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@article{192649,
        author = {Dr. Basil B Mathew},
        title = {From Attappady to TKDL: Digitising Tribal Agricultural Knowledge and the Politics of Agrarian Recognition in Kerala},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {9},
        pages = {2163-2174},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=192649},
        abstract = {This article examines the digitisation of tribal agricultural knowledge in Attappady, Kerala, through the institutional lens of India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL). While TKDL was established primarily as a defensive mechanism against biopiracy, its engagement with indigenous farming systems remains limited. Drawing on secondary sources and existing empirical insights from millet cultivation in Attappady, the study situates tribal agriculture within broader debates on agrarian political economy, food sovereignty, and epistemic justice. The paper argues that indigenous agricultural knowledge is not merely a cultural artefact but a contested socio-political resource shaped by historical marginalisation, state-led development, and intellectual property regimes. Through a conceptual–case study approach, the article analyses millet-based livelihoods, seed practices, and community institutions to demonstrate how digitisation initiatives risk reproducing extractive knowledge relations unless grounded in participatory governance. It further explores the potential integration of TKDL with geographical indication frameworks in Kerala as a pathway to strengthen rural livelihoods while cautioning against the commodification of indigenous heritage. The findings highlight the need to reimagine TKDL beyond patent protection toward a rights-based platform that recognises community ownership, supports food sovereignty, and advances agrarian justice. By foregrounding Attappady as a critical site of knowledge production, the paper contributes to agrarian studies by linking indigenous epistemologies with contemporary debates on digital governance and rural transformation.},
        keywords = {Indigenous knowledge; tribal agriculture; TKDL; agrarian political economy; food sovereignty; geographical indications.},
        month = {February},
        }