IK Monitor 1(3)

COMMUNICATIONS - IK RESOURCE CENTRES

Under this heading the international network presents news of the activities of the various global, regional and national indigenous knowledge resource centres. In Addresses IK Resource centres you will find the names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers of the centres' directors and coordinators. They will gladly supply additional information.

CIKARD
Dr. B. Rajasekaran, CIKARD Associate, has accepted a position with the Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) in Saginaw, Michigan.
CIKARD Associate Director for Research, Dr. Robert Mazur, will leave for a sabbatical in South Africa, where he will conduct research on indigenous decision-making strategies within refugee populations.
Dr. J. Massaquoi has joined CIKARD in a six-month Fulbright visiting scholar position. Dr. Massaquoi has served as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, and has conducted research on indigenous creativity in off-farm technologies. His research on the production of salt from silt in Sierra Leone has been published in Tinker, Tiller, Technical Change, edited by Matthew Gamser, Helen Appleton, and Nicola Carter, 1990, London: Intermediate Technology Publications.
Dr. Robert Johannes will visit CIKARD in late September and present lectures and seminars on his research on indigenous natural resource management, which is focussed on marine resources. Dr. Johannes is a marine biologist based at CSIRO in Tasmania, Australia.
CIKARD was represented at a three-week conference in Ibadan sponsored by the USAID-funded Iowa-Nigeria University Development Linkages Project, during which 30 Nigerian and 20 Iowa professors discussed the role of indigenous knowledge in development and conducted IK study groups at the participating universities.
The 9th annual meeting of the Center for PVO/University Collaboration in Development will be held at the University of Arkansas from 30 September to 2 October. The themes of the meeting are sustainability and the interface of external technical knowledge with indigenous knowledge. At the meeting D.M. Warren will present a session on the role of indigenous knowledge in facilitating sustainable approaches to development.
D.M. Warren and B. Rajasekaran have been asked to present a paper on the use of indigenous knowledge in sustainable dryland management at an international workshop entitled 'Listen to the people: social aspects of dryland management', which is sponsored by the United Nations Environmental Programme. The workshop will be held at the Desertification Control Programme Activity Centre in Nairobi from 14 to 17 December, 1993.

CIRAN
CIRAN operates under the auspices of the Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education (Nuffic). CIRAN's main objective is to support Dutch and international networks of individuals and institutions involved in development research. The support of networks is consistent with CIRAN's general mandate, which is to strengthen knowledge systems, particularly the capacity for research related to development.
CIRAN's support to the international Indigenous Knowledge (IK) network consists mainly of facilitating an exchange of information by producing the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor and by establishing an international IK database.
With the December issue, the Monitor has appeared three times in 1993. The content of the Monitor appeals to readers at various institutions and levels, as may be concluded from the many reactions and requests from people who wish to be included on the mailing list. Especially encouraging are reports that the Monitor is being used for educational and training purposes in institutions in the developing world.
The Monitor is published in English, but there are a growing number of requests from French-speaking Africa for a French edition. This need is expected to increase in 1994 as more and more IK resource centres are established in French-speaking Africa. CIRAN is now seriously looking into the possibilities for publishing a French edition in 1994.
The IK database now contains more than 2500 records with information on institutions and individuals in various disciplines and of different backgrounds in more than 100 countries. The number of records is growing dramatically as questionnaires are still being returned daily to CIRAN.
The established IK resource centres (see Addresses IK Resource centres) recently received a draft printout of the records in the IK database that are related to their respective country or region. We are still looking into ways of making the information in the IK database available to the broader IK network.
To facilitate discussion on IK-related topics, CIRAN has supported the establishment of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Mailing List 'INDKNOW'.
Since June 1993, CIRAN has been working to get the issue of local knowledge systems placed on the international agenda. Various agencies have been contacted which have shown an interest in the potential contribution of local knowledge systems to development, and in the role of the established IK resource centres. The brief experience so far, including the discussions at the World Bank seminar on 'Traditional knowledge and sustainable development', would seem to indicate that there is specific interest in 'the interface of local and global knowledge systems'. CIRAN is now drafting a proposal for an international conference on this issue, to be held in November 1994. Various experts from Asia, Africa and Latin America, including people outside the established knowledge centres (universities, research institutions etc.), will be invited and consulted. The conference should ultimately result in a research agenda that can serve as a guide both for the research activities of the national resource centres and for the funding policies of the international donor community.

