DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2021.v09i12.011

Pages: 673-679

One of the largest indigenous groups in Arunachal Pradesh, the Nyishi tribe, has developed an adaptive and dynamic socio-ecological system comprising food habits and livelihoods that are closely linked. The Nyishi people traditionally relied on the forest ecosystem, shifting cultivation, and their traditional ecological knowledge for subsistence, thus maintaining food diversity and environmental sustainability. This research employs a qualitative and analytical framework based on secondary data to investigate the structure, dynamics, and evolution of the food and livelihood systems of the Nyishi people. The results show that the Nyishi people have historically relied on biodiversity and traditional practices to achieve resilience and ecological balance. However, the forces of modernization, market encroachment, and degradation have created a dynamic change within the food and livelihood systems of the Nyishi tribe. The argument is made for a development approach that utilizes both traditional ecological knowledge and current economic opportunities to support sustainable and culturally appropriate development.