This last issue of the Monitor in 1995 contains articles covering a wide range of topics in various disciplines and policy sectors, and from various parts of the world. Sri Lanka is featured with traditional tree-crop practices, and there are articles on ethnoveterinary practices in Cameroon, a craft taxonomy used by the Yoruba in Nigeria, and spatial crop growth variability in Western Niger. As usual we welcome your comments on these articles, but most of all we are eager to hear your reactions to two specific articles in this issue.

One is the article by Dr Kroma, 'Popularizing science education in developing countries through indigenous knowledge'. Dr Kroma argues that science and mathematics would be more popular if course content reflected the indigenous knowledge of local communities. Please let us know your opinions about Dr Kroma's assertion.

The other is the article by Dr Agrawal, 'Indigenous and scientific knowledge: some critical comments'. Dr Agrawal submitted his article in an attempt to generate debate on the concept of indigenous knowledge itself. He suggests that several contradictions and conceptual weaknesses are present in most of the writings on indigenous knowledge. Distinguishing 'indigenous' and 'Western' as two types of knowledge is not only potentially ridiculous, Dr Agrawal argues, but also counterproductive for those who believe that indigenous knowledge has a contribution to make to sustainable development. Not only are Dr Agrawal's views stimulating, but his question is basic to our understanding of the relationship between knowledge and development. We would very much appreciate your views and experiences on the subject.

The Monitor, and other newsletters, can play an role in setting a agenda for research that contributes to a better understanding of indigenous knowledge and its application to activities for sustainable development. We therefore ask those who submit contributions to the Monitor also to include suggestions for research needs and priorities. In fact, we would like to start a new section in the journal. Your suggestions for a new research agenda, and any ideas you have on how the Monitor could be used as an instrument for setting the research agenda, are therefore most welcome.

We would also like to start a new series of book reviews. The idea is to give special attention to one recent and substantial publication which will generate debate on a special topic. This issue of the Monitor contains a review of Jules Pretty's impressive book Regenerating Agriculture. We invite you to send the editor your suggestions for subsequent books to be reviewed in this way, and names of people who could write those reviews.

The publication of this last Monitor issue of the year coincides with the launch of the electronic version of the Monitor. In previous issues we wrote about our pilot projects with CIESIN (Michigan, USA), IITAP (Iowa State University, USA) and LEAD (Leiden University, the Netherlands). Now we have succeeded in making all issues of the Monitor electronically accessible, and available through the Netherlands organization for international cooperation in higher education (Nuffic). Nuffic is providing the necessary infrastructure and technical support.

We have chosen also to publish an electronic version of the Monitor in order to fully exploit the Monitor as an instrument for active networking. To cover a wide readership, we have made the Monitor accessible both through the World Wide Web and Gopher. The Web site is http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran/ikdm. The Gopher address is: gopher.nuffic.nl. All future issues will be available electronically as well as in print. We are now looking into possibilities for bringing other information on indigenous knowledge on line as well. Any suggestions, remarks or comments are welcome and greatly appreciated.