Agroecological Revival: Evaluating Traditional Farming Practices for Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Northeast India

Northeast India, a global biodiversity hotspot confronting escalating climate vulnerabilities, harbors millennia-old indigenous farming systems that demonstrate remarkable ecological resilience. This comprehensive study evaluates 12 traditional agroecological practices across Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland through mixed methods—including yield comparisons (n = 240 farms), soil carbon analysis, hydrological monitoring, and ethnographic interviews. Results demonstrate that Ahu rice varieties yield 18% higher than modern cultivars during monsoon flooding, while bamboo drip irrigation reduces agricultural water demand by 40%. Zabo integrated systems increase farm income by 32% while sequestering 2.8 tC/ha/year—significantly higher than conventional monocultures. Critical barriers include youth outmigration (reported in 62% of villages), land tenure insecurity, and policy incoherence. The study proposes a co-designed resilience framework integrating blockchain-based traditional knowledge repositories, payments for ecosystem services (PES), and community-led governance models. These findings establish traditional agroecology as a vital climate adaptation strategy while advocating for policy mechanisms to scale place-based solutions across the Eastern Himalayas.