The indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) is the localized traditional knowledge transmitted from generation to generation and time tested by the local community to solve particular problems taking cognizance of local factors. This resource conservation attitude of indigenous technical knowledge fosters sustainability. Sustainable agriculture is also urgently needed to conserve agricultural resources for the next generations. Most of the agricultural resources are exploited by chemical hazards. Indigenous technical knowledge mostly using physics, chemistry and biology of ancient knowledge to improve agricultural practices without chemical hazards. Millions of traditional knowledge have been practised over the world. Most are overlapping due to their dynamic nature and often modified by local farmers. Some are based on beliefs and unscientific. Few have unique identity for specific communities and countries. There are number of ITKs for sustainable agriculture have been verified and documented in India. In India, the scientific rationale of traditional knowledge of agricultural practices to the revival of ITK for sustainable agriculture is being documented and maintained by the Indigenous Technical knowledge Portal for Agriculture (ITKPA-ICAR, India). Internationally, the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR, Philippines) and the Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems (GIAHS-FAO, Italy) are engaged in the documentation and promotion of traditional knowledge of agricultural practices to the revival of ITK for sustainable agriculture. Of course, these global efforts to conserve traditional knowledge of agricultural practices believe that the traditional agricultural systems constitute the foundation of present and future farming technologies, and their biodiversity will be maintained as sustainable systems of farming. This indigenous technical knowledge can be refined and upgraded to suit the conditions and needs of the farmers. It may be blending with modern technologies to achieve the goal of sustainable agriculture. To achieve the goal of sustainable agriculture, its an urgent need to revive ITK in agriculture. The present study was undertaken to review the efforts to revive ITK for sustainable agriculture from the perspective of Indian agriculture.

Keywords: ITK (Indigenous technical knowledge), Sustainable agriculture, India.