Using indigenous knowledge,
remote sensing and GIS for sustainable development
Joseph A. Tabor
Charles F. Hutchinson
Information describing the natural resources of any
region (e.g. soil, water and vegetation) forms the base upon
which sustainable development must be built. The twin
challenges of providing information that can lead to
sustainable development are to keep acquisition costs low and
utility high. In this article an alternate approach based on
several techniques of data acquisition, interpretation and
management is presented. It is intended to enhance the utility
and lower the cost of surveys by complementing--not replacing-
-conventional survey techniques.
Indigenous post-harvest
knowledge in an Egyptian oasis
Anne M. Parrish
Over the past three decades, a new approach to pest management
has been introduced in Mut (El Dakhla), in the Western desert
of Egypt. This has included the free distribution of
pesticides in order to encourage their adoption in place of
indigenous practices. According to some farmers, these changes
have made pest problems worse and created environmental
problems as well.
The adoption of soil
conservation practices in Burkina Faso
Basga E. Dialla
Building soil conservation practices on a base of indigenous
knowledge greatly increases the rate at which they are adopted
by farmers in Burkina Faso. Indigenous soil conservation
practices are ecologically sound and need to be taken into
account when efforts are made to introduce modern agricultural
techniques. This article provides an example of how soil
conservation practices built upon local systems for conserving
resources were preferred by small-scale farmers over newly
introduced conservation techniques.
The current status of jamu, and
suggestions for further research and development
Sidik
For many years locally produced jamu as well as
manufactured jamu have played an important role in
health care. This article presents an overview of the current
status of this indigenous medicine and its role in the
national development of Indonesia. It is argued that
scientists must pay more attention to traditional methods of
preparing and using jamu.
Indigenous (medical) knowledge
of the Maasai
I. Sindiga
Traditional pastoral systems preserve natural ecosystems
through extensive ranching and rotational grazing and by using
a variety of livestock. The pastoral Maasai of East Africa,
for example, keep cattle, goats and sheep. These animals
utilize different parts of the range's plant life. This
diversity is crucial in pastoral patterns of subsistence. The
aim of this article is to review the uses of indigenous plants
among the pastoral Maasai, focussing particularly on
traditional medicine. It is argued that Maasai ethnobotany
should be studied comprehensively and should serve as a guide
for rural development in areas with very delicate ecologies.
Local farmers innovate in
irrigation: development of low-cost sprinklers in
Kenya
Fabio Bedini
Diego Masera
The demand of small-scale farmers in Kenya for cheap
and readily available irrigation technology has led to the
adaptation of imported sprinklers, even without the benefit of
specific technical assistance. Although these sprinklers
perform poorly from a strictly technical point of view, they
seem to be appropriate for the conditions under which they
must operate. They also appear to be an important element in
the self-sustaining development of irrigation in Kenya. Yet a
crucial issue remains: whether external intervention can
enhance this local initiative without affecting its long-term
sustainability.
Some impressions of a
symposium
Rohana Ulluwishewa
Mike Warren
Akke Tick
Research on indigenous knowledge is widespread in Sri
Lanka. People from different disciplines are recording
indigenous knowledge and trying to incorporate it into
development activities. This became evident at the national
symposium on 'Indigenous knowledge and sustainable
development' held in March 1994 in Colombo. In this article a
short overview of the presentations is given. In addition some
conclusions are drawn and future activities of SLARCIK are
presented.
For more information, please contact the editor:
Ms Akke W. Tick
Nuffic-CIRAN
P.O. Box 29777
2502 LT The Hague
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-70-4260324
Fax: +31-70-4260329/4260399
E-mail: ikdm@nuffic.nl