Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(6): 3561-3569 3561 Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.906.419 Factors Influencing Tribal Farming: Case of Attappadi Tribes in Kerala P. C. Sachana* and Binoo P. Bonny Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur-686656, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Kerala has achieved remarkable improvement in the social sector, celebrated as ‘Kerala Model of Development’. But it is observed that the development process fell short to encompass tribal communities in the course. Majority of the tribes in Kerala continue to depend on agriculture and are struggling to compete with the current situational threats like climate change and wild animal menace. Moreover, the commercial exploitation of forest resources has resulted in extensive soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. Therefore sustaining crop production and productivity without damaging the resources and environment are posing big challenge to the tribal farming. This threatened the livelihood of the tribal community which depended on agriculture and forest, forcing them to be bonded and migrant labour (Patidar et al., 2018). In this context the tribal strategies to cultivate different crops in predetermined areas and sustainable farming techniques which International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 6 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Majority of the tribes in Kerala continue to depend on agriculture and are struggling to compete with the current situational threats like climate change and wild animal menace. Traditionally tribal communities in Attappadi depended on agriculture based on indigenous knowledge gained through oral tradition and practice over generations for their livelihood. Delineation of the factors influencing the selection of farming techniques and strategies among tribal farmers needed to be addressed by the scientists and the policymakers for the implementation of developmental projects in the Attappadi area. It was done based on a set of statements selected through literature review and expert rating. Data collected was analysed using factor analysis to delineate the factors. Agricultural technology and input services, policy, knowledge and information support, infrastructure, weather & technological constraints, farm management and market orientation and access to extension services were found to be the factors determining for the selection of farming strategy and agricultural technologies. Keywords Agriculture, Climate change, Animal menace, Policy Accepted: 26 May 2020 Available Online: 10 June 2020 Article Info