LEAD
The LEAD Programme recently received financial support as well as advanced electronic equipment from Philips Medical Systems in The Netherlands for the Leiden-Nairobi project entitled 'Indigenous agricultural knowledge systems in Kenya, East Africa'. UNESCO in Paris is also supporting the project, which has been officially acknowledged as a project of the 'World Decade for Culture and Development' (WDCD).
As coordinator of the project 'Indigenous knowledge systems for sustainable agriculture in developing countries: towards an alternative approach to food shortage reduction in Kenya and Indonesia', LEAD was also recently granted a major subsidy of some US$ 400,000 for a period of three years. The project was selected for support under the Life Sciences and Technologies for Developing Countries STD-3 Programme of the Commission of the European Communities.
As LEAD gains a more central position in the further study and analysis of indigenous knowledge systems in the context of development in various sectors, the social scientists involved have been joined by a number of natural scientists, including biologists, ecologists, soil scientists, and physicians. Together they are paving the way towards an interdisciplinary programme to be called 'Indigenous knowledge and sustainable development in the tropics'.
The following research is in progress:
The field of wildlife management is featured in 'Roots and shoots: chimpanzee community conservation and local peoples' perspectives in Gombe, Tanzania'. This is a collaboration between LEAD (Dr. L.J. Slikkerveer), the Pro Primates Foundation, Leiden, The Netherlands (Drs. Ignaas Spruit), and the director of Gombe National Park (Dr. Jane Goodall).

ARCIK
As part of its ongoing work in indigenous knowledge, the African Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (ARCIK) is conducting research on various topics related to Nigeria. The following topics represent research projects sponsored by ARCIK and conducted by the seven departments of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER).

Indigenous methods of pest and disease control.
Indigenous knowledge of textile production.
Indigenous fiscal and monetary operations.
A cross cultural study of indigenous education and training.
A case study of settlement planning in the pre-colonial period.
Widowhood practices and their effect on the productive capacity of widows.
Indigenous selection of political leadership.

REPPIKA
Reppika has developed a training module on IK for the training courses of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction: i.e., the International Course for Rural Development Management and the International Course on Regenerative Agriculture. For 1994, IIRR plans to offer three additional major courses on home gardening, health and media, all of which will probably contain sessions on IK.
IIRR's alternative animal health care project, in which Reppika is a consultant, is nearly concluded. Output will include a report of a survey on alternative animal health care practices in Cavite (The Philippines) a report on two para- veterinary training courses held at IIRR, para-veterinary training materials and a slide show on alternative animal health care focussing on medicinal plants. IIRR's appropriate technology unit and Reppika plan to continue the para- veterinary work.
The Reppika coordinator participated in the following conferences and workshops:

Fourth Annual Common Property Conference: Common Property in Ecosystems under Stress;
Community Management and Common Property of Coastal Fisheries and Upland Resources in Asia and the Pacific: Concepts, Methods and Experiences;
First Philippines PRA Practitioners Meeting;
The 20th Waigani seminar at the University of Papua New Guinea. During this seminar the Reppika coordinator gave a keynote paper on the sub-theme 'essential means' with the title 'Indigenous knowledge for rural development, with emphasis on sustainable living'. The paper discussed the conservation of indigenous knowledge within and outside communities.

