevation and resist many pest and diseases. No farmers have reported chaffy grain formation in this variety as in HYV, so they found it more secure. The size of the grain is short and bold whereas its length varies from 8 – 10 mm .The colour of the hull is Brown/light yellow and grain colour is white with very good cooking quality and acceptable taste. The varieties have not been properly characterized and their parent material also not known. If these cultivars are properly documented and registered to the national gene pool, rice production in hilly area like Sikkim can be increased through certain genetic improvement.

Maize

The cultivars which are continuously adopting in west Sikkim are Murali, Rati, Paheli, Seti etc. The Stalk of these cultivars are quite rigid and erect which may act as a good supportive structure for the plants like peas, beans or other tendruller plants. Moreover, these cultivar can withstand wind velocity upto certain limits and also bears more than 2 cobs per plant which may helps to achieve good returns to the farmers and yields better than HYV at low nutrient level.

Cherry Pepper

Though the varieties are not documented, different types of cherry pepper are grown by farmers even at the commercial level. The pungency is very high and has got good market value. Commercial production of pickles is also in the market.

Chayote

Chayote grown in Sikkim is sometime considered as poor man’s vegetable. Every household of the state grow atleast one plant. Different types of chayote found growing in the district. Matured fruit sown in the big pit with adequate quantity of farm yard manures. After April the young tendrils are taken as the vegetable. Depending upon the altitude, the plant start bearing after may upto December. One plant has the capacity to produce more than a quintal of fruits if properly manures. In January plant dries up, the tuberized portion of the root is eaten as vegetables. The dried up plants and deformed fruits are again not wasted, as they supplement the cattle feed. The plant part remains the constituent of diet of the people round the year. Chayote fruits after chopping is dried and kept for later use. Peoples have gain the expertise in making pickles also.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin found the equal place in diet of peoples of rural Sikkim as that of chayote. The varieties or the landraces grown are different than those grown in other part of the country and has acceptable taste. They are grown without trellies in maize field, neither the manuring especially for pumkin in done.

Cucumber

The local varieties of cucumber are unique. These varieties are not only use for salad purpose but even for cooking as vegetables and making pickles. The varieties are usually long and dark green in colour, and give the weight upto 3-4 Kgs. The market value of these varieties is better than those imported from other state of the country.

Some of the local landraces and varieties of economically important plant are listed as under:

Sl. No.	Name of the crop	Local Name	Botanical Name	Family	Local Varieties cultivated by peoples
1	Rice	Dhan	Oryzae sativa	Graminae (Poaceae)	Attey, Marchi, Taprey, Sikrey, Tulsi, Kalimpongey, Lalbachi, Phudungay, Katti, Monsoroo, Khanti, Dudhey Marshi
2.	Maize	Makai	Zea mays	Graminae (Poaceae)	Murali, Kali, Rati, Paheli, Seti, Himali
3.	Wheat	Gahu	Triticum aestivum	Graminae (Poaceae)	Tho, Mashi, Si
4.	Finger Millet	Kodo	Eleusine coracana	Graminae (Poaceae)	Murkey, Bhadaurey, Pangdur, Katikey, Mangsire
5.	Buck wheat	Phapar	Fagopyrum tartaricum	Graminae (Poaceae)	Mithey, Titey
6.	French beans	Simi	Phaseolus vulgaris	Leguminaceae	Ghew Simi, Singtamey simi, Pothray, Muntulal, Hewday
7.	Black gram	Dal	Phaseolus sp.	Leguminaceae	Paheli, Kali, Seti
8.	Pea	Matar	Pisum sativum	Solanaceae	Dentamey,Damthangey
9.	Radish	Mula	Raphanus sativus		Rati mula, Hatti Pailey
10.	Potato	Alu	Solanum tuberosum	Solanaceae	Rato, Seto, Sanu Alu, Thulo Alu, Hilley Alu, Uttarey Alu,Kusumey
11.	Sweet potato	Sakarkanda	Ipomeae batata	Convulvolaceae	Seto Sakarkanda, Rato Sakakanda
12.	Yams	Tarul	Dioscoreae sp.		Ghar tarul ( rato and seto), Ban tarul, patalle
13.	Kiwi	Thekiphal	Actinidia callosa	Actinidaceae	Thekiphal
14.	Ginzer	Aduwa	Ginziber officinale	Ginziberaceae	Bhaisey, Jorthangey, Thulo aduwa, Nangray
15.	Cardamom	Alaichi	Amomum subulatum	Ginziberaceae	Ramsey, golsey, Ramla, bharlangey
16.	Turmeric	Hardi	Curcuma lunga	Ginziberaceae	Rato haldi, Pahelo hardi
17.	Cucumber	Kakro	Cucumis sativa	Cucurbitaceae	Bhadaurey, Asare, mangsire
18.	Pumpkin	Pharsi	Cucurbita pepo	Cucurbitaceae	Kalo pharsi, seto pharsi, thulo pharsi, pyaharey, hazari
19.	Cherry Pepper	Dale khursani	Capsicum frutensis var. cerasiforme	Solanaceae	Nagey, Sanu dalley, Thullo Dalley
20.	Hog Plum	Lapsi	Sapindus sp.	Anacardiaceae
21.	Chayote	Eskus	Sechium edulis	Cucurbitaceae	Seto, haryo, Dumsay
22.	Sweet Gourd	Ban Karela	Momordica cochinchinensis	Cucurbitaceae	Ban Karela
23.	Tree Tomato	Rukh Tamtar	Cyphomandra betaceae	Solanaceae