Indigenous knowledge, national IK resource centres and sustainable development

Rohana Ulluwishewa

Development experience in the Third World countries demonstrates that the conventional approach to development has failed. A new view of development which is termed 'sustainable development' has emerged as an alternative to the conventional view. It is argued here that indigenous knowledge can be the basis of sustainable development as well as that the national indigenous knowledge resource centres can play a very important role in sustainable development.

Conventional views of development overlook the limitations of the natural resources that support all human activities. They assume that growth, the central requirement of development, if continued for an indefinite period of time, will eventually bring material and social benefits to the people. Benefits of development which first reach the higher ranks of the society will then gradually "trickle down" to the lower ranks. This process should result in social equality. However, development experience in the Third World countries demonstrates that this conventional approach to development has failed.

It was nearly three decades ago that the UN General Assembly designated the 1960s as a 'development decade' to hasten economic development in the Third World countries. Today, after thirty years of massive investments of capital, equipment and modern technology, many people of the Third World have yet to benefit. Millions of people in the Third World have no access to adequate food supplies, clean water, decent housing, clothing, health and education services. Benefits of the growth have not "trickled down" to the marginal groups as initially expected. Consequently, the gap between the rich and the poor has widened. On the other hand, overexploitation of natural resources for short term benefits in these countries has resulted in environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources. Therefore current development has failed to be sustainable.

Sustainable development
A new view of development which is termed 'sustainable development' has emerged as an alternative to the conventional view. The term sustainable development is now popularly used by scholars, development practitioners and professionals in various disciplines, but its exact meaning is still vague.

As quoted in 'Caring for the Earth' (IUCN, UNEP and WWF, 1991) the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) defined sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF, 1985) sustainable development is management of human use of the biosphere, taking into account ecological relationships as well as social and economic factors, the capabilities of the living and non-living resource base and long-term advantages and disadvantages of alternative actions; while maintaining the potentials of a given ecosystem to meet the wants and needs of future generations for food, shelter and other aspects of human civilization.

IUCN, UNEP and WWF (1991) defined sustainable development as improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems. In 1992 Panayotou defined sustainable development as the development that does not result in reduction of the future productive capacity of the economy which depends on the stock of natural capital, human capital and technology, that future generations inherit from the present generation. According to him sustainable development means development at the highest possible rate consistent with leaving the same or an improved endowment of resources and options to the future.

However, the goal of sustainable development is lasting improvement in the quality of life and not just short-term improvements that disappear rapidly at the end of the project cycle. This goal is achieved by conserving ecosystem productivity and by utilizing natural resources in a sustainable way. Therefore, sustainable development represents a combination of development and conservation. It requires that the productivity of the ecosystem not be sacrificed for short term production gains.

Indigenous knowledge
Indigenous knowledge (IK) is local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. It is the basis for agriculture, health care, food preparation, education, environmental conservation and a host of other activities. Much of such knowledge is passed down from generation to generation, usually verbally. Indigenous knowledge is the knowledge that people have gained through inheritance from their ancestors. It is a people-derived science and it represents people's creativity, innovations and skills.

Local people have a wide knowledge of the ecosystem they live in and ways to ensure that natural resources are used sustainably. Therefore, indigenous knowledge which has been accumulated over centuries has potential value for sustainable development. It can help other people learn how to live in harmony with nature and the environment in a sustainable fashion. The potential value and suggested applications of indigenous knowledge systems for sustainable development can be summarized as follows:

1. Historical evidence proves that some communities have utilized natural resources over centuries without impairing their capability to support them and their successive generations. Therefore, indigenous knowledge of resource management provides a valuable information base which could be used (with adaptations) in the management of natural resources for sustainable development.
2. If development is to be sustainable, the development projects should always involve project beneficiaries as partners so that they could participate fully in designing, planning, implementation and evaluation. Use of indigenous knowledge in the planning of development projects generally facilitates the participation of the beneficiaries.
3. The knowledge developed by communities over centuries can be integrated with the modern scientific knowledge in order to create appropriate technologies leading to sustainable development. A blend of indigenous knowledge and modern approaches may be most appropriate. Agro-forestry and rice-fish cultivation in Southeast Asia are two examples.
4. Communication gaps that exist between project personnel and local communities in the Third World countries often impede sustainable development. Indigenous knowledge can facilitate communication by providing a better understanding of how people perceive their environment and develop their perceptions.

