Title : Obstacles faced by the Tharu farmers in the transmission and utilization of indigenous technical knowledge (ITK)
Abstract:
Tharu communities of Nepal are rich in Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) in agriculture. However, its transmission and utilization has been declining over time. A field survey was conducted in Nawalparasi West district of Nepal from February to April, 2025 to identify the major obstacles faced by the Tharu farmers in the transmission and utilization of the ITK practices. In this study, primary data were collected from 97 Tharu farmers through personal interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire prepared using the information from preliminary field visits. Among the ten major obstacles in transmission, the influence of modern technologies, lack of interest in learning ITK, and oral, unwritten, and informal form of transmission were the predominating obstacles. Among the ten major obstacles in utilization, commercialization of agriculture, labor and time consuming nature of ITK practices, and lack of financial incentives and institutional support were the most severe ones. The study also documented the Tharu farmers’ suggestions to overcome the constraints so as to conserve the ITKs for better transmission and wider adoption.
Keywords: Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Practices (ITKs), Farmers, Tharus, Obstacles
