Agriculture has been practiced for food security since the beginning of human civilization. Subsistence agriculture was the most primitive and natural method of agriculture, wherein the growth of crops was reliant on rainfall, heat, and soil fertility. In modern time, agriculture is very dynamic because of various scientific innovations, modernization and technical advancements. Nonetheless, several modern agricultural activities are responsible for the deterioration of soil health, water quality, human health, ecological balance and sustainability. However, Indian natives are still using their traditional farming techniques in this context, and their sustainable agricultural practices respect both people and the environment. Their decision-making is crucial for these long-standing agricultural practices. The present study aimed to comprehend the decision-making process of indigenous people in respect to their agricultural activities. Then, we tried to identify their central concepts on sustainable agriculture for ecological resilience. Finally, we pointed to find out the key areas of improvement. The study location was selected purposively and the Santhal tribe of Swargabati village in Barjora block, Bankura, West Bengal was considered for this study. Snowball sampling was used to determine the respondents. Direct one-on-one interviews were undertaken. A semi-quantitative data analysis software, i.e., Mental Modeler was used for data analysis. The results showed that the decision-making process of indigenous people is highly influenced by their culture, tradition, social norms, preconceived notions and religious belief. We also identified the central concepts and found the key areas of improvement in their farming system.
