This article deals with how Chuktia Bhunjia tribe of Orissa negotiates with their ecosystem to ensure that agricultural production and livelihood are sustainable. This study shows that the reasons behind continuation of traditional agriculture are the life experience with the traditional methods and cultural acceptance that not only make them economical but help in managing the ecosystem and natural resources management, and in procuring good production.

Primitive tribal communities like the Chuktia Bhunjias living in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Orissa continue to practise traditional agriculture using bio-cultural resources. Policymakers must learn from them in order to challenge the conventional model of agricultural production and food insecurity, as also about how to make development sustainable.