~ 2272 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2020; 9(1): 2272-2274 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 www.phytojournal.com JPP 2020; 9(1): 2272-2274 Received: 22-11-2019 Accepted: 24-12-2019 TN Sujeetha Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, TNAU, Tamil Nadu, India M Asokhan Deputy Registrar, AC & RI, TNAU, Tamil Nadu, India Corresponding Author TN Sujeetha Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, TNAU, Tamil Nadu, India Common constraints faced by the nilgiris tribal women while adopting indigenous practices TN Sujeetha and M Asokhan Abstract The knowledge thus generated over the years is time tested and has the attribute of eco-friendliness. Such knowledge is called the 'indigenous technical knowledge (ITK)' or 'local knowledge' or 'traditional knowledge'. Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu was purposively selected because it is one of the districts in Tamil Nadu in which more percentage of tribal population has been reported. Kotagiri and Udhagamandalam blocks were purposively selected because these two blocks have relatively more percentage of the selected tribal communities. Multistage Random sampling method was adopted in selection of the respondents. Ex post facto research design was adopted. The total sample size is 180. An overwhelming majority (92.78%) of the tribal farmers expressed poor soil fertility as a major constraint for the adoption of indigenous technologies. The major problems faced by the tribal farmers in the adoption of indigenous technologies were uneven topography of land (87.22%), and less yield and income (85.56%). Keywords: Indigenous technical knowledge, tribal communities, Nilgiris district Introduction India lives in villages. The main occupation is agriculture, because 70.00 per cent of the population is involved in this occupation. Several experiments by the farmers, on trial and error basis have been taking place in the field of agriculture and allied fields over thousands of years. They made a wise use of available natural resources and devised many technologies to increase the quality and quantity of the output of various enterprises, they had undertaken. The knowledge thus generated over the years is time tested and has the attribute of eco- friendliness. Such knowledge is called the 'indigenous technical knowledge (ITK)' or 'local knowledge' or 'traditional knowledge'. This knowledge is based on experience, often tested over centuries of use, adapted to local culture and environment and is dynamic and changing. The Nilgiris is the moderately populated district of Tamil Nadu that has a rich tribal presence. The tribal people differ in their social organisations and marital customs, rites and rituals, foods and other customs from the people of the rest of the state. Most of the tribal people practice their indigenous technologies in agriculture. Though they are benefited out of it they also face numerous constraints which are detailed in the article. Materials and Methods Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu was purposively selected because it is one of the districts in Tamil Nadu in which more percentage of tribal population has been reported. Kotagiri and Udhagamandalam blocks were purposively selected because these two blocks have relatively more percentage of the selected tribal communities viz., todas, irulas and kotas. Of these, three villages from Kotagiri block and three revenue villages from Udhagamandalam block were further selected considering the maximum number of identified tribal habitations viz., to das, irulas and kotas. Totally 180 respondents were considered for assessing their level of awareness and adoption of the rational ITKs in horticultural crops, animal husbandry and environmental conservation. Multistage Random sampling method was adopted in selection of the respondents. Ex post facto research design was adopted. The total sample size is 180. Results and Discussion The results are briefly tabulated and explained in detail below Common Constraints Experienced by the Tribal Farmers in the Adoption of Indigenous Technologies The constraints faced by the tribal farmers while practicing ITKs were gathered in the adoption of indigenous technologies. The results have been presented below