Indigenous Knowledge and
Development Monitor, November 2001 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.
Almekinders, Conny and Walter de Boef (eds) (2000) Encouraging diversity:
the conservation and development of plant genetic resources. XXXIII + 362
pp. ISBN 1-85339-510-2. GBP 14.95; USD 25.00. Intermediate Technology
Publications Ltd., 103-105 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4HH, UK.
Fax: +44-020-7-436-2013.
E-mail: orders@itpubs.org.uk
The next agricultural revolution will depend primarily on the existence of a diversity of plant genetic resources. Efforts were made for decades to conserve the germplasm of important crop plants in gene banks. But with the conventional storage of seeds it proved impossible to conserve the entire diversity of crop germplasm available in farmers' fields. The conservation and use of plant genetic resources has been a hot academic and political issues all over the world since the early 1980s. Initiatives related to policy, research and conservation have been launched at local, national and international levels.
The book Encouraging diversity presents over 70 articles written by 88 authors. The authors represent a variety of organizations and professions, ranging from NGOs to seed companies and plant breeding programmes, and from researchers to policy-makers and conservation activists. The editors, Conny Almekinders and Walter de Boef, are agro-ecologists working in the areas of agro-biodiversity management and plant breeding.
The book is the result of a workshop on plant genetic resources held in Baarlo, the Netherlands, in 1997. The workshop brought together very diverse 'insights and experiences of the science, ethics, economics, politics, dynamics and significance of plant genetic resources', according to the foreword by M.S. Swaminathan and Gelia Castilo. The book acknowledges the importance of farmers' indigenous knowledge , and says that it will have to be the basis for the future management of genetic resources if sustainable agriculture is to be achieved and farmers' livelihoods ensured.
The 70 chapters of the book are grouped into seven sections, each of which begins with a short introduction and finishes with a synthesizing chapter. This makes life easy for readers who prefer to read summaries. The sections deal with: 1) diversity, crop conservation and development; 2) farmers' use of genetic diversity; 3) conservation of crop diversity; 4) plant breeding and genetic diversity; 5) diversity, local and formal seed supply; 6) policy framework and genetic diversity; 7) encouraging diversity: a synthesis of crop conservation and development.
The 70 chapters cover a wide range of topics but in this review I would like to concentrate on what I consider to be the book's four main strong points. The first is that it was possible to attract such a diverse group of actors involved in the management of crop genetic resources. The authors describe how individual and joint efforts have been able to influence conservation policies and the use of genetic resources at local, national, regional, and international levels.
The second point the book makes is that the present institutional, legal and policy frameworks do not address the need for agricultural sustainability, nor do they encourage agro-biodiversity in practice. Too much time is required for adapting policies and legal frameworks to the ever-changing situation with regard to genetic resources. The authors stress that these frameworks must encourage diversity and provide better protection of the common good than they do at present.
The third and most important lesson of the book is that the ideas of the various stakeholders and actors are not as much in conflict with each other as most people have thought. All the stakeholders in crop genetic management share similar goals. It is only their approaches that differ. All seek to use the existing genetic diversity to meet human needs, and they want to sustain or conserve these resources for future use as well. Biotechnologists think in terms of DNA banking and the conservation of genetic resources in situ and in field gene banks. Breeders want to use these conserved genes to improve cultivated crops. All agree that the best way to combine use and conservation of genetic plant resources is by maintaining or encouraging the management of these resources on farms.
The book's fourth important message is the need for a paradigm shift. Managing diversity at the farm level ensures the resilience of agro-ecosystems. The editors outline how institutional systems can support the efforts of farmers to manage genetic resources: by establishing in situ conservation, by collaborating with farmers in breeding programmes, by improving farmers' access to genetic resources, by enhancing seed security and supply, and by helping farmers with the production, processing, storage and exchange of seeds. In general, all genetic resource management efforts should be built upon farmers' own efforts. Farmers should be empowered to make their own decisions, for example.
The editors conclude by indicating future directions. 'The implementation of an enabling framework of adaptive plant genetic resources management at local, national, regional and global levels is urgently needed,' they say. They point out that the international debate on conservation and development offers a powerful perspective. It breaks down the barriers between farmers' groups, consumers, researchers and conservationists, plant breeders, development workers, activists, and policy-makers. The editors argue that in situ conservation can be successful only if it preserves genetic diversity in farmers' fields as a component of a system for achieving sustainable livelihoods, and only if it combines the efforts of all the stakeholders involved.
The book is written in simple language, without technical jargon or terms,
and can be easily understood. It is a useful book for anyone interested in plant
genetic resources, whether as policy-maker, conservationist, researcher,
conservation activist, or employee of a breeding organization or seed company.
(Tadesse Woldemariam Gole, Department of Ecology and Natural Resources
Management, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany. E-mail
: w.gole@uni-bonn.de)
Anderson, Simon, Sabine Gündel and Barry Pound with Bernard Triomphe (2001) Cover
crops in smallholder agriculture. Lessons from Latin America. 136 pp. ISBN
1-85339 530 7. GBP 12.95; USD 22.50. Published by the Intermediate Technology
Development Group (ITDG), 103-105 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4HL, UK.
E-mail: itpubs@itpubs.org.uk
Website: http://www.oneworld.org/itdg/publictions.html
Cover crops are potentially an important component in 'low external input agriculture'(LEIA). They are used in many different ways by small-scale farmers around the world, but as the editors say, 'their use has been eroded by the promotion of farming practices based on external inputs and industrialized agricultural models (e.g. monocultures)' (p. 2).
In February 1997 a four-day regional workshop was held in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico on cover crops in smallholder agriculture. There were 45 participants including campesino producers, extensionists, researchers, and people working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs). They came from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Paraguay, Bolivia, the USA and Europe. They met to discuss, on the basis of practical experience and research, the present and potential application of cover crops in small-scale farming systems.
This book is the result of the information compiled from the workshop by the editors. It aims to inform a wide range of actors involved in rural development projects and applied research of the potential of cover crops as a component of smallholder agriculture systems. A second important objective is to motivate others to discover and to experiment with new forms of cover crop use.
