We agree with John Madeley that '(...) indigenous knowledge is the largest single knowledge base not yet mobilized in the development enterprise (...)'. Mr Madeley wrote this in an editorial published in the Journal of International Agriculture and Development in 1993, the year in which the first issue of the Monitor appeared. CIRAN's main objective in publishing the Monitor has been to contribute to the mobilization and dissemination of information on indigenous knowledge. We have entered the fifth year of the Monitor with the publication of this first issue of volume 5. From the many reactions received so far, we may conclude that in the past four years the Monitor has been quite successful in reaching its objective, and that the journal has even achieved professional status. We wish to keep it that way. However, to do so we are very dependent on our readers and other experts active in the field of indigenous knowledge. These are the people whose articles and other contributions can illustrate the practical relevance of indigenous knowledge, and the contribution that indigenous knowledge can make to gaining better insight into the other reality of sustainability. We already receive many contributions from our readers in the South, but we would like to receive many more. As you may have noticed, with the present four articles we have achieved a balance between articles of a theoretical and practical nature and between the regional backgrounds of the authors. The first article, by Valentina Mazzucato, is of a theoretical nature. It deals with economics and anthropology, in particular the gap between the two disciplines. In her article, Ms. Mazzucato suggests that using the methodologies of ethno-economics and ethnography is a way of addressing and eventually bridging this gap. The next article is on biodiversity and the appropriation of women's knowledge. The author, Helen Zweifel, argues that interest in women's knowledge and in biodiversity should be seen in the wider context of international economic and agricultural policies. Viewed in this wider context, the recent interest in indigenous knowledge coincides with progress in modern biotechnologies and the rush for world-wide implementation of intellectual property rights. Dr Kaendi Munguti describes in her article the use of indigenous regimens for treating two illnesses, malaria (esse) and visceral leishmaniasis (nwak), as practised by the Tugen of Kenya. The Tugen community's belief in the efficacy of their herbal medicine, the high cost of health care, and the community's poor access to 'western' medicine, all contribute to the fact that the Tugen are well-informed on the subject of using herbal remedies for the treatment of esse and nwak. The fourth article deals with indigenous literacy. Dr Ann Kreisler and Dr. Ladi Semali underline the importance of using indigenous knowledge in the classroom, and the need to teach science teachers to use IK resources. In a workshop organized last year, teachers learned how to incorporate local knowledge systems into a thematic unit on plants and animals. The second part of the Monitor contains communications. We have observed that this section is also highly appreciated by our readers as it facilitates the exchange of information and serves as a good source of practical information. It gives our readers an impression of the activities taking place within the international IK network. The corresponding editors supply information about what their respective IK Resource Centres are doing. This time readers submitted calls for information and cooperation. There are notices about videos, and as usual, the section also contains information on databases, past and future conferences, research reports, and publications. In the temporary absence of Ms. Anna van Marrewijk, who prepared the December 1996 issue (volume 4), the present issue was produced by Ms. Madelinde Winnubst. It is expected that the next issue, in August, will be produced by Ms. Anna van Marrewijk.
Back to: top of the page | Contents IK Monitor 5(1) | IK Homepage
Suggestions to: ikdm@nuffic.nl
(c) copyright Nuffic-CIRAN and contributors 1996.