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Insects – a mistake in God's creation? Tharu farmers' perception and knowledge of insects: A case study of Gobardiha Village Development Committee, Dang-Deukhuri, Nepal

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  • Astrid Gurung

Abstract

Recent trends in agriculturalresearch and development emphasize the need forfarmer participation. Participation not onlymeans farmers' physical presence but also theuse of their knowledge and expertise.Understanding potentials and drawbacks of theirlocal knowledge system is a prerequisite forconstructive collaboration between farmers,scientists, and extension services.An ethnoentomological study, conducted in aTharu village in Nepal, documents farmers'qualitative and quantitative knowledge as wellas perceptions of insects and pest management,insect nomenclature and classification, andissues related to insect recognition and localbeliefs. The study offers a basis to improvepest management programs in terms of efficacyand acceptance. It demonstrates, for instance,that a concept of pests and beneficials isvirtually missing in traditional farmingcommunities and that the Tharu folkclassification profoundly differs from thescientific classification, but is not radicallydifferent from other folk entomologicalsystems. Insects belong to the taxa calledkiraa consisting of arthropods andnon-arthropods that interact with humans. Theyare classified in several overlappinghierarchies where locomotion and human impactplay major roles while morphological criteriaare almost irrelevant. Recognition ofkiraa, however, is dominated by agriculturalaspects followed by physiological-behavioral,ecological, and human-directed features.Morphological criteria play a minor role. Innomenclature, however, the insects' physicalappearance is more important than otherfeatures. The study further shows that male andfemale farmers have different perceptions ofkiraa.The insect-related knowledge system of theTharu has prevented farmers from using modernpesticides in the past. In the course ofmodernization, however, some aspects of theirknowledge system could become obsolete andprove disadvantageous to their livelihood andagro-ecosystems. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 2003

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  • Astrid Gurung, 2003. "Insects – a mistake in God's creation? Tharu farmers' perception and knowledge of insects: A case study of Gobardiha Village Development Committee, Dang-Deukhuri, Nepal," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 20(4), pages 337-370, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:20:y:2003:i:4:p:337-370
    DOI: 10.1023/B:AHUM.0000005149.30242.7f
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Warren, D.M., 1991. "Using indigenous knowledge in agricultural development," World Bank - Discussion Papers 127, World Bank.
    2. Stephen Sherwood, 1997. "Little things mean a lot: Working with Central American farmers to address the mystery of plant disease," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 14(2), pages 181-189, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bhawana Upadhyay & Dharani D. Burra & Than Thi Nguyen & Kris A. G. Wyckhuys, 2020. "Caught off guard: folk knowledge proves deficient when addressing invasive pests in Asian cassava systems," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 425-445, January.
    2. Lisa Price & Astrid Björnsen Gurung, 2006. "Describing and measuring ethno-entomological knowledge of rice pests: tradition and change among Asian rice farmers," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 8(4), pages 507-517, November.
    3. Heather Looy & Florence Dunkel & John Wood, 2014. "How then shall we eat? Insect-eating attitudes and sustainable foodways," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 31(1), pages 131-141, March.
    4. Sayuni P. Nasari & Patrick A. Ndakidemi & Ernest R. Mbega, 2020. "Assessment of the Knowledge, Perceptions, and Reactions towards the African Apefly ( Spalgis lemolea lemolea) in Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Ayimut Kiros-Meles & Mathew Abang, 2008. "Farmers’ knowledge of crop diseases and control strategies in the Regional State of Tigrai, northern Ethiopia: implications for farmer–researcher collaboration in disease management," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(3), pages 433-452, September.
    6. Feola, Giuseppe & Binder, Claudia R., 2010. "Towards an improved understanding of farmers' behaviour: The integrative agent-centred (IAC) framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 2323-2333, October.

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