The book consists of seven chapters. The case studies presented at the workshop form the main body of its content, including the information obtained during the working group sessions. The case studies selected are based on the experiences and lessons learned from a variety of projects on rural development and sustainable resource management in several Latin American countries.
To me, perhaps the most interesting part of the book was what I learned from the case study of the diffusion aspects of cover-crop based systems through the campesino-to-campesino movement in Nicaragua (p. 79) and the use of action-research methods with campesino farmers in south-east Mexico because they represent very useful alternative extension methods when working in this field (p. 101).
One of the more revealing conclusions of the workshop is that to regard cover crops merely as ways of improving soil fertility is misleading, and that this perspective has somehow limited the exploration of their full potential. (p 4.) The conclusions also stress the lack of holistic analysis of cover crop impacts (evaluations limited to plot level, and occasionally to farm level). This is important as it refers also to the neglect of local knowledge, which as the editors say, 'implies the neglect or ignorance of local purposes' (p. 118). Not surprisingly, one of the recommendations for further research concerns the need to analyse, systematize and document local knowledge of cover crops (p.117).
Overall, I found the book easy to read. Each chapter is well structured and concludes with a summary of the main statements and discussion points. Although the workshop did not deal with indigenous knowledge, anyone working with LEIA farming systems should find the book useful and it is of particular interest to the wide readership of the IK&DM. Although the case studies used in the book are drawn from Latin America, readers from other parts of the world will find it well worth reading. Its annexes would be useful for fieldwork; they contain a list and brief description of cover crop species mentioned in the book .
(Dr (Ms) Consuelo Quiroz, Universidad de Los Andes (ULA), Foundation for Tropical Alternative Agriculture and Sustainable Development (FUNDATADI), General Coordinator, Trujillo, Estado Trujillo, Venezuela.)
De Bie, C.A.J.M. (2000) Comparative performance analysis of
agro-ecosystems. XVI + 232 pages. ISBN 90-5808-253-9, NLG 30 plus NLG 7 for
postage. ITC, P.O. Box 6, 7500 AA, Enschede, The Netherlands.
Fax: +31-53-487 4400.
E-mail: bunk@ITC.nl
Digitally available on: http://www.itc.nl/education/larus/landuse/
Agricultural development strategy has evolved from the growth-oriented approach and the green revolution of the 1950s and 1960s to today's environment-oriented sustainable approach that originated in the 1990s. Now, the goal of agricultural development strategy is to manage agro-ecosystems for both yield increment and environmental sustainability through improved and efficient land management practices. One way of attaining this is to reduce the gap between average farm yield and its potential, and this should be attained within the next 30 years. For this to happen, a well planned land-management strategy, backed up with up-to-date land-use information and regular evaluation, is required. Recent advances in information technology can contribute to the use of land-management information in order to improve land-use planning. These issues are addressed at the right time in a most comprehensive way by Comparative performance analysis of agro-ecosystems.
The author is assistant professor in Tropical Agriculture and Land-Use Studies at the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC) in Enschede, the Netherlands. Dr De Bie has worked in Pakistan and Ethiopia as a fertiliser expert for the FAO. The book, which is his PhD dissertation, reviews land-use concepts and land-evaluation approaches. It introduces new land-use database software and a comprehensive quantitative method for land-use impact and productivity studies.
The book is divided into four parts with 12 chapters. The first chapter reviews and synthesizes current concerns about sustainable management, the second deals with the land-use approach for sustainable management and the third discusses the importance of information technology. The second part (five chapters) deals with land use including land-use concepts, land-use class concepts, and land-use type. In the last chapter in part two, De Bie introduces comparative performance analysis (CPA) as a new method for land-use impact and yield-gap studies. Part three contains three case studies demonstrating the applicability of the CPA.
The two most important elements of this book are the Land-use Database and the CPA method. The Land-use Database is a useful tool providing good quality information for land-use evaluation by CPA or for any other management purpose. It is mainly designed for use in land-survey and land-use studies such as mapping, monitoring, modelling and analysis. It is compatible with several other databases and can interface with the geographic information systems (GIS).
CPA, on the other hand, is a comprehensive and quantitative yield-gap analysis method. It considers environmental conditions and management aspects as they occur in a specific study area, whether management is based on indigenous or improved technologies. It relates differences in land and land-use at a number of sites to differences in system-performance information datasets. It is also a useful tool in evaluating alternative land-management options quantitatively in order to overcome limiting conditions. The author used three case studies to demonstrate the application of CPA. Two of the cases are on rice and mango production in Thailand, and the third is on soil erosion indicators in maize-based agro-ecosystems in Kenya. The cases in Thailand studied yield constraints on rice and mango. The method proved effective in identifying land and management parameters that explain variability in yield and in calculating the magnitude of effects of each parameter responsible for yield gap. In Kenya, CPA was used to assess land-use impacts on the environment and the value of indicators in monitoring soil loss over time. It identified 'pre-rill' as the best indicator among four parameters correlating with soil erosion and farmers' perception of the event. The advantage of CPA is that it identifies and supports practical technology options that remedy specific yield-limiting factors.
The book is related to indigenous knowledge and sustainable development in
two ways. First, it identifies IK among land users as an important source of
information. Second, CPA can be applied to indigenous land-management practices
to identify factors responsible for reduced yield or environmental degradation
and thereby help find alternative management practices to improve productivity
and environmental sustainability.
Both academics involved in teaching and research on land-use and yield-gap
studies and students will find this book interesting. Land-use planners,
land-resource data managers and extension agents involved in data collection and
compilation at grass-root levels would also benefit from it.
(Tadesse Woldemariam Gole, Department of Ecology and Natural Resources Management, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn, Germany. E-mail: w.gole@uni-bonn.de)
Gautam, Upendra and Shrish Rana (eds) (2001) Challenges to farmer managed irrigation systems, Proceedings of International Seminar on Challenges to Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems held on 28 and 29 March 2000, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Published by Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems Promotion Trust, Kathmandu,
Nepal. 243 pp. + annexes, seminar programme, list of seminar participants,
photographs. ISBN 999933-328-0-1. USD 10; NRS 500.
