COMMUNICATIONS - CONFERENCES

Traditional water management
Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
2-7 April 1995.
The international workshop entitled 'Traditional water management: Citizen and local know-how' was initiated by the International Secretariat for Water (ISW), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), le Centre régional pour l'eau potable et l'assainissement à faible coût (CREPA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The three prime objectives of the workshop were:

• to discuss the technical, socio-cultural and institutional conditions characterizing traditional water management (TWM) systems within a variety of ecological and social systems;
  
• to discuss and evaluate the methods of research and intervention used in the field, including monitoring and evaluation methods;
  
• to establish the key parameters for a framework for local action. The aim is to maintain and strengthen the local dynamics that support TWM systems, and to establish cooperation between local actors, government and development agencies.

• To highlight the added value of traditional water management (TWM) systems
  TWM systems were compared with the conventional, modern systems which have been introduced in drylands and semi-arid regions. The latter brought with them high costs and other negative effects, such as increased dependency of local populations, and the exclusion of water users from the decision-making process. Comparison also revealed the unexpectedly precarious character of the modern systems.
  The workshop also showed that TWM must be understood in terms of systems which integrate beliefs, institutions, social organization, division of labour, know-how, practices and techniques for handling water, as well as the behaviour involved in the conservation and sustainable use of water.
  Understanding how these systems evolve, allows us to assess the nature and scope of breakdowns which could have brought about their marginalization. Local positive and negative factors need to be sorted out. Ecological conditions (such as climate and desert encroachment), population pressure, and economic and political transformations have all contributed towards the marginalization of these systems.
  Commitment to restoring and revaluing these systems is first of all based on the acknowledgement that they contribute to meeting local populations' needs for water, that they are rooted in local knowledge and mastery of techniques, that the repair and maintenance of equipment, expertise and training can be inexpensive with these systems, and finally that they operate within the scope of locally established institutions and power structures.
  The result is that inputs from the development agencies--human, material and financial--are put to better use, making their impact both more cost-effective and longer-lasting.
  
• To promote ways of revitalizing TWM systems
  The workshop identified four types of action. First, adopting approaches that are adapted and thus sensitive to the local people, recognizing their institutions and know-how, allowing these water users to participate in all stages of intervention within an alliance between them and outside interveners, and reinforcing their self-esteem by revitalizing local institutions. Second, developing ways to improve TWM systems by using local language and traditional communication methods (such as stories and puppets), and by introducing TWM know-how in school curricula and adult learning programmes. The third type is capitalizing on the local population's experience by making an inventory of their knowledge and techniques, by producing publications and creating a database, by establishing a network of local TWM practitioners, and by introducing tools for self-evaluation and monitoring. Finally, establishing procedures for actions affecting TWM, including a protocol for collaboration that is agreed upon prior to field interventions, and methods for impact assessment studies.
  
• To translate these ideas into practice
  Participants decided that pilot projects should be conducted in West Africa under the leadership of IUCN ('Resolving conflicts between water and forest uses in the Massif du Kou') and UNICEF ('The role of the Bouli Naba in eradicating the Guinea worm'). In Latin America and the Magreb-Machreq regions, regional workshops will be held in 1995 and 1996 with local practitioners of TWM systems. The International Secretariat for Water will promote this approach. To increase the chances of it being put into practice, renewed partnership will be sought with UNDP, UNICEF, IUCN and several bilateral organizations and NGOs.

