Indigenous traditional techniques are featured with environmental harmony and sustainability with the least dependence on external inputs. These techniques can be used to refine the modern practices and develop management strategies that are more effective for higher production and environmental balance. The introduction of refined practices of indigenous knowledge to the farmers will not pose many difficulties as farmers are well familiar with them and it will be much easier for them to understand and handle such technological interventions. Application of wood or crop residue ash on vegetables or rice nursery before broadcasting of germinated rice seeds desiccates insect eggs on seed/leaves, accelerates germination by unstiffening the seed coat through mild alkalinity, enhances micronutrient availability, interferes with insect feeding and ash potassium interacts with surface fats. Retaining plant residues and adding animal manure like cow dung continuously restores the land’s fertility and promotes rainfall infiltration. Mulching with crop residues helps to preserve water and conserve soil, maintain soil fertility and reduce weed density and growth. Besides, managements integral to organic farming composting, cover cropping, crop rotation, diversity on the farm, living fence intercropping, waste management and use of multipurpose trees altogether contribute toward increased input use efficiency and environmental sustainability without compromising the yield and quality of produce. For example, the application of 10 t/ha FYM along with RDF increased SOC and NPK content, which led to a yield increment of 10.36% in wheat besides improving soil structure and WHC of soil. Also, application of FYM at 20 t/ha could increase grain yield in rice by 8.3% and decrease the requirement for fertilizers by 25%. Green leaf manuring with Robinia in rice reduced the fertilizer requirement by 75%. Crop rotation with legumes helped to restore soil fertility with 30–35% increased yields. Application of Bio-fertilizers (Azotobacter and PSB) along with FYM, vermicompost and RDF, increased grain yield by 66.3% and straw yield by 13% in wheat-maize.