IK Monitor Editorial (9-3)

Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, November 2001

Contents IK Monitor (9-3) | IKDM Homepage | Suggestions to: ikdm@nuffic.nl | © copyright Nuffic-CIRAN and contributors 2001.

Editorial

This is the last issue of the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor. An internal evaluation and the outcomes of the readers' survey (see Editorial in the July 2001 issue and page 39 of this issue) persuaded Nuffic to take this decision. The termination of the Monitor will coincide with CIRAN's integration into Nuffic's Department for Human Resource and Institutional Development, which becomes official on 1 January 2002 (see IK Resource Centres under CIRAN).

Over the past nine years, the Monitor has helped to achieve recognition for IK. (See the guest column on the back cover.) IK is now moving into the mainstream, a fact that is also evident at Nuffic. CIRAN's integration into the larger department means that IK has become part of Nuffic's core business: international cooperation in higher education and research.

Nuffic will continue to maintain the products and services of the IK Information System. Only the journal will change, becoming a newsletter with the name Indigenous Knowledge WorldWide (IKWW). It will be published ten times a year and sent free of charge to all readers. (For further details see IK Resource Centres under CIRAN.)

The articles in the present issue are illustrative of the current state of thinking about indigenous knowledge (IK). Two are from the field: reports on practical research yielding first-hand knowledge of indigenous systems and practices. The other two are more theoretical, containing predictions for the future of IK.

In the context of wetlands, Alan Dixon examines indigenous knowledge and its relationship to sustainable agriculture in Illubabor, southwestern Ethiopia. He claims that local hydrological knowledge and practices are not being communicated effectively between communities or even between farmers. As a result, farmers' innovations are not put to the best possible use. The article is an implicit plea for less prescriptive government intervention in favour of sharing knowledge and placing the inititative at the community level.

Sabine Homann and Barbara Rischkowsky have studied a Namibian livestock farming system to see whether the IK it represents could form the basis for land-use planning. Their answer is 'yes'. Among other things, the system might offer a way of allocating the rights to use communal land. The authors point out that the Namibian government is already acknowledging the wisdom of incorporating the traditional system into land-use scenarios. This is described in detail in its National Land Policy White Paper of 1998, the main message of which is that operational responsibilities should be devolved away from central government and towards local governments and communities.

The role of central government is discussed in the two more theoretical articles as well. Gitta Röth wonders what will happen to local farmers' knowledge under the new paradigms currently emerging in developing countries. She sketches alternative scenarios for agricultural research and extension. Again, this is a plea for transferring knowledge and for placing responsibility at the local and community levels.

Toyin Kolawole looks back over several decades to provide an overview of how local knowledge has been put to use for sustainable rural development. He then looks ahead to the challenges of the 21st century. His article represents an expert voice in the South. Among other things, he urges governments to make it easier for CBOs, NGOs and agencies for scheduled change to access international sources of information through the Internet.

The feature 'Focus on:..' offers a taste of the new newsletter, which will be oriented more towards such issues as how to integrate IK into the curriculum. Gina Lucarelli relates her experiences working with PLAN International in Thailand to develop a programme that will help rural schools to use information technology, to tailor the national curriculum to the local community's needs, and to teach 'local wisdom'. Mrs Lucarelli ends her lively contribution with a warning: building upon local knowledge in the 21st century will require a change in mindset that allows for a balance in education between indigenous and modern knowledge. Here again, access to the Internet is seen as crucial to promoting awareness, to preserving local knowledge, and to linking that knowledge with modern advances in teaching and technology.

Viewed as a whole, the articles in this last Monitor issue are an accurate reflection of the considerable improvement in quality that has taken place over the journal's nine years. Such articles are suitable for submission to established scientific journals. Publication in mainstream journals has two advantages: it increases the number of readers, and it contributes to the wider academic community's appreciation and acceptance of IK. Both will help to 'emancipate' IK.

We hope in the future to be assured of a good and frequent supply of news and information for the IKWW. All current subscribers to the Monitor will receive the first newsletter issue in January 2002. Perhaps even more than for the journal, we are relying on your input to make the newsletter a success. We therefore ask that you please keep us informed of your news and your plans. We are looking forward to maintaining our fruitful relationship.