Track 2-9-1: Alternative Use of Grasslands for Medicinal Plants, Biofuel and Wildlife Products
Description
Mithun (Bos frontalis) belonging to the family Bovidae is a unique bovine mainly found in the North-Eastern hilly region of India and neighbouring countries (Dhali et al., 2009). The animal has an important place in the socio-economic life of the tribal communities and primarily reared as sacrificial animal during religio-cultural ceremonies. Feeding habits of Mithun differs from their domestic counterparts cattle; like they prefer browsing as compared to the grazing behaviour of the later. Mithun forage on forest grasses, shrubs and tree leaves available in the jungle and they nibble them like goats (Gupta et al., 1996). As mithun prefers browsing, so they are reared in demarcated forests and rangelands under natural conditions by the tribal communities and during the course of rearing, these communities manage both, the mithun and forest ranges.
Land owning pattern in Nagaland is different and most of the land is owned by the community that gives right to use and manage the resources to mithun owners. Forest departments owns certain category of forests classified as Reserved forest, Protected forests, Wildlife sanctuaries, National Parks and Botanical gardens that comprises of about 16.7% of the total available forest area. Remaining around 83.3% of forests are owned by the villagers and Government has no control over these (Singh et al., 2009). Since the Government has very limited role, so management practices largely varies with the communities residing there. Communities have their own way of exploiting resources and to replenish them and that differs with the communities. The farmers who owns mithun has more proximity with forests and rangelands so management practices adopted by them is being presented in this paper.
Citation
Singh, Raj K.; Dutta, Prakash R.; Singh, Vidya; Kumar, Akhilesh; and Theluo, D. Apole, "Management of Rangelands and Forests for Sustainable Mithun Farming by Chakhesang Tribe of Nagaland" (2020). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 2.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/23/2-9-1/2
Included in
Management of Rangelands and Forests for Sustainable Mithun Farming by Chakhesang Tribe of Nagaland
Mithun (Bos frontalis) belonging to the family Bovidae is a unique bovine mainly found in the North-Eastern hilly region of India and neighbouring countries (Dhali et al., 2009). The animal has an important place in the socio-economic life of the tribal communities and primarily reared as sacrificial animal during religio-cultural ceremonies. Feeding habits of Mithun differs from their domestic counterparts cattle; like they prefer browsing as compared to the grazing behaviour of the later. Mithun forage on forest grasses, shrubs and tree leaves available in the jungle and they nibble them like goats (Gupta et al., 1996). As mithun prefers browsing, so they are reared in demarcated forests and rangelands under natural conditions by the tribal communities and during the course of rearing, these communities manage both, the mithun and forest ranges.
Land owning pattern in Nagaland is different and most of the land is owned by the community that gives right to use and manage the resources to mithun owners. Forest departments owns certain category of forests classified as Reserved forest, Protected forests, Wildlife sanctuaries, National Parks and Botanical gardens that comprises of about 16.7% of the total available forest area. Remaining around 83.3% of forests are owned by the villagers and Government has no control over these (Singh et al., 2009). Since the Government has very limited role, so management practices largely varies with the communities residing there. Communities have their own way of exploiting resources and to replenish them and that differs with the communities. The farmers who owns mithun has more proximity with forests and rangelands so management practices adopted by them is being presented in this paper.