Visitors to Reppika were:

Rhodora M. Gonzalez, a Master student at the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC) and Wageningen Agricultural University, both in The Netherlands. Ms. Gonzalez plans to do her thesis research on indigenous knowledge and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in The Philippines.
Dr. Miguel Altieri, technical advisor to CLADES, a Latin American NGO consortium based in Chile, and professor at the University of California at Berkeley. An entomologist, he has published widely on agro-ecology and IK. He is advisor to a $5-million UNDP project on sustainable agriculture. He visited The Philippines to attend a workshop organized by the Philippine Department of Agriculture on sustainable agriculture.
Dr. Herwarsono Soedjito, human ecologist and forest ecologist with the Center for Research and Development in Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Bogor, Indonesia. He is conducting research in East Kalimantan with Dayak communities, looking at the relationship between people, soil fertility and primary/secondary forest cover.
Melanie McDermott, short-term consultant to the World Wildlife fund (WWF). WWF is involved in the planning of a 'community-based conservation and enterprise program for indigenous cultural communities in Palawan, The Philippines'. The project will be implemented by Nafkakaisang mga Tribu ng Palawan (NATRIPAL), an association of 46 indigenous cultural communities, in cooperation with several Philippine and international organizations. The programme will attempt to reconcile ancestral rights, traditions and socio-economic needs of local people with the enhancement and conservation of the environment's biological diversity.

BRARCIK
The Brazilian Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BRARCIK) is hosted at the Center for Indigenous Studies 'Miguel A. Menèndez' (CEIMAM) of the University of Sao Paulo State (UNESP). CEIMAM, founded in 1982, has adjusted its aims to the new directions stressed by ECO 92 in relation to the significance of biodiversity and cultural diversity for development consistent with UNESP objectives. CEIMAM develops and coordinates interdisciplinary teaching, research and extension activities in association with other national and international institutions that have an interest in indigenous knowledge. As a consequence, CEIMAM performs and supports actions aimed at defending indigenous rights and sustainable development. Additional objectives of the Center are:

to study the systems of interaction between indigenous communities and the environment;
to record indigenous knowledge and to make it systematically accessible, also to traditional communities;
to promote interaction between different groups of UNESP staff with an interest in indigenous knowledge; and
to develop human resources, at all levels, for achieving these objectives.

CEIMAM is also a forum for debate and information exchange-- through symposia and publications such as the Boletim Terra Indigena (ISSN 0103-2437)--in such fields as ethnology, linguistics, indigenous education and ethnohistory. The CEIMAM staff itself consists of specialists in agriculture and veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and medicine.
Following agreement between the CIKARD director and the UNESP rector, BRARCIK began to function under CEIMAM auspices in August, 1993. Its aim is to establish networks and produce and exchange documentation on national indigenous knowledge. CEIMAM's objectives are similar to those of the global network on IK.
BRARCIK will make use of CEIMAM's administrative staff and infrastructure and will be assisted by staff from 25 UNESP campuses throughout Sao Paulo State. BRARCIK would like to bring together people and institutions to which indigenous knowledge represents an important development resource.

BURCIK
At the moment the main concern of BURCIK is to mobilize financial resources in order to conduct IK workshops and seminars that receive wide media coverage. This will attract more support and give strength to BURCIK's further activities.

INRIK
INRIK is preparing a seminar on 'Indigenous knowledge systems and development', to be held in 1994. More information will be provided in the next issue of the Monitor.
The activities of INRIK in the field of agriculture and sustainable resource management will be facilitated by the project entitled 'Indigenous knowledge systems for sustainable agriculture in developing countries: towards an alternative approach to food shortage reduction in Kenya and Indonesia'.

