Nagaland University, the only central university in the state, has been sanctioned an Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Research Centre to study indigenous water management practices in agriculture and traditional ethnic culinary knowledge among tribal communities of Nagaland.
The centre has been approved by the Indian Knowledge Systems Division of AICTE under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It aims to document, assess, and disseminate generations-old indigenous knowledge systems and understand how they are embedded in the social, cultural, and ecological fabric of the region.
Welcoming the move, Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik, Vice Chancellor of Nagaland University, said, “Nagaland is home to diverse indigenous tribes, each with unique cultures and practices, including traditional water management systems and ethnic culinary. This traditional knowledge will be a resource for documentation and dissemination, and further adoption for sustainability.”
He added that the university can also make suggestions to local communities on improving these traditional systems. “Monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the existing systems is vital for understanding their sustainability, profitability, societal impact and replicability under the present scenario of climate change,” he said.
Traditional water management techniques in the state include rainwater harvesting through ponds or wooden tanks, agricultural terracing for erosion control, spring water collection, and the use of bamboo pipelines to transport water over long distances. These methods are essential not just for farming, but also for ecological conservation.
Nagaland’s cuisine, known for its bold flavours and use of local ingredients, is another area of focus. Its traditional cooking methods, passed down orally through generations, form an important part of the state’s cultural identity.
Dr. Chitrasen Lairenjam, Associate Professor at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Nagaland University (Medziphema Campus), and Principal Investigator of the centre, said the study will look into the underlying principles of how farmers sustain these systems. “Through research, education, and mentoring, the project will assess the relevance of these traditional systems in today’s climate and agricultural context, identify potential gaps, and suggest improvements,” he said.
He added that the centre will play a key role in highlighting the importance of indigenous knowledge in sustaining agriculture amidst changing environmental conditions. The focus will be on documentation, research, mentoring and knowledge dissemination related to water-managed agricultural systems and ethnic culinary practices in Nagaland.
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