Abstract

In the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, the mixed farming with the crop dominance of finger millet (Eleusine corocana) and monocropping of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) are the two sub-systems of the land-use by the forest dwelling tribal groups namely Muthuvas and Hill Pulayas. The size of the farm holding per family was not more than 3 ha in any given settlement. The study revealed that there is a wealth of traditional knowledge and practices useful to make the mixed crop cultivation an ecologically sustainable one and to conserve a large number of crop varieties. The diffusion of lemongrass to the farming system of these communities reveals the farmer's willingness to innovate and experiment. Lemongrass based cropping systems also led to use of lands that were too dry and too infertile for indigenous crops. The strategies such as soil fertility management and development of suitable agroforestry models in tune with the local requirements and conditions need to be