Traditional terrace farming of Angami Nagas offers lessons in food security, study says
Lumami, Nagaland: Indigenous soil and water management practices are sustaining the terrace farming model of the Angami community in Nagaland, a Nagaland University study has found. The research highlights how traditional knowledge continues to guide terrace cultivation and offers lessons for sustainable agriculture and food security.
The study was published in Sage journal, a Web of Science/Scopus indexed journal by SAGE Publishing covering social sciences, humanities and interdisciplinary studies. It is based on doctoral research by Ketekhoto Neihu under the supervision of Dr Srikanth Yamsani, Assistant Professor at the Tribal Research Centre, Department of Sociology, Nagaland University.
Researchers said the findings go deeper than technical aspects of terrace farming. They examined the underlying social, cultural and ecological knowledge system that supports the practice among the Angami Nagas. According to the study, the Angami farming practices are not only ecologically adaptive but also culturally resilient, contributing to long-term sustainability in food production and environmental stewardship.
North-East India has diverse farming practices rooted in varied agro-climatic zones and indigenous traditions. Though shifting agriculture remains the predominant mode in Nagaland due to undulating topography, the Angami Nagas have an ancient tradition of terrace cultivation.
The Nagaland University team noted that unlike previous studies focused only on technicalities, this work looked at the social and cultural knowledge that sustains terrace fields. The researchers said such insights can support national efforts toward food security and sustainable agriculture.