The book can be ordered by e-mail at fmist@wlink.com.np
This book is a compilation of proceedings and papers of an international seminar organized in March 2000 in Nepal. Upendra Gautam is a member of the Farmer Managed Irrigations Systems Trust, and Shrish Rana is a senior journalist. The editors also participated in the seminar.
The editors' note states that democratic and participatory sociocultural organizations exist at grassroots level and have managed the bulk of indigenous irrigation systems in Nepal. To be of any meaningful help, intervention from the 'agency' level should pay full attention to the expertise and plurality inherent in these organizations. Farmer-managed irrigation systems are regarded as the living national heritage of Nepal.
Eight of a total of eleven papers deal with various projects and issues in Nepal:
There is one general paper on irrigation technology. Two contributions deal with FMIS in adjacent countries: one on stakeholders' participation in small-scale water resource management in Bangladesh, and a short paper on FMIS and government interventions in east Bhutan.
It is worth noting that the anthropologist participating in the seminar has written the one contribution on indigenous knowledge and practice in irrigation-management systems. Researchers (students) with a technical background wrote the other papers and that is reflected in the nature and content of the contributions. As a consequence, what is missing in the volume are sociological/anthropological in-depth studies on FMIS based on fieldwork in the villages of Nepal and elsewhere. That might have contributed to a real insight into the issue of unequal power relations in FMIS in terms of caste/class and gender relations.
As a subject, FMIS is situated at the crossroads of technical engineering and social science. Traditionally, these are totally separate areas of study and practice. Engineers have gradually been compelled to consider the subject of community participation since their irrigation projects would not otherwise be successful. But technical perspectives still predominate in the contributions. FMIS is not a question of simply organizing farmers (stakeholder groups) in institutions such as water-users groups or committees. The immense problems the process entails are mostly invisible, unacknowledged or misunderstood.
As this book regards FMIS as a national heritage encompassing 70% of the irrigated area in Nepal, one might ask why there is not a single case study of a village describing and analysing the overall context and life-history of an indigenous irrigation scheme. If 40% of food production in Nepal is produced by 15000 FMIS in hill areas and 1700 systems in the Terai of Nepal (p.1) there must be a wide range from which to select a 'normal' village for study.
The Bangladesh contribution shows the 'globalization' of the participation of stakeholders approach, as well as local adjustments and the way FMIS projects are nowadays implemented. Three stages in the project development cycle are briefly indicated (p. 48). This contribution focuses on the role of the facilitators, the activities in which the managing committee is involved and the generation of income for operation and maintenance of the management committee (tree plantations and fisheries). The authors state that in order to channel project benefits to the landless and women, much of the earth-moving work is done by Labour Contracting Societies, which are mainly composed of women. Destitute women are given preference when it comes to preventive maintenance work on embankments. The authors also indicate that the main weakness of an FMIS approach might be that it gives local elites the chance to 'capture' projects and use them to their own advantage. It is exactly this kind of information that I would have liked to see expanded on.
(Loes Schenk-Sandbergen, Associate Professor, University of Amsterdam, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. E-mail: schenk@pscw.uva.nl)
Guerci, Antonio (ed.) (1999) Meeting between medicines (Incontri tra
medicine). 460 pp. ISBN 88-8163-155-5. EUR 30.00. Erga Edizioni Publ., Via
Biga 52 (canc.) 16144 Genoa, Italy.
Fax: +39-10-83 28 799.
Website : http://www.erga.it
This is a collection of papers presented during the 3rd European Colloquium on Ethnopharmacology and 1st International Conference of Antropology and History of Health and Disease, held in Genoa in 1996 and organized by the European Society of Ethnopharmacology and the Department of Anthropological Sciences of the University of Genoa. The conference was attended by over 500 students from 60 different countries working in fields such as medicine, anthropology, sociology, and botany. Consequently, it provided a large and diversified amount of information and discussed a wide range of views, questions, approaches, research methods and findings.
The full conference proceedings were published on a CD-ROM entitled Healing yesterday and today. Tomorrow? In addition, over 200 papers have been published in a thematic series of five books. Meeting between medicines is one of them. According to the editors'notes on the 5 printed volumes Meeting between medicines aims to collect papers concerning a unifying theme: what happens when two different medicines (two different visions of the world) meet. Each meeting can turn out very differently, but in all cases it produces a change within both paradigms.
In my view, Meeting between medicines is an interesting collection of papers that does not achieve its main aim. The papers discuss several different themes, most of them quite effectively, but it is very difficult to find a unifying theme or idea explaining why such papers have been put together. Moreover, the book lacks a good introduction explaining or summing up what it is about.
Contributions deal with different aspects of health, sickness, medicine and related topics. They range from European public institutions dealing with migration law to traditional healing practices in Africa and South America. The different papers deal with issues such as:
The papers are written in different languages (English, French, Italian and Spanish), making it less accessible to most readers. It might have been better to collect the papers simply as conference proceedings instead of linking them around a main theme, which is not easily perceived, in order to create a volume.
Despite these criticisms, the book remains a rich collection of field experience, furnishing the reader with information and stimuli. I think all major libraries concerned with anthropological studies should acquire it for their collection.
(Paolo Segalla, consultant in rural development, Casalmaggiore, Italy.
E-mail: psegalla@ccdp.it)
IIRR, PLAN and SCF (2000) Indigenous knowledge and practices on mother and child
care: Experiences from Southeast Asia and China. 355 pp. ISBN 0-942717-87-2. PHP
300; USD 15 excuding postage. Published by International Institute of Rural
Reconstruction, PLAN International and Save the Children Federation, Inc. For
orders, contact: IIRR Bookstore, IIRR, Y.C. James Yen Center, Silang, Cavite,
4118 Philippines.
Fax: + 63-46-414-2420.
E-mail: publications@iirr.org
http://www.iirr.org
(See also IK&DM 8(3), November 2000, where this publication was first mentioned under 'Preview: important new books' on page 45.)