Indigenous knowledge is often unknown to development professionals because it remains only in the minds of local groups. It is not always documented and is increasingly being lost with each succeeding generation because the younger generation may not be prepared to adopt indigenous knowledge systems which have been practised by their ancestors. It is being forgotten as it is replaced by modern technology and education. It is also often ignored and condemned by many who claim that it is not scientific. Indigenous technologies are, in some cases, less effective in dealing with modern problems. Above all, people who are already accustomed to modern technologies which are easy and comfortable, are unlikely to return to the indigenous technologies. Therefore if indigenous knowledge is to be promoted and utilized for sustainable development and poverty alleviation, there should be an organized body in casu the national IK resource centres.

National IK resource centres
The prime role of all national IK resource centres in the Third World is to function as an organized body that (1) collects and documents, (2) further develops and compares with global knowledge and (3) disseminates indigenous knowledge.

1. Collection and Documentation: Indigenous Knowledge which has generally been passed from generation to generation by speech will cease to exist unless it is formally documented and preserved. Documentation also facilitates easy access to indigenous knowledge so that the interested development workers and scientists could familiarize themselves with it. By recording indigenous knowledge systems, they can be compared and contrasted with similar international knowledge systems in other parts of the World.
2. Comparing indigenous knowledge with global knowledge: Though indigenous knowledge is time-tested, it is condemned by many who claim that it is not scientific and not consistent with modern science. Very little is known about the economic viability and the applicability of indigenous knowledge in modern production systems. The validity and cost-effectiveness of indigenous technologies can be tested scientifically. It is also possible to identify beneficial aspects of indigenous knowledge as well as those that could be improved and promoted through science-based technologies.
3. Dissemination: Dissemination and utilization of indigenous knowledge should take place together with documentation. Through mass media, books, journals, newsletters and leaflets as well as conferences, seminars and workshops the documented indigenous knowledge should reach the public, scientists, planners, development workers and policy makers. It should also be integrated into the formal education systems in schools as well as in universities. Dissemination of indigenous knowledge from one area to another is also necessary because indigenous technology useful in one part of the world may be used to solve problems faced by another society in a similar agro-ecosystem in another area.

• to act as a clearinghouse for collection, documentation, comparison with global knowledge systems, dissemination and utilization of indigenous knowledge;
• to facilitate and undertake the documentation of indigenous knowledge in the areas of agriculture, fisheries, environment and natural resources management, animal health, human health, non-agricultural technologies, education and local organizations;
• to undertake research projects in order to establish the scientific validity and economic viability of indigenous technologies, and to evaluate the cost effectiveness of incorporating indigenous knowledge components in development projects;
• to conduct research on the transfer of indigenous knowledge and innovations from one ecological zone to another within a country;
• to develop and offer training courses on indigenous knowledge and sustainable development and prepare training and curriculum materials based on national case studies appropriate for inclusion in the formal education; and
• to carry out national conferences and workshops to provide opportunities for decision-makers to understand the existing and potential value of working with and through knowledge systems for participatory approaches to development.

SLARCIK has initiated an action oriented research project in collaboration with Janasaviva Programme (a State sponsored poverty alleviation programme) on 'strengthening the utilization of indigenous knowledge for poverty alleviation'. The developed IK-based technologies will be made available to the Janasaviva Social Mobilisation Programme for dissemination and utilization by the poor for poverty alleviation.

SLARCIK has developed other research proposals on collection and documentation of indigenous knowledge relating to sustainable agriculture in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka and on promoting indigenous knowledge for natural resource management. It is now looking for funding possibilities.

Prof. R. Ulluwishewa
SLARCIK
University of Sri Jayewardenapura
Geography Unit
Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Tel: +94-1-851685
Fax: +94-1-437879

References
IUCN, UNEP and WWF (1991) Caring for the earth: a strategy for sustainable living. Gland, Switzerland: The World Conservation Union, United Nations Environment Programme and World Wildlife Fund.

Panayotou, T. (1992) 'The integration of economy and ecology in sustainable development and its implications for policy.' Keynote address for the conference on the role of environmental economics in national development. Colombo, Sri Lanka.

WWF (1985) Sustainable development: an approach to development assistance which integrates conservation and development. Washington D.C.: World Wildlife Fund.

Endnote
**1 More information on SLARCIK can be obtained from the section 'communications' under the heading 'IK resource centres' in this and previous issues of the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor.