NIRP Call for pre-proposals 1996
The Netherlands-Israel Development Research Programme was
established in 1992 by the governments of the Netherlands and
Israel. The main objective of this joint programme is to
contribute to the process of generating new knowledge and new
ways of applying existing knowledge in areas which have clear
relevance for developing countries and in which Israel has
specific expertise and experience. The two governments are
convinced that this process is a general prerequisite for
understanding social, economic, cultural or technical change
in developing countries or in North-South relations, and for
promoting development objectives. Other objectives of the
Programme are to foster international networking among
researchers and research institutions, and to increase the
research capacity of developing countries by training the
junior scientists who take part in the projects.
Research funded by NIRP:
for papers
Environmental cultures
The organizers of a conference entitled 'Environmental cultures:
historical perspectives', to be held from 26 to 27 April
1996, in Victoria (Canada) are calling for papers.
for information
Insects and pest control
Oscar Ernesto Ortiz is a PhD student at the University of
Reading (UK). His research project is aimed at gathering
indigenous knowledge about insects and pest control, and then
integrating this knowledge into integrated pest management
(IPM) programmes in the Andean region of Peru.
He would appreciate information on:
Indigenous knowledge of the ecological conditions of
medicinal plant growth
The research project 'Indigenous
knowledge of the ecological conditions of medicinal plant
growth' has been directed towards the research question:
'How much do herbalists know of the ecology of medicinal
plants?'.
The first contacts are promising, but certainly not
conclusive. The cultural gap between indigenous and western-
based knowledge is vast and it is very difficult to ask the
right questions, even when the research is carried out in an
atmosphere of open-mindedness and willingness to understand
each other. Also, research progress is slow because the
daktari have many patients, and it is difficult to
match their schedules with those of the researchers.
Anyone who could help the researchers with advice or
information is kindly requested to contact:
Prof. P.D. Jungerius, School of Environmental Studies, Moi
University, P.O. Box 3900, Eldoret, Kenya.
Local/indigenous knowledge systems in developed
countries
Ms Jo Millar, a PhD student at Charles Sturt University
(Australia) would like to receive any information or studies
on local or indigenous knowledge systems in developed
countries. Information on the influence of Western scientific
knowledge on both indigenous and non-indigenous communities
and farmers, as well as examples of the integration of
scientific and local knowledge in rural development in
industrialized countries, would be especially appreciated.
Information can be sent to:
Jo Millar, The Johnstone Centre of Parks, Recreation and
Heritage, Charles Sturt University, P.O. Box 789, Albury NSW
2640, Australia. Tel: +61-60-418850. Fax: +61-60-418897. E-
mail: jmillar@csu.edu.au
How to quell grass?
The Imperata species of grass presents a problem that
is increasing all over Southeast Asia. Perhaps it would be
useful to make known a method used by the Kammu in northern
Laos to suppress a type of grass that is very similar to
Imperata if not the same.
The tallest variety of grass found in northern Laos, which is
often incorrectly called 'elephant grass', can grow to heights
of four metres and is hard to get rid of. It has to be dug out
and turned upside down so that the rain can wash away all the
earth from the roots. But there is another variety of grass
that is easier to get rid of. This grass can be found
sprouting in any open place or glade in the jungle, especially
where it is relatively dry. Its leaves are some 70 to 120
centimetres long, and people use them as thatch for their
houses and barns. Thus the grass is often used for good
purposes. After the leaves have been collected, the stubble is
sometimes just burnt off and the grass left to grow again.
But if too much of this thatching grass grows in an area, it
can be extremely bad for agriculture. The grass's root system
makes the soil both acid and hard, and thus unsuitable for
growing either rice or vegetables. It is possible, however, to
suppress its growth by cultivating sesame. If you sow sesame
seeds where the grass is likely to sprout, you can prevent a
field from being overrun by thatching grass. Wherever sesame
is grown, the soil within a few weeks becomes very loose and
soft, and the grass, which requires hard soil, dies off
completely.
As far as we know, no botanist has as yet looked at the
varieties of grass that grow in the area, so we do not know
for certain whether the thatching grass is in fact
Imperata cylindrica. However, the thatching grass
does seem to fit the description of the Imperata
grass very well.
Information and inquiries regarding the use of sesame to rid
fields of Imperata grass, and maybe other kinds of
grass, is most welcome. Please contact:
Damrong Tayanin (Kàm Ràw) and Kristina Lindell,
Päronvägen 15, 22456 Lund, Sweden.