This publication is based on experiences shared by participants during a workshop on indigenous knowledge relating to maternal and child care conducted at the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) in the Philippines from 3-16 April 2000. 51 participants from seven countries worked closely with a team of editors, artists and desktop publishing staff to produce this resource book and to strengthen the network of IK practitioners and promoters. The workshop was intended to benefit children and parents. To facilitate the sharing of views and experiences, a children's workshop was held simultaneously with the 'adult' workshop.
This resource book is an initial attempt to document IK beliefs and practices regarding mother and child care in Southeast Asia and China. It is divided into ten chapters, each containing several papers. They cover a vast field that includes maternal and newborn care; child-feeding and protection; the care of sick children; circumcision, marriage and sex rituals; traditional toys and games; and approaches and strategies regarding the retrieval, documentation and use of IK. The biggest section of the book is chapter two, on maternal and newborn care in different cultural settings. It offers 18 papers from six countries: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand.
An essential feature of most indigenous medical theories is the principle of holism, the interconnectedness of mind and body. Great importance is therefore assigned to therapeutic massage (for mother and infant), acupuncture, meditation, incantations, talismans and prayers (to propitiate spirits).
Validation, however, remains a critical point. How can we discern between 'good' and 'bad' indigenous knowledge and practices (IKPs), or between competing IKPs, between rational explanation and superstition? By way of illustration, I would like to quote two examples given by the children in their workshop. 'The rinsed underwear from her first menstruation can be used to wash her face and make it glow'. And 'The newly circumcised boy should not be stepped-over nor be seen by a female to facilitate immediate healing' (pp. 27-28). Although I sympathize with the idea of holding a concurrent workshop for children, the fact that IKPs identified by the children were uncritically accepted as 'helpful' meant that an opportunity to discuss IKPs and provide information to this age group was missed. One of the few presentations to show any discrimination in this regard was in the last chapter. A section on validating and grouping IKPs mentions that 'The existing IKPs must be carefully analysed according to their merits and beneficial effects on the community'. Here IKPs are grouped into (1) positive or 'healthy', (2) negative or 'unhealthy', (3) neutral and (4) uncertain (pp. 292-93).
The book offers a wealth of information for anthropologists. It is richly illustrated, featuring an outline map of each country under discussion. However, it might have been more useful to identify the specific location of areas that are home to certain tribes or population groups mentioned in the papers. The resource book is designed for use by extension workers, field staff and middle managers of community development projects. As most professional healthcare workers and caregivers are trained in the North American/European health and medicine traditions, knowledge of IKPs would enable them to combine the best of both.
Workshop participants expressed the hope that this initial attempt to document the material in book form would encourage others to come up with a new version featuring other cultures or a different geographical focus. For this purpose it might be an idea to publish short booklets as hands-on training manuals documenting IKPs per country/region. This aim certainly deserves support, but it will have to be accompanied by critical debate and discussion on the material collected if it is to further the overall goal of maternal and child health.
(Dr Jyotsna Agnihotri Gupta, Lecturer Centre for Gender and Diversity, Maastricht University, Research Associate Leiden University Medical Centre, and senior consultant in the field of gender,health and development. E-mail: jagupta@worldonline.nl)
Jackson, Edward T. and Yusuf Kassam (eds) (1998) Knowledge shared:
Participatory evaluation in development cooperation. 252 pp. ISBN 1-56549-085-1.
USD 25.95. Published in Canada by International Development Research Centre, P.O.
Box 8500, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1G 3H9.
Website: http://www.idrc.ca/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&Product_ID=194&CATID=15)
Published in USA by Kumarian Press, Inc., 14 Oakwood Avenue, West Hartford, CT
06119-3127, USA.
Fax: +1-860-233-672.
Website : http://www.kpbooks.com/knowledge_shared.html.
Like development cooperation, project evaluations have become increasingly 'participatory' in terms of planning, management and implementation over the past two decades.
Knowledge shared is organized into two sections with an important introduction by the editors. This identifies and defines participatory evaluation (PE) and highlights critical development-related, epistemological and methodological themes as they have emerged over the last 20 years. It also probes - though too briefly - some of the greater challenges facing PE: 'Will the powerful change their behaviour?', 'Can PE work at a macro or institutional level?' or 'How do we address the perception that PE is more costly and time-consuming than conventional, expert-driven evaluation?'.
The book consists of 13 chapters. The four chapters of section 1 focus on issues, strategies and methods. Section two provides nine case studies covering a broad sectoral range: health; rural development; women; poverty alleviation; human resource development; water and farming. The geographic range is equally diverse, with case studies from India (2), Nepal, Bangladesh, SE Asia, Kenya, Ghana (2), St. Vincent and Mexico.
So what is the difference between participatory and conventional evaluation? There are many definitions in this book, but according to Freedman (Chapter 1) three factors separate PE from its conventional cousin:
Or in a nutshell: if project beneficiaries are the end users of the evaluation,
there is a good chance it is PE.
In Chapter 3, Jackson explores whether PE is an effective tool at micro, meso
and macro level by posing the question 'Is PE compatible with results-based
management?' He concludes that 'whereas advocates and practitioners of RBM are
not necessarily interested in participatory development approaches, advocates
and practitioners of PE can find productive ways of blending RBM into their work'
([emphasis added] p. 61). One would expect the book's co-editor to be somewhat
less prepared to compromise on how conventional development needs to adapt to
become more participatory. Here is the first hint that the objective of this
book is unclear, even to its editors.
In Chapter 6 (section 2), Feurstein gives a concise case study of a PE of health care in the poor and densely populated Indian State of Bihar. She provides a logically sequenced step-by-step account that covers the why, what, how and where of the evaluation process. True to the challenge of PE, she does an admirable job in combining quantitative rigour with informative and articulate qualitative anecdotes.
Equally informative is Kassam's (Chapter 7) account of project evaluation methodology which blends a conventional questionnaire with a 'participatory dialogue method' to gain a deeper and qualitative understanding of the dynamics of social and economic transformation among the beneficiaries. The 'dialogue method' is not used to quantify, verify or predict the personal and qualitative social impacts of a development intervention, but rather illuminate them and 'to get a more accurate glimpse of the total human context with all its complexities and social interactions' (p.112).