KENRIK
Indigenous food plants (IFPs) in many parts of the world have been largely neglected. They are often considered inferior and suitable only for the poor. But even the poor have sometimes rejected them in favour of 'better foods' that are accepted by everyone. As a result, the tendency has been to treat indigenous food plants as unimportant. With this low status, they have been forgotten completely in many areas and no steps have been taken for their protection. Yet, the same foods must have supported communities long before the introduction of common exotic foods such as maize. Indigenous food plants include grains, tubers, fruits, leaf vegetables, roots for soups and plant parts for traditional teas.
Luckily all is not lost. There are still some communities in Kenya which consider the wilderness as a food source. They can teach the rest of us about the importance of indigenous food plants.
To balance the neglect, the Indigenous Food Plants Programme (IFPP) was established in 1989. For the last four years IFPP has been promoting the utilization of indigenous food plants and has been recording IK on them.
The recommendations of the Indigenous Food Plants Workshop that are related to IK will be implemented as a KENRIK activity. The workshop provided KENRIK with yet another opportunity to establish networks with local organizations and individuals interested in IK. Previous networking activities had resulted in the participation of KENRIK in several workshops conducted by other organizations.
One such workshop was conducted by an NGO that calls itself Intermediate Technology (IT). IT's aim in the workshop was to give the indigenous technological information it had collected back to the communities. KENRIK also participated in a special three-day seminar organized by Friends of Conservation.
An IK workshop, to be held at the National Museums of Kenya, is being planned for the beginning of 1994. It is hoped that the workshop will bring together key people, mainly from Africa, who are involved in IK.
The objectives of the workshop will be:

to identify institutions and individuals involved in IK and to encourage the establishment of local and regional networks; and
to explore the status of IK, set priorities, make appropriate recommendations and draft a plan of action.

NIRCIK
The Nigerian Centre for Indigenous Knowledge was established in August 1993. It is housed at the Institute for Agricultural Research at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria (Nigeria).
The objectives of the Centre are:

To stimulate--among researchers, extension workers, policy-makers and practitioners--interest in the practical use of indigenous knowledge for achieving sustainable development.
To appoint sectoral coordinators for the following topics: crops, animal health and management, agro-forestry, aquatic resources, human health, education/communication and NGOs.
To establish a documentation system for published and unpublished documents, newly recorded IK systems and existing databases.
To conduct research, examining the validity of IK against scientific criteria and analyzing the costs and benefits of IK compared with available 'western' technologies.
To conduct workshops on IK and sustainable development for representatives of popular organizations, government agencies and private voluntary organizations.
To establish links with regional (e.g. ARCIK), global and other national centres and networks.
To facilitate the establishment of the West African Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (WARCIK) or the West African Resource Network for Indigenous Knowledge (WANIK).

NIRCIK has already conducted five IK training workshops in the southeast, middle, northeast and northwest zones of Nigeria. These were attended by members of the National Farming Systems Research Network and staff of Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs). Workshops are now being conducted at the state level, in states with ADPs. The workshops have introduced participants to the concepts of IK and sustainable development, as well as to specific indigenous agricultural technologies. Similar workshops are planned for other sectors.

RIDSCA
The programme for 1993-94 of CEICADAR, RIDSCA and CIKARD (which provides coordination for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean), includes the following activities:
For CEICADAR the main activities are:

International symposium and national conference on sustainable agriculture and regional shows of local varieties of maize and beans.
Rural development project for marginal indigenous communities in the state of Puebla, Mexico (1993-1997). This project is coordinated by the Instituto Nacional Indigenista (INI). CEICADAR is in charge of the agricultural production support component, which includes training, research and extension. The project covers more than 100 counties.
Strategies for improving local varieties and producing seeds for agricultural and rural development (annual crops, fruit trees and livestock in several regions of Mexico). Ongoing project since 1980.
Project for small ruminant development strategies and natural resource conservation. (Since 1980.)
Programme for the participation of women and peasant families in agricultural and rural development. In 1994 a master's degree programme will be established in this subject.

For RIDSCA and CIKARD (which provides coordination for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean) the main activities are:

Symposium in 1994 on indigenous knowledge systems in this region.
Regional seminar in 1994 on indigenous and peasant education and training.
Promotion of national indigenous knowledge centers in Central America and the Caribbean.
Identification of, and communication with, institutions, organizations and individuals in Latin America that are interested in the study and use of IK.