Indigenous methods for protecting cassava plants
Ekuna (Cameroon)
16-17 January 1995.
Dr Ambe Tumanteh, CIKO national sectoral coordinator for agriculture, who is also national coordinator for the Cameroon project entitled 'Ecologically Sustainable Cassava Plant Protection (ESCAPP)', organized this workshop on indigenous methods for protecting cassava plants. It was held at the institute of the Agricultural Research Station at Ekona (Cameroon).
The aim of the workshop was to discuss farmers' own methods for controlling cassava pests, diseases and weeds. The theme of the workshop was in line with ESCAPP's main objective: to introduce affordable and sustainable plant protection technologies. The meeting was expected to lead to specific research proposals. A dozen experts presented papers on what they had learned in the field from indigenous farmers.
Dr Festus Numfor (food technologist) discussed the protection of stored products against pests and diseases.
Mr Wamba (agriculturist) told of the importance of cassava in the cropping system of farmers in the Littoral province, described the varieties of cassava mostly commonly cultivated, and reported the success of improved varieties at resisting ACMV.
Mr Njie Emmanuel Njoh (extensionist), told of the mandate of the Rural Artisan Training Centre in Kumba, which is to plant trees. He reported that some of the trees have been found to have properties that protect crops.
The presentation of Mr Yebit George (extension agronomist) focused on mechanical and physical methods for sanitation and botanical control.
Mrs Poubom Christine (socio-economist) observed that rodents, insects and large mammals are the major classes of pests, while diseases include ACMV, CBB, anthracnose and leaf spots. She then documented several indigenous methods for protecting cassava plants.
Mr Asanga (entomologist) also described a number of indigenous plant protection methods, such as roguing and the use of resistant varieties and clean planting materials.
Mr Nzounkwelle (plant pathologist) discussed the advantages of indigenous methods over exotic ones. These include low cost, conservation of the ecosystem, ready availability and lower levels of toxicity.
Mr Awah (production specialist) described several indigenous methods of cultivation that provide protection, including the use of fast-growing, many branching varieties to control weeds, careful timing of harvests, and the use of early-maturing, tolerant varieties in order to control root rot.
Mr Bakia (agricultural economist) described such indigenous methods as the use of wood ash to control the ants commonly associated with the root mealy bug, the burying of crab shells in the soil, as practised in the Zoetele region, and the surface planting of cassava cuttings in order to control termites, as practised in the Adamawa area.
Dr Ambe Tumanteh (agronomist) discussed indigenous control methods that involve chemical substances, methods of cultivation, and a combination of the two.
Dr Besong (agricultural economist) explained the importance of agroforestry for controlling such noxious weeds as Imperata cylindrica. He pointed out that farmers leave uprooted weeds on the fields (mulching). (Dr Ambe Tumanteh)
For more information: CIKO, Private Sector Research Institution (PRISERI), P.O. Box 170 , Buea, South West Province, Cameroon. Tel: +237-322106. Fax: +237-322514/430813.

