Traditional Innovative Practices of the A&N Tribals and the
Administrative Intervention in Preserving and Protecting
the Traditional Knowledge of the Tribals
Presented by: Shri Anand Prakash,
Chief Secretary,
Andaman and Nicobar Administration
Tribals of A&N Islands
Great Andamese
Shompens
Jarawas
Nicobarese
Onges
Sentinelese
Overview of the Presentation
Tribals of A&N Islands
Insight into the traditional practices of Nicobarese
tribals in extracting Virgin Coconut Oil
Administrative Interventions in Sustaining the
Traditional Agricultural Innovative Practices by
means of Mission mode Programme andOrganic
Certification Initiative
Insight into the traditional ethno-medical practices of
the A&N tribals
Administrative Interventions in Sustaining the EthnoMedical Innovation / Health Practices of the
Andaman and Nicobar Tribes
An Insight into the Virgin Coconut Oil Production Techniques and Administrative
Intervention in Sustaining the Innovative Practices through Organic
Certification Based on the Participatory Guarantee System
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Mongoloid stock
Post Tsunami, Scattered in
nine inhabited islands viz.,
Carnicobar, Chowra, Teresa,
Nancowrie, Kamorta, Katchal,
Little Nicobar, Great Nicobar
and Kondul
Their population is
approximately 30000
Now, the most modern of all
the tribes of A&N islands
Belong to two genetic stocks Burmese and Malayan
Coconut & Nicobarese
Coconut - a distinct identity of the Nicobarese tribes
Coconut - Elixir of Nicobarese Life owing to its role in
their daily life
Among the traditional Innovative practices, the
extraction of Virgin Coconut Oil needs a special
mention and documentation
Extracted using a traditional equipment called Kintan
tavi-i
Involves two methods - Sun Dry Method and Hot Water
Extraction Method
Grating
Sun Dry Method
Pressing in Kintan tavi-i
Extraction
Hot Water Extraction Method
Administrative Interventions in Sustaining the Traditional
Agricultural Innovative Practices
Through Mission Mode Programmes on Improving the production and productivity
of the Coconut in Carnicobar and Teresa Islands I.e Carnicobar Coconut Mission
and Teresa Coconut Mission
Unique scheme by dovetailing the flagship MGNREGA scheme of Dept of Rural
Dept with the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana of Agricultural Dept.
Provides for a livelihood option to the farmers to offer his labour for the community
land and and earn wage for the same as well. It is a win-win situation for the
community as well as the individual as all the lands in Nicobar district are owned
by the Tuhet (extended joint family)
The Mission aims at inculcating scientific farm practice to the community farmers
by demonstrative technique of establishing model farms in every village
It aims at increasing the productivity and to tap the hidden market potential of the
Organic Nature of the Farm Produce of Nicobar by obtaining Organic Certification
through Participatory Guarantee System
Participatory Guarantee System of Organic Certification - as a tool for
Community Empowerment
Organic Certification Initiative taken under CCM to fulfill one of its key goals I.e. to tap the Organic
Potential of the coconut produce
PGS is a democratic approach in which the local farmers at the 'Tuhet' level will be empowered to
form a 'Local Group' and announce themselves as Organic Agriculture Practitioners supported by
all scientific documents prescribed by the National Guidelines on Organic Farming.
The District Steering Committee of CCM will facilitate the process by providing them financial,
technical and institutional support
PGS system as such is in perfect harmony with the existing community structure of Nicobar. Hence,
ideally suited for Nicobar.
An Organic Certification through PGS for the Tribal Farmers will be a recognition for their Traditional
Innovative practice of making Virgin Coconut Oil and the No External Input Sustainable Agriculture
- NEISA (as opposed to LEISA-Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture)
It fetches them a market premium and also will enable them to occupy a significant position in the
Niche Organic Produce market in the country
Administrative Interventions in Sustaining the Ethno-Medical Innovation /
Health Practices of the Andaman and Nicobar Tribes
Traditional Ethno Botanical and
Ethno-Medical Knowledge the A&N
Tribes is in the process of
documentation.
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Great Andamese
Jarawas
Onges
Need to add their Traditional
Innovational Practices or
Knowledge into the National
Traditional Knowledge Database i.e
Traditional Knowledge Digital
Library (TKDL) on a continual basis
Recently, documentation of the
ethno-medical practices of
Nicobarese tribes has been
undertaken by RMRC of ICMR in
Carnicobar Island with the
administration's support
Shompens
Nicobarese
Sentinelese
The documented knowledge is now
added into the TKDL
Documentation of the traditional ethno- medical knowledge and
health practices of Nicobarese tribals of Carnicobar Island
RMRC (Regional Medical Research Centre, Portblair) the
operational wing of the ICMR has published a two volume
knowledge register on the ethno-medical knowledge and
health practices of Nicobarese this year.
The Traditional Healers/Traditional Knowledge Practitioners
(TKP) were duly recognized and for the first time issued a
Certificate of Recognition
In all 70 TKP were recognized and 300 medicinal plants of
various families were documented in the Community
Biodiversity Register in line with the Article 8(j) of the CBD
(Convention on Biological Diversity)
This is a milestone achievement as it is for the first time the
Traditional Knowledge is documented systematically. This
Collective Knowledge Resource will be added into the
National Traditional Knowledge Database I.e Traditional
Knowledge Digital Library for preservation to posterity