According to anthropologists, the Gadabas are one of the ancient tribes, inhabiting the districts of Koraput and Malkangiri in Odisha, and their mainstay is an agrarian way of life matched in harmony by nature. Their sources of subsistence are mostly from shifting cultivation and subsistence farming, for both of which they use simple and handmade tools. Therefore among the very important tools is the iron sickle, using which they harvest or cut off the vegetation.

It is a sickle made in iron with half-moon-shaped iron blades having pointed tips suitable for cutting crops and grass. The cutting edge is sharp so as to cut grains, pulses, and fodder efficiently in one stroke. On the opposite end of the blade lies a small tang stuck firmly into a wooden handle keeping minimum space between the blade and handle. The design in this close-fitting design supports the tool both in terms of stability and grip, making it comfortable during prolonged use. The iron sickle is a traditional Artefact depicting the metal and woodwork skills which Gadaba people inherited through generations. Such tools can be made mostly from locally available materials and may be patterned in accordance with the hilly terrain and farming patterns in the region. Besides, the sickle heralds the resilience of the indigenous and ecologically sound knowledge with which the tribal societies manage their agricultural needs through traditional means.