Traditional and modern approaches to natural resource management in Latin America
Washington (USA)
25-26 April 1995.
On various occasions the World Bank has shown an interest in the role of traditional or indigenous approaches to development. In July 1991 the Bank published World Bank Discussion Paper 127, 'Using indigenous knowledge in agricultural development', written by Dr D. Michael Warren. In September 1993 the Bank hosted a two-days conference on traditional knowledge and sustainable development, sponsored by the World Bank Environment Department and the World Bank Task Force on the International Year of the World's Indigenous People, Washington, D.C., 27-28 September. The conference proceedings, edited by Dr Shelton H. Davis and Ms Katrinka Ebbe, were published in 1995 (Environmentally Sustainable Development Proceedings Series No. 4).
On 25-26 April 1995, the Bank again served as a meeting place for people interested in the role of traditional or indigenous knowledge. A workshop on traditional and modern approaches to natural resource management in Latin America was organized by Dr Jorge E. Uquillas and Dr Francisco J. Pichon (Environment Unit, Technical Department, Latin America and the Caribbean Region). They prepared a valuable background paper with the title 'Rural poverty alleviation and improved natural resource management through participatory technology development in Latin America's risk-prone areas'. Various experts were invited to present papers.
In his keynote address Dr D.M. Warren referred to World Bank Discussion Paper 127 and outlined the dramatic growth in interest in indigenous knowledge since 1991, not only in agriculture but in many other disciplines and policy sectors as well. He hopes that these developments will also affect mainstream development policies including those of the World Bank.
Another keynote speech was presented by Dr Jacqueline Ashby of the International Food Policy Research Institute, who reported on the results of a project of the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The aim of the project was to assess the potential for institutionalizing a community-based capacity for involving farmers in southern Colombia in carrying out adaptive research. The data presented on the planning potential that exists at the farmer's level were impressive indeed and should be taken seriously by policy makers and development practitioners.
The other papers presented dealt with a variety of topics: 'Organizing for change in Andean and Amazonian resource management' (Dr Anthony Bebbington); 'Local knowledge systems in Latin-America, with a focus on Venezuela' (Dr Consuelo Quiroz); 'Biodiversity conservation priority areas in Latin America' (Dr Douglas Graham); 'Rural development and indigenous resources: towards a framework for assessing sustainable development opportunities in Central America and the Andean Region' (Dr Bruce Wilcox); 'Seed systems in Peru' (Dr Joe Cortes); 'Sustainable forest management technologies in the northern zone of Costa Rica' (Dr Carlos Reiche); 'Traditional and modern approaches for natural resources management: the case of agricultural development in the Brazilian Amazon' (Dr Adilson Serrao); 'Biodiversity and agroforestry along the Amazon floodplain' (Dr Nigel Smith); and 'Using indigenous knowledge to improve agriculture and natural resource management' (Dr Billie R. DeWalt).
The final session examined issues of collaboration: e.g., how are the international agricultural research centres and the World Bank tackling crucial issues of rural poverty and sustainability in Latin America, and in particular, what can be the contribution of indigenous and traditional knowledge. Because the proof of the pudding is in the eating, it is hoped that the World Bank will heed the suggestion made by one of its own representatives during the panel discussion, and take proper action: i.e., that the Bank will embark on one or two pilot projects in the field of indigenous knowledge and sustainable development. (Guus von Liebenstein)
Contact: Dr Jorge Uquillas or Dr Francisco Pichon, The World Bank, 1818 H. Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20433, USA. Tel: +1-202-473 9776. Fax: +1-202-676 9373.

Fourth South-South exchange of PRA practitioners
Silang, Cavite (The Philippines)
21 March - 3 April 1995.
The fourth workshop under the title 'South-South exchange of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) practitioners' focused on the Asia-Pacific region. It was attended by 26 participants from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, The Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It was jointly organized by IIRR, HELVETAS Philippines Program Office (HPPO), OUTREACH, India and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) of the University of Sussex. Dr Robert Chambers (IDS) and Mr James Mascarenhas of OUTREACH were among the main facilitators.
The exchange consisted of three major activities:

• country presentations;
  
• PRA fieldwork;
  
• thematic discussions.

coming

Income generation through community forestry
Bangkok (Thailand)
18-20 October 1995.
The objectives of this conference are to:

• assess the potential, and potential problems, of community forestry as a means of helping rural people to generate income;
  
• identify effective strategies for increasing rural incomes through community forestry activities;
  
• identify issues and strategies of management, distribution and allocation that affect the generation of income from community forestry activities;
  
• present case studies and reports on successful and unsuccessful attempts to help villagers to manage forests and thus generate income;
  
• identify priority issues and target groups for training, and through the papers and discussion in working groups to provide the basis for developing courses, modules and materials.

International conference on domestication and commercialization of non-timber forest products in agroforestry systems
Nairobi (Kenya)
19-23 February 1996.
The objectives of this conference are to synthesize available information and to define an agenda for future research on the following themes:

• product identification, assessment and monitoring;
  
• indigenous knowledge and ethnobotany;
  
• product development and management (biological options, commercial opportunities);
  
• product domestication and adoption by farmers;
  
• policy and institutional aspects.

