Apatani tribe

In Arunachal’s Ziro Valley, the Apatani tribe has grown rice and reared fish together for decades — a sustainable practice now eyed for UNESCO heritage status.

From forest-fed ponds to rice-fish fields, these traditional farming systems of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh show how communities can grow food while conserving nature.

The Zabo farming system is an ingenious approach primarily used in Kikruma village of Nagaland for sustainable agriculture and flood management. Here’s a breakdown of how the Zabo farming system operates.