SARCIK
Postal survey
The South African Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (SARCIK) has embarked on a systematic programme of identifying institutions in South Africa which would be interested in sharing their findings and experiences relating to IK, as well as exploring the possibilities of these organizations participating in SARCIK. This programme has also served to bring the activities and functions of SARCIK to these institutions' attention. A postal survey of organizations and persons that have been identified as being involved in aspects of indigenous knowledge research and documentation has been completed. The responses have been very positive and have come from groups such as the African National Congress' Research Department, the Environmental Evaluation Unit at the University of Cape Town, the Rural Foundation and the Mpako Rural Technology Unit.
Literature and research survey
The emphasis of this report will be to focus on SARCIK's efforts to establish a database of local literature and research on indigenous knowledge. The process involved as the centre went about this task is documented for use by other institutions interested in building up a database of indigenous knowledge literature and research.
A manual search through the index cards of all South African libraries and research institutions is obviously not practical in terms of time and cost. The most effective way to overcome this problem is by conducting a computerized literature and research survey. The centre undertook such a computer-based literature survey at the South African Library, utilizing their computer and electronic communications facilities. However, such a survey can be conducted by anyone with access to a computer, a modem and the necessary software.

1. SANGONET SARCIK is exploring the possibilities of implementing such a system itself and subscribing to a local electronic information and communications network. The network will provide facilities for electronic mail, for communication and for accessing and exchanging information between interested parties and databases. It is important that the network provide both local and international networking facilities, because of the international nature of the IK network. Many such electronic communication networks exist in South Africa. The network that SARCIK considers the most appropriate is called SANGONET (Southern Africa's Nonprofit Information and Communications Network), a non-profit network aimed at serving and informing NGOs.
2. SABINET The actual survey was conducted by using a database provided by a commercial networking company called SABINET (South African Bibliographic Network). Many bibliographic databases are provided by SABINET in addition to those surveyed in this exercise. Other available databases include LCDB (Library of Congress) and UKDB (United Kingdom Database). Alternatives for accessing information not available on computer are also provided. The databases surveyed in this exercise are:
1. 2.1 SACD (South African Co-operative Database) A comprehensive catalogue of books, this database is continuously updated as libraries add their books to it. A supplement to the database is SANAB (South Africa National Bibliography), which is in book form and contains a catalogue of all books in all South African libraries. These include international publications as well as locally published works.
2. 2.2 ISAP (Index to South African Periodicals) Periodicals have been catalogued by computer since 1987. Periodicals from 1980 to 1986 are on microfiche; from 1940 to 1979 they are in a book form, also under the name ISAP. The Johannesburg Public Library is busy cataloguing periodicals from prior to 1940.
3. 2.3 UCTD (Theses and Dissertations) This database is a computerized catalogue of material dating from 1918. For material prior to 1918 the University of Potchestroom is busy cataloguing theses and dissertations. Searches can be conducted by author, title, subject, word, etc., but if the author or title is used one must know the exact name or title. For a general, exploratory literature survey when one does not know the extent of the literature available, the best way to search is using keywords. This gives the broadest possible spread of published literature. A subject-based search of the database is also possible, but excludes relevant literature that has been published under a different subject title.
3. N.A.V.O. A literature survey can also be contracted out to a third party who conducts the search using keywords or phrases provided by the client. Such a third-party survey was conducted for the Resource Centre by the Centre for Science Development of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) using a database called the N.A.V.O. database. This database contains information on all current and completed research at universities and research institutes that has been undertaken for either degree or non-degree purposes. This information is sent to the HSRC by the universities and institutes. The database also includes all internal current and completed research conducted at the HSRC. The information in the database dates from about 1969, when the HSRC was established.

