Abstract:

Folk people of Tripura, a small state of Northeast India, rely on their own traditional knowledge of phenological indicators for predicating the weather, to help plan their agroforestry activities and for disaster prevention. One such prediction relates to the phenology of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L., night-flowering jasmine, which helps them to forecast the onset of heavy rainfall. During 2007-2009, a comprehensive study was initiated to document the predictive accuracy of this indicator, through conversations and interviews with village members, observation and reviewing the older literature. The researchers found that the flowering of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is a good indicator of weather lore for the prediction of both short-and long-range precipitation. The information about the prediction of rainfall by observing the flowering phenology was recorded through the interview with village elders. The researchers use interview schedule while interacting with elders. Several small groups of knowledge holders including elder men and women (as focus group) were selected randomly from a wider population of study areas and sampled. A questionnaire was also prepared for knowledge gathering through open conversation and discussion. Prior Informed Consent (PIC) was taken from the knowledge providers time to time.