Robinson and Cox (Chapter 8) describe the 'process evaluation' methodology for tracking the capacity-building initiatives of the Nepal Health Development Project. The evaluators/authors are to be commended for their attempt to evaluate the complexities of an integrated stream of activities including village-level community development; district-level health strengthening for a network of health posts and a district hospital; and clinical and managerial training of general physicians. Nonetheless, this micro-to-macro level project leaves the reader feeling that the authors are struggling to insert the square peg of 'top-down' into the round hole of 'participation'. It doesn't work.
Mullinix and Akatsa-Buckachi's (Chapter 10) article involving YWCA field workers and staff in Kenya reminds us that evaluation, like development itself, is largely about power relationships and how one frames the critical questions. For these two women, PE must address and balance three key questions: Who wants to know what for what purpose? For them, if done properly, PE should promote empowerment, confidence, self-esteem and independence.
The most honest article of them all and the best way to summarise this review is to borrow Whitmore's (Chapter 13) title: 'We Need to Rebuild This House' - an evaluation of a Mexican farmers' cooperative. Indeed, starting with a solid and principled foundation, we need to rebuild the house we call 'participatory evaluation'.
Knowledge Shared presents some of the theory, issues and examples of the full spectrum of evaluation in development cooperation. And if it was the objective of the editors to spark a debate -then they have achieved that. However, as the book clearly demonstrates, participatory research and evaluation have become trendy and, regrettably, are being used by many institutions and groups to give the illusion of participation. By not providing a synthesising chapter to frame this debate, the editors missed a unique opportunity to draw a clear distinction between what is a participatory evaluation and what is an illusion.
(Trevor Wickham is an independent consultant and is currently the Economic Development Advisor of the Rainforest Solutions Project in British Columbia, Canada. E-mail: Trevor@Eco-Planning.org)
Khan, Nias Ahmed (2000) Of popular wisdom: Indigenous knowledge and practices
in Bangladesh. 150 pp. ISBN 984-31-0961-X. TK 400; USD 35.00 Published by
Bangladesh Resource Center for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) & Integrated
Action Research and Development (IARD), 3/7 Block, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207,
Bangladesh.
Fax: +880-2-91-25 681.
E-mail: iard@bdonline.com, and iard@dhkonline.com
Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan is Associate Professor of Public Administration, at the University of Cittagong, Bangladesh. He is also Honorary Research Fellow, at the School of Social Sciences and International Development, University of Wales, UK. Although he is a young academic, he is very experienced and has already contributed more than 70 articles and chapters to national and international journals and books. Dr Khan has received a number of scholarships and other awards for his academic achievements, and he holds various positions of academic responsibility. He is editor-in-chief of an IK journal, for example.
I would like to describe this book in terms of both intellectual capital and social capital. No fewer than 27 authors, 22 of whom are Muslim, have documented indigenous knowledge (IK). To my knowledge, this is the first book on IK that has been written in English by Muslims. The book represents social capital because 27 persons, motivated by their religious beliefs, worked together to produce it. One of the authors, Mahfuzul Haque, points out (on p. 144) that this effort, by focussing attention on local people, is consistent with the teachings of the Holy Koran, which says that the less fortunate (which he calls 'marooned people') are deserving of attention. The Koran also teaches that everyone, regardless of their background, should work together on an equal footing to save the environment and preserve life. The book is an example of cooperation between academics and local people that indeed considers no one to be either superior or inferior. The academics have science to offer; the local people have their experience.
In his introduction to the book, Dr Khan gives four technically good reasons for systematically exploring the present and potential role of IK in development. With his permission, I would add one more reason on the basis of the Koran, which teaches that we must reject the idea that some people are superior to others (Soreh Hojarat:13). Only then can we understand each other and cooperate with each other. I would suggest that these two elements, understanding and cooperation, are the fundamental elements of sustainable development.
The book's 20 chapters are in six parts. Each of the authors describes the challenges taken up by local people in Bangladesh and then tries to conceptualize the IK involved. The areas of activity they studied include sustainable biodiversity conservation, health development, water and watershed resources, sustainable agriculture, and everyday survival.
The authors have done their best not only to document the present state of IK in Bangladesh, but also to suggest further research that should be conducted. They mention several areas requiring exploration: home gardens, water-harvesting systems, freshwater ecosystems and small indigenous fish species, and everyday survival strategies.
This book is a good resource for BSc and MSc students as well as for development professionals and researchers. It is especially useful for students and scientists in Islamic countries, and I hope that it encourages them to do the same work in their own countries.
(Dr Mansoor Shahvali, Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Agricultural College, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. E-mail: dr_mshahvali@yahoo.com)
Köhler-Rollefson, Ilse, Paul Mundy and Evelyn Mathias (2001) A field manual
of camel diseases: traditional and modern health care for the dromedary. 254 pp.
ISBN 1 85339 503 X. GBP 12.99. ITDG publishing, 103-105 Southampton Row, London
WCIB 4 HL, UK.
Fax: +44-207-436 2013.
E-mail: orders@itpubs.org.uk
Website: http://www.itdgpublishing.org.uk
I was lucky to be able to attend the international ethnoveterinary conference at Pune, India in November 1997, where I participated in the serious work done prior to compiling this book.
The authors' experience in the League for Pastoral People, development communication and veterinary medicine are reflected in this unique field manual of camel diseases. The book focuses on the most important diseases and ailments in camels from an ethnoveterinary perspective.
The first chapter constitutes about 30% of the disease information in the book. This information is crucial to managing, understanding and treating camels. There are 20 topics covered, ranging from transmission of animal diseases to humans to how to perform surgery. The book helps the reader who wants to make practical use of the information provided to feel at ease with camels and more confident when asked for help.
Five chapters are devoted to organic disease. Infectious diseases are dealt with separately. Some non-infectious diseases of a general nature are also considered. Two chapters deal with common reproductive problems in both males and females. As expected in such a manual, there is no discussion of the biotechnology of reproduction. Another chapter is devoted to newborn calves.
