Harnessing Traditional Knowledge for Circular Livestock, Environmental Resilience and Its Perspectives from Odisha, India

Authors

  • Abhijeet Das *

    Department of Civil Engineering, C.V. Raman Global University (CGU), Bhubaneswar 752054, India
  • Satchidananda Mishra

    Department of Civil Engineering, Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar 752054, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55121/nc.v5i1.783

Keywords:

Circular Livestock Economics, Community Based Livestock Care, Decolonising Education, Environmental

Abstract

The article explores the role of traditional knowledge systems (TKS) in creating circular livestock economies and fostering environmental stewardship. The study focuses on Pathe Pathshala, a mobile, community-led education initiative led by grassroots veterinarian Dr. Balaram Sahu, and shows how locally embedded practices in animal care, ethno-veterinary medicine, and adaptive breeding can serve as resilient and regenerative alternatives to industrial livestock production. The research challenges established development discourses by highlighting decentralised, low-input, and ecologically integrated animal husbandry practices based on community knowledge. The research investigates how such approaches improve occupational safety for herders, safeguard animal health, and provide long-term livelihoods, especially for marginalised rural people. The study, which is theoretically inspired by agroecology, post-development pedagogy, and environmental justice, makes the case that indigenous livestock systems are active epistemologies capable of informing regenerative transitions rather than cultural relics. It advocates for a rethinking of livestock policy and agricultural education in the Global South, emphasising the need to incorporate indigenous values and place-based innovations into larger circular economy frameworks. By providing empirical insights into an under-represented subject, the research adds to critical discussions about sustainability, knowledge diversity, and the future of rural transformation, transcending technocratic
paradigms.

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How to Cite

Das, A., & Mishra, S. (2025). Harnessing Traditional Knowledge for Circular Livestock, Environmental Resilience and Its Perspectives from Odisha, India. New Countryside, 5(1), 18–41. https://doi.org/10.55121/nc.v5i1.783

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (January 2026): In Progress

Section

Review

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Copyright (c) 2026 Abhijeet Das, Satchidananda Mishra

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