IK Monitor Editorial (9-2)

Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, July 2001

Contents IK Monitor (9-2) | IKDM Homepage | Suggestions to: ikdm@nuffic.nl | © copyright Nuffic-CIRAN and contributors 2001.

Editorial

Evaluation of the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor

An international conference on 'Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainable Development' (Silang, Cavite, the Philippines), funded by the IDRC participants, concluded unanimously in 1992 that information on indigenous knowledge was urgently needed. The growing interest in the contribution of indigenous knowledge to participatory approaches to sustainable development and poverty alleviation required adequate mechanisms and instruments at national, regional and global level to better access and disseminate information about indigenous knowledge.

Nuffic-CIRAN reacted promptly and began publishing the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor in February 1993. The journal is distributed free of charge to readers in developing countries and is widely known, especially in the South. As the publication of volume 10 is due in 2002, the time has come to evaluate the first decade and to find out from our readers whether the Journal needs modifying in response to rapid changes in the availability of IK information. In contrast to the situation in 1992, incorporating indigenous knowledge in development projects has now become mainstream policy for governments, donors, international organizations and NGOs.

Nuffic-CIRAN has itself anticipated rapid developments in the IK sector and the role played by modern information and communication technologies (ICT) as catalyst. In 1998 it introduced a gateway to IK information, providing access through the internet to major components such as the IK pages (http://www.nuffic.nl/ik-pages) and the Monitor-on-line (http://www.nuffic.nl/ciran/ikdm). This gateway initiative qualified Nuffic-CIRAN to act as topic guide, in partnership with the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), on the IK site of the Global Development Gateway (GDG), set up by the World Bank (http://gateway.arsdigita.com).

As the Monitor is part of the newly introduced Nuffic-CIRAN Indigenous Knowledge Information System (see also FOCUS in this journal), its future role should be evaluated in relation to other products of the Nuffic-CIRAN IK Information System, the GDG IK site and the growing number of information resources on indigenous knowledge, including specialised IK journals and newsletters. Part of this evaluation is an inquiry among Monitor readers. We will approach a selected group of readers with a questionnaire. However, if you do not receive a questionnaire and wish to make suggestions, you are very welcome to do so.