'Herders, professionals and readers with a general interest in indigenous knowledge would benefit from reading this book for various reasons:
I would recommend this manual for its practical and thorough approach.
(B. Musa, Camel affairs, diwan of royal court, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. E-mail:bakrimusa@hotmail.com)
NEPED and IIRR (1999) Building upon traditional agriculture in Nagaland,
India. 235 pp. ISBN 0-942717-7-4. Published by Nagaland Environment Protection
and Economic Development (NEPED) and by the International Institute of Rural
Reconstruction (IIRR). Order from: IIRR, YC James Yen Center, Biga, Silang
Cavite 4118, Philippines
Fax: +63-46-414 2420.
E-mail: iirr@cav.pworld.net.ph
See also the International Development Research Centre (IDRC/SARO) and the NEPED websites for ordering - http://www.idrc.ca/saro and http://www.idrc.ca/saro/research/neped
Nagaland is situated in the northeastern part of India. It covers a geographical area of 16,579 sq. km. The climate ranges from sub-tropical to sub-temperate. The terrain is mountainous and covered mostly by forests which are among the richest in the Indian sub-continent, an example of mega-biodiversity. The Nagas' main source of livelihood is agriculture. Their tribal customs and traditions are diverse. Traditionally all the tribes and villages in Nagaland practise slash-and-burn cultivation.
Traditional farmers have a diversified indigenous system to meet their basic needs for food and housing materials. But as a result of rapid population growth, soil yields and forest biodiversity have declined. It has therefore become necessary to develop alternative land-use systems. In 1994 Nagaland Environment Protection and Economic Development (NEPED) set out to help farmers, improve the land-use system and protect forests. It collaborated with the Government of Nagaland, the International Development Research Centre, and India-Canada Environment.
The IIRR became involved in 1999 when NEPED and IIRR held a workshop at the North Eastern Institute of Bank Management (NEIBM), Khanapara, Guwahati, India, on 2-13 August 1999. This publication is the result. It will be helpful for farmers, community groups, NGOs, extension workers, agricultural planners and researchers who are interested in farmer-tested methods to improve traditional shifting agriculture.
In drafting this document, the organizers adopted a new technique known as the 'workshop process', focusing on the three Ps: process, participation and product. To achieve the three Ps, each participant presented his or her paper four times in the forum, each time receiving critical comments and suggestions from the participants which then formed the basis for improvements. The book thus incorporates the diverse experiences and expertise of all the participants and resource persons.
The book has nine parts: (1) Nagaland and the principles of NEPED; (2) agricultural systems in Nagaland (15 chapters); (3) trees and their management (8 chapters); (4) trees and their uses (6 chapters); (5) biodiversity conservation (2 chapters); (6) agroforestry-related livelihoods (5 chapters); (7) participation, extension and implementation issues (12 chapters); (9) about NEPED (3 chapters), and annexes.
NEPED sees the traditional farming system (jhum) as unsustainable. To improve the situation, it planted fast-growing native species of trees alongside other crops, and encouraged farmers to accept the idea of growing trees as a regular jhum crop. Further test plots were established in each village. NEPED helped farmers select, test and demonstrate the techniques for sustainable economic development.
In Nagaland, farmers practise various cropping systems, such as mono-, mixed, inter- and sequential cropping. Mono-cropping is normally practised in the plains and mixed cropping in the hills. Farmers in Nagaland cultivate about 360 different varieties of rice. Traditionally, rice was grown for two years and the land then left fallow. On-farm trials were started. NEPED advised farmers to cultivate shade crops like ginger, turmeric, cardamom and coffee. In addition, NEPED has taken measures to sustain agroforestry and to integrate agroforestry and fallow management. This is well suited to the ecology of the regions and to Naga traditions.
Some villages practise rain harvesting, an indigenous way of collecting rainwater to irrigate rice fields. A new technique was developed, enabling farmers to produce not only rice but also fish and tomatoes. Pictures clearly illustrate the traditional and new techniques.
Naga farmers maintain agrobiodiversity as it has many advantages. They have introduced new measures to reduce the threat to biodiversity presented by rapid population growth. NEPED has recommended agroforestry practices based on the local situation and the preferences and needs of farmers. State Agricultural Research Stations (SARS) have encouraged farmers to cultivate tea. Ten small plantations are now being managed collectively so that labour can be shared. NEPED has suggested also growing oyster mushrooms, introducing home gardens, and propagating and processing bamboo.
Women play a major role in Naga jhum cultivation, providing nearly 70% of labour. They spend considerable time in the forest and are called 'the guardians of biodiversity'. NEPED has helped women increase their knowledge of social development and agroforestry, increase their capacities, and play a decisive role in forest management.
NEPED has a effective network for disseminating information. It has introduced local experts - often referred to as NEPED's 'human data bank' - into project activities and has offered guidelines for participatory rural appraisal (PRA). It has also developed working models for the successful implementation of projects in rural areas, aiming to provide permanent solutions to problems and to strengthen the social fabric in the area concerned. Its guidelines will be of use to project organizers.
Management and the monitoring of information are key factors in every project. Effective project management is helpful to the target group, to stakeholders and to researchers interested in feedback. The chapter on project management practices should provide useful guidelines for extension workers, NGOs and researchers.
To conclude, NEPED has created awareness of tree cultivation and the conservation of soil, wildlife and biodiversity by using a participatory approach that does not change the existing farming system. Furthermore, it has played a major role in empowering women in Nagaland. It has succeeded in creating a revolution within Naga farmers' socio-economic and cultural system without altering indigenous practices. This approach will be very useful. I congratulate the team leaders and organizers on the workshop and on this very practical document.
(Dr S. Parvathi, Associate Professor, Department of Pomology, Horticultural College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. E-mail: parvathy_in@yahoo.com)
Sadhale, Nalni (translator) (1996) Surapala's Vriksha Ayurveda (The science
of plant life by Surapala). ISSN 0971-7222. 94 pp. Indian edition USD 6.00;
international edition USD 20.00 Bulletin No. 1.47, published by Asian
Agri-History Foundation, ICRISAT,Colony-1, Secunderabad 500009 (A.P.) India.