Concluding remarks
The methods and resources available for the establishment of a database on indigenous knowledge research and literature are multiple and varied. The approach can be adapted to fit the capabilities and resources of the organization conducting the survey. This survey has not been exhaustive and undoubtedly there are lesser known resources that could be drawn upon to expand it. It is through the database and the network of organizations who will share their research findings that SARCIK plans to begin the process of establishing a national resource centre for indigenous knowledge.

SLARCIK
The National Symposium on Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Development has been postponed to March 1994. IDRC and SAREC has agreed to provide financial support for the symposium. Ninety-two people from a wide range of organizations have already registered to take part; 42 of them expect to present scientific papers. The symposium will consist of five simultaneous sessions on the following themes: agricultural systems, agricultural technologies, natural resource management, human health, animal health and non-agricultural technologies. The symposium is expected to result in an action plan for SLARCIK and the appointment of sectoral coordinators.
SLARCIK will form a national network with the organizations and individuals who have registered for the symposium. At the end of the symposium, the participants will discuss how the network will function. SLARCIK is also planning to initiate a newsletter as a means of communication among the members of the network.
In July 1993 SLARCIK initiated a collaborative research project with the JANASAVIYA programme, a state- sponsored poverty alleviation project in Sri Lanka. Progress in the last two months has been good. The research team has already identified IK resource persons/local specialists for various types of IK-based technologies. Collection of IK from these resource persons is now in progress.

URURCIK
The Uruguayan Centre for Indigenous Knowledge was established in October 1993. It is housed at the Centre for Development Studies, Uruguay (CEDESUR, Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo-Uruguay).
CEDESUR is a Uruguayan NGO. It is currently conducting a project with the support of CISS (Cooperazione Internacionale Sud-Sud/Italy) and the European Community. The purpose of the project is to train local people (peasants, small producers, rural women, youth and rural workers) and extension agents in various subjects related to production, environmentally sustainable practices, and extension methods and philosophy. The aim is to instill in the participants a new attitude in these areas. CEDESUR has published materials in Spanish that have proven very influential in support of these activities.
In addition, CEDESUR is conducting research to evaluate agricultural development projects in Uruguay. The results will be interesting from the point of view of indigenous knowledge and sustainable development.

VERSIK
The Center for Tropical Alternative Agriculture and Sustainable Development (CATADI) at the University of the Andes, Trujillo State, Venezuela, is the host of the Venezuelan Resource Secretariat for Indigenous Knowledge (VERSIK). Through the CATADI research project known as S.C.A.L. (Sistemas de Conocimiento Agropecuario Local), which is financed by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT), the secretariat has successfully continued its activities related mainly to the registration and application of the (indigenous) knowledge of local farmers in Trujillo State. One of VERSIK's major preoccupations at the moment is the financial support that will soon be needed, since funding from CONICIT will end in November 1993. This situation has as a consequence that the continuity of some of VERSIK's activities will be in jeopardy until new funds are obtained. Any news or ideas regarding possible sources of funding (e.g., international funding agencies interested in IKS) are therefore very welcome.
One of the major advantages of being connected with an international network like the IKS is that its members can feel closer to each other, and it is possible to share activities for mutual benefit even if some of the members are located on the 'other side of the world'. One example of what is stated here is the visit of Dr. Consuelo Quiroz (VERSIK Coordinator, Venezuela) to India last October. Dr. Quiroz and Dr. Anil Gupta (Indian Institute of Management - IIMA, Ahmedabad) have together organized a three-week programme (financed by the University of the Andes - ULA, Venezuela) that included meetings with the IIMA staff, visits to some rural innovators in the area, and discussions with representatives of other NGOs, for example. This kind of international exchange is beneficial not only because it creates opportunities for direct sharing among IKS projects, but also because it allows academic links to be established between institutions (e.g., ULA - IIMA).

Back to: top of the page | Contents IK Monitor 1(3) | IK Homepage
Suggestions to: ikdm@nuffic.nl
(c) copyright Nuffic-CIRAN and contributors 1993.