NAMSAI, 18 Mar: The Arunachal University of Studies (AUS) here, in collaboration with the Botanical Survey of India’s (BSI) Itanagar office and Gujarat-based National Innovation Foundation organised a workshop on ‘Scouting and documentation of grassroots innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge practices’ on Monday.
The workshop brought together experts, policymakers, and traditional knowledge practitioners to discuss the significance of traditional knowledge and
grassroots innovations in Arunachal Pradesh.
National Innovation Foundation principal associate Dr Rajiv Mili delivered a talk on traditional knowledge and technologies in Northeast India, with special focus on Arunachal. He emphasised the importance of recognising and documenting indigenous knowledge systems while also exploring opportunities for commercialising technologies and products, and facilitating technology transfer.
BSI Scientist-D Dr Krishna Chowlu stressed the need for scouting, documenting, and preserving traditional knowledge practices in Arunachal. She dwelt on the role of traditional knowledge in sustainable development and how grassroots innovations can contribute to biodiversity conservation and community-based resource management.
AUS Vice-Chancellor Prof Ajeya Jha spoke on ethnobotany, emphasising the role of indigenous knowledge in sustainable resource management.
A highlight of the workshop was the personal experiences shared by traditional herbal medicine practitioner Purnima Chowlu. Her success story shed light on the wisdom embedded in the local communities and its potential applications in contemporary research and innovation.
Namsai DC CR Khampa spoke about the administrative efforts to support and document grassroots innovations.
Namsai MLA Zingnu Namchoom delivered an address on the importance of traditional knowledge and policy-level support for the preservation and promotion of traditional knowledge in Arunachal.
“This initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening the documentation and dissemination of grassroots innovations and ethnobotanical knowledge in Arunachal, ensuring their integration into scientific research and policy frameworks,” the AUS stated in a release.