E-mail: yinahf@hd1.vsnl.net.in
Vriksha Ayurveda is an ancient work on indigenous knowledge regarding the cultivation of trees and plants. References to this subject are scarce in the ayurvedic literature. Surapala's Vriksha Ayurveda is the only treatise containing a full treatment.
Today, vriksha ayurveda is still being practiced in South Gujarat on an experimental basis. The book is actually concerned with indigenous horticulture, which dates back some 1000 years in India. The publication under review has various parts::
The original Sanskrit text comprises 325 verses and was compiled by the sage Surapala about 1000 years ago. The translator is Dr N.C. Sadhale. For the translation, Dr Sadhale tabulated the topics as discussed in the verses. These included the merits and demerits of trees planted around the house (11 verses); the classification of plants and reproduction (7 verses); seeds (7 verses); planting (34 verses); protecting plants (4 verses); feeding (64 verses); treatment of plants (37 verses); pleasure gardens (8 verses); groundwater (19 verses); suitability or otherwise of land for crop production and animal husbandry as indicated by natural vegetation (5 verses).
The commentaries are written by authorities on the different subjects. The first commentary is by Dr K.L. Mehra, former director of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources of the Government of India. He discusses biodiversity and aspects of conservation, plant indicators for crop production, animal husbandry, water availability, the sacred plants, and auspicious and inauspicious plants.
The commentary on agronomic aspects is written by Mr S.M. Virmani, an agroclimatologist at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). He reviews the translated text in a contemporary context and discusses methods of sustainable horticulture production used in the past. Modern agriculture and ecology are also reviewed.
The third commentary is by Dr Y.L. Nene, Deputy Director-General of ICRISAT, Patancheru (A.P.). Dr Nene provides two tables. The first deals with information on plant diseases - the particular disease, possible causes, symptoms, details of causes and the substances required for treatment. The second table describes the substances recommended in the Vriksha ayurveda for managing various plant disorders and provides information on their chemical constituents in the light of present knowledge. The table provides the name of the recommended substance; the translated verse reference number; the constituents or properties reported and additional information. For example, the use of 'bhallataka' (Semicarpus anacardium) is referred to in verse no.197. Bhallataka has insecticidal, antiseptic, termite-repellent, mildew and moth proofing and antibacterial properties, as well as being an effective treatment for intestinal worms.
The Plant Index offers the equivalents of Sanskrit names with common names and botanical names. I would note that it requires the rechecking of the equivalent of Sanskrit names with botanical names.
On the whole, the book is quite useful to those involved in practice and experimentation with indigenous knowledge regarding the cultivation of horticultural plants.
(N.C. Shah, Coordinator, CIKIHR & Medicinal Plants Expert to National &
International Committees,
Aliganj, India. E-mail: ncshah65@hotmail.com; ncshah@sancharnet.in)
SNV-Netherlands Development Organization and AID Environment (1999) SEAN
Toolbox. Contains: Booklet with theoretical background to Strategic
Environmental Analysis (SEAN); Case study; Process cards * SEAN graphs. ISBN
90-802916-7-6. EUR 50. Order from: SNV Netherlands Development Organisation,
Bezuidenhoutseweg 161, 2594 AG The Hague, the Netherlands.
Fax: +31-70-385 5531.
E-mail: informatie@snv.nl
(See also IK&DM 8(2), July 2000, where this publication was first mentioned under 'Preview: important new books' on pp. 40-41.)
SEAN stands for Strategic Environmental Analysis, an approach designed for interdisciplinary environmental planning in a development context. This publication provides an innovative 'toolbox' that addresses three very important issues (or needs) in research and development that have been lacking specific analysis:
Presentation as a toolbox allows for ease of application by both development workers and local personnel. However, the combination of small font and relatively complex tables and graphs might make it hard to follow for those with limited academic training. In my opinion, the authors made a good choice of elements to be included.
The first booklet introduces the concept of SEAN and its interdisciplinary nature, presents objectives and outputs, methodological and process principles, and experiences and guidelines. The process principles and guidelines are particularly helpful. This part sums up the main elements of forging a strategic, analytical and long-term approach to development. The guidelines provide tips on how and where SEAN will work best.
The theoretical background provides some solid discussion on subjects related to SEAN. Given the complex nature of what SEAN tries to encompass, this section provides necessary definitions of key concepts such as environmental functions, participation, strategic planning, etc. and does a good job of integrating them.
From a theoretical perspective, this part could be strengthened by drawing from areas such as agroecology, integrated resource management, and geography, which are also producing interdisciplinary work across different scales. Once again, my concern was the academic level of the content, which seems much better suited to professionals with advanced university degrees. I was pleased to see the inclusion of a case study documenting the application of SEAN.
My concern when reviewing the study was timing. The application of this type of planning apparently demands the investment of time and resources at local level, limited in the case study presented to two months. I think those who want to apply SEAN will find this extremely challenging. First, it might be difficult for local organizations to make the material their own, given the level of complexity mentioned before. Second, the information that SEAN seeks to include at local level (that is, control over natural resources), might require strategic alliances with individuals who have been in the locality for longer periods of time. Supportive materials in the form of process cards and transparencies are a great aid in applying SEAN. These are very helpful in maintaining a step-by-step approach. I am always grateful for any kind of teaching materials, and the content and presentation of the transparencies is of high quality.
To conclude, the SEAN toolbox is a commendable effort to meet the challenges/needs listed above. Since the authors have taken the initiative of building an interactive platform (www.seanplatform.org), I am sure some of the concerns expressed above will be addressed as more experience is gained in the application of SEAN. This volume and its future editions promise to become very important tools for interdisciplinary planning in environment and development, which aims to address issues across different spatial and social scales.
(V. Ernesto Mendez, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA. E-mail: vemendez@sv.cciglobal.net)
Watkins, Joe (2001) Indigenous archaeology. American Indian values and
scientific practice. 234 pp. ISBN 0-7425-0329. USD 23.95. AltaMira Press, a
Division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1630 North Main Street,
#367, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 USA.