Environmental cultures: historical perspectives
Victoria (Canada)
26-27 April 1996.
This interdisciplinary conference on the relationships between environment and culture is aimed at fostering a synthesis of social, political and ecological analysis. Sessions will be organized around natural resource exploitation and/or use within indigenous, colonial and industrial societies. We are also seeking papers that explore the transformation and linkages between these three stages, or that challenge this typology.
Proposals should be sent to the address below no later than 15 September 1995. Individual papers should be described in a one-page abstract, accompanied by a one-page curriculum vitae of the presenter. Proposals for complete sessions are invited.
Contact: Dr Lorne Hammond and Dr Richard Rajala, Environmental Cultures Conference, Department of History, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3045, British Columbia, Canada V8W 3P4. Tel: +1-604-721 7382. Fax: +1-604-721 8772. E-mail: lhammond@sol.uvic.ca

2nd International Congress on utilization of tropical plants, conservation and biodiversity
Douala (Cameroon)
23-27 October 1995.
The congress will focus on strategies for the sustainable utilization of tropical plants as economic resources, and on practical conservation systems that benefit local communities inhabiting tropical forests around the world.
Panel discussions will explore the following topics:

• medicinal and aromatic plants: new applications, marketing and commercialization;
  
• sustainable exploitation of industrial crops;
  
• extractive reserves and biodiversity conservation;
  
• community participation in biodiversity prospecting projects;
  
• indigenous agroforestry strategies;
  
• intellectual property law and the rights of indigenous peoples. (Devel-L)

Australian wildlife management society
Christchurch, Aotearoa (New Zealand)
4-7 December 1995.
The Australian wildlife management society will conduct a symposium on the following themes:

• RCD and biocontrol;
  
• indigenous peoples in wildlife management;
  
• wildlife management for species diversity.

Chemical, biological and pharmacological properties of African medicinal plants
Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
24-28 February 1996.
The International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD) is organizing an international symposium on chemical, biological and pharmacological properties of African medicinal plants. This symposium could be of interest to natural products chemists and other scientists.
The registration fee for African scientists: US $ 100; for others US $ 400. (INDKNOW)
Contact: Dr Robert Maybury, IOCD, Executive Director, P.O. Box 8156, Falls Church, Virginia 22041, USA. Tel/Fax: +1-703-845 9078. E-mail: iocd@gwuvm.gwu.edu

Science and other indigenous knowledge traditions
Cairns, North Queensland (Australia)
23-26 August 1996.
The Humanities Research Centre has joined with James Cook University and the Centre for Studies of Science in Society (Deakin University) to organize this conference.
A conference like this one requires that several important questions arising from the interplay between knowledge and power be addressed from the outset. Planning up to now has therefore involved the conveners in dialogue with various indigenous and non-indigenous persons, with the result that some key matters with respect to the format of presentations at the gathering seem on the way to resolution.
Aboriginal and Islander practitioners and custodians of knowledge, who have been nominated by their respective cultures, will take part in the first part of the conference. The second part will also differ from most academic gatherings in that a relatively small number of speakers--several of whom are indigenous American and African scholars--will be given time to present their views on a paper that will have been circulated widely in advance. Much of the programme will be structured so as to elicit discussion of the issues the speakers raise. Plenty of time will therefore be scheduled for formal and informal dialogue between scholars from different disciplines.
The programme for the conference will be finalized in late October or early November of 1995. Several themes will run like threads through the conference: indigenous intellectual property rights, western knowledge and indigenous aspirations, and how we might conceptualize relations between science and other formal knowledge systems.
The conveners are: Henrietta Fourmile (Bukal Consulting Services, Queensland), David Turnbull (Centre for Studies of Science in Society, Deakin University) and Paul Turnbull (History Department, James Cook University of North Queensland)
Contact: Paul Turnbull, History Department, James Cook University of North Queensland, P.O. Box 4811, Australia. Fax: +61-77-814487. E-mail: Paul.Turnbull@jcu.edu.au