Tuber Crops Based Farming System: A Way forward for Livelihood Options of Nicobari Tribes in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Abstract

The Nicobari tribal community is generally conservative as far as food resources are concerned. Theymainly rely on coconut, tuber crops, pig and marine fisheries for their livelihood. The traditional methodof cultivation and utilization of tuber crops by these people have been acquired from their ancestors.They use the virgin land for establishment of coconut plantations and they rarely practice mixedcropping involving coconut, tuber crops, spices and fruit crops due to lack of planting materials andscientific cultivation practices of tuber crops based farming system. Central Island Agricultural ResearchInstitute (CIARI) has made an effort to impart scientific knowledge on tuber crops cultivation andutilization through participatory mode under All India Coordinated Research Project on Tuber Crops forpast two years (2014-15 and 2015-16). The model comprises of 300 m2of fenced area in thevicinity of the tribal settlement and integrated with piggery unit at Harminder Bay, Little Andaman.After sensitization program on tuber crops based farming system under Tribal Sub Plan of AICRP onTuber Crops, the farmers (15 members) were given the planting materials of elephant foot yam,ginger, poultry chicks and piglets. In addition, they also used their own seed tubers of Nicobari Aloo,Colocasia and setts of Cassava for tuber production. From the tuber crop based farming system thetribal farmers have generated an amount of`9,870 to`16,678 from crop component and from Pigsthey generated approximately`21,000 to`66,500. The total income generated from the systemranged from`30,870 to`79,018 at Harminder Bay. From this farming system highest B: C ratio wasrecorded from pig farming (2.69) followed by ginger cultivation (2.11) and in the combination of pigand crops the B:C ratio was (2.36). The intervention has made visible impact like increase in income,livelihood improvement and employment generation of the tribal farmers and hence, more tribalyouths have come forward to adopt the tuber crops based farming system as their livelihood options