Agroecosystem Sustainability in Forest Dependent Tribal Villages in Odisha, Eastern India

The present study was carried out in Niyamgiri hills inhabited by primitive Dongaria tribes in Odisha to assess present state of socioeconomic components of village and efficiency and viability of production systems at the current level of natural resource dependency and to find out the linkage between human community and forest ecosystem. The study area comprises of eight villages where human population varies from 83 to 312 in uphill villages and 76 to 150 in foothill villages. The cultivated area ranges from 3.37% to 18.85% of the total village geographical area with per capita cultivated area 0.117 to 0.329 ha.. The quality of forest has been affected due to absolute dependency on resources which calls for taking appropriate step to enhance forest productivity. All villages depend on rain fed agriculture, natural stream water is used to cultivate paddy in valleys, shifting (Podu) cultivation practiced in uphill areas, mid hill orchards below the Podu area and home garden adjoining habitation. Cereals, pulses and oil seeds are grown together in Podu areas. Maize is a major cereal as staple food grown in uphill villages. The village productivity of Millets, legumes and paddy is much lower than other settled agriculture areas of the state. The home garden areas are grown with vegetables and cereals especially for domestic use. However, vegetables like Tomato, Brinjal, Bin, Sweet Potato, Chilly from foothill villages are marketed. Home garden provides variety of requirements to the tribal community round the year. The production of agriculture sub-system is not sufficient to meet the food requirement of villages and rice distributed to villagers meet this gap. However, crops grown as horticulture products (Jackfruit, Pine apple, Banana, Orange, Mango) and a few Millet crops in the uphill villages like minor Millets, are exported to markets for earning money as these are only assets recorded as high energy valued products. Odisha Millet Mission (OMM) may need to provide interventions to these villages with modern approach to increase Millet productivity including improvements in seed quality and health condition of the tribal community. To ensure sustainability of the traditional cultivation and livelihood system, involving the people of these villages in forest-based activities other than agriculture will lead to protecting the indigenous biodiversity of this region.