Fax: +1-925-93 9720.
Website: http://www.altamirapress.com.
Archaeology has always been a multifaceted discipline, scientifically, culturally and politically. Political use (and abuse) of archaeological perspectives on the past or on native peoples in many countries is well known, as is the support archaeologists have provided to the colonial projects that took place all over the world from the 17th century onwards.
In the United States of America, a young independent nation expanded over the territories formerly owned by Native American peoples. Archaeology also assisted this westward move, basically through depreciating Native American capabilities and trying (in both conceptual and historical terms) to split native people from the remains of their past. Such views no longer prevail, yet archaeology still seems to have a kind of 'colonial' attitude towards the past of Native Americans. With the growing political awakening of the native nations in that country, however, many conflicts have arisen, and that is what this book is all about.
Indigenous archaeology is the expression used in this book to denote archaeology produced by Native Americans or on their behalf. The point of departure is Native Americans' view of the world: indigenous archaeology makes use of history to build a connection between the given archaeological record of a region and the ethnographical record (including oral history, myths and legends) of the native peoples that live (or lived) there.
In this book (a development of his Ph.D. thesis) the author, a Native American with great experience in both archaeological research and managing Native American policies regarding the practice of archaeology on Indian lands or with Indian remains and ancestors, recounts with honesty his own changing views on these matters, and how these conflicts have been dealt with in different situations.
However, the book is not just a personal account, but a well structured analysis of this problem in the US. The first part scrutinizes carefully the relevant legislation. There are many laws protecting American Indian cultural resources. The NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) assures to NA peoples the custody of all remains, particularly human remains, that can be proved to relate linearly or culturally to those peoples and gives them the right to rebury their ancestors. But how can NA peoples (or the archaeologists, as a matter of fact) prove that remains (especially the older findings) relate to a particular people? And, more important, how can we reconcile the need to treat ancestors with the dignity they surely deserve with the scientific interest in exploring the ways and traditions of the NA peoples, an interest they are increasingly coming to share?
In the second part of the book some outstanding cases are highlighted and analysed. These range from the progress made by the Navajo people in their dealings with anthropologists (in the USA, archaeology is part of anthropology) to the management of a public burial site in Kansas. The disputes regarding the old Clovis points and the 'ancient one' of Kennewick, dating from 9,000 to 11,000 years ago, are particularly interesting and illustrative of how archaeologists argue that these remains do not relate to native peoples, while legends and territoriality, among other references, might be used to establish a connection.
And what has all this to do with indigenous knowledge? Actually, it has everything to do with it. Although most discussions regarding IK focus on technological and cultural relationships with developmental technologies and policies, archaeological resources are an integral part of the cultural heritage of a nation. They frequently integrate their myths and legends and form part of the history of 'the people of that place', which includes technological/environmental solutions and adaptation. And, as a scientific practice, archaeology also relates local knowledge to technological and scientific methods. Examples from all around the world have shown that archaeological practice has an extraordinary power to stimulate cultural integration and experimentation with past, traditional and modern technologies. I can recommend this very comprehensive book to people interested in these matters, or in an overview of the situation in the USA (and some brief observations on repatriation in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Scandinavia).
(Paulo De Blasis, Ph.D. archaeologist, Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil. E-mail: deblasis@usp.br)
Wehrmeyer, W. and Y. Mulugetta (eds) (1999) Growing Pains. Environmental
management in developing countries. 368 pages. ISBN: 1-874719-33-3. GBP 19.95.
Greenleaf Publishing Ltd, Aizlewood Business Centre, Aizlewood's Mill, Nursery
Street, Sheffield S3 8GG, United Kingdom.
Fax: +44-114-282 3476.
E-mail: greenleaf@worldscope.co.uk
Monitor readers may obtain a copy of this book at the special price of GBP 16.95. Please order by fax or e-mail to Mrs Samantha Self, Sales & Marketing Administrator quoting Nuffic PB
Sustainable development, rational environmental management, trade, globalization are issues that have become unavoidable in political agendas, both at national and international forums. Even local authorities in remote areas realise the importance and influence these terms have in their political jargon. It is in the 1970s when the detrimental effects on the environment of an unsustainable economic model become visible and discussable. Since then, the increasing environmental awareness has resulted in actions from national and multilateral organisations leading to, or trying to, a sound and rational use of renewable recourses. Growing Pains, Environmental management in developing countries compiles a number of national and international case studies from around the globe with an emphasis in the so-called developing South.
The environmental management theme in Growing Pains is analysed and divided in five areas: globalisation, the role of business, national strategies, trade and environment, and the organisational and structural challenges of sustainability. The overall impressions after having read the different chapters is that sustainability and the management of the environment still remains to be wishful thinking, and as such, the title of the book reflects what the authors rightly speak of, and real life confirms, when discussing and merging conservation and sustainability. Moreover, as the essays are written mostly by authors brought up in academia and politics from universities or organizations in the North, it is not surprising to find more rhetoric than successful case studies. However, the central message throughout the book is that solutions exist at the local level pertaining to local actors, and as such governmental and multilateral institutions, such as the World Bank, should revise their policies.
Growing Pains represents a reminder of the increasing, and disturbing, power multinational corporations have gained and the influence these have overall. The environment is not the exception, and it is usually the victim. It is an interesting book for those not wrapped up in the topic while probably representing an updating for those working in environmental issues. For those working on other areas, Growing Pains may represent a somewhat drowsy eyeopener.
(Peter R.W. Gerritsen and Carlos Palomera García, lecturer-researchers, Manantlán Institute for Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation, University of Guadalajara Mexico. E-mail: pgerritsen@cucsur.udg.mx and cpalomera@cucsur.udg.mx)
Xu Jianchu (editor-in-chief) Editorial committee: Andreas Wilkes, Hermann
Tillmann, Maruja Salas, Therese Grinter, and Yin Shaoting, with the assistance
of Stephanie Mas, Wang Yuhua, and Pu Yingdong (2000) Links between cultures and
biodiversity: Proceedings of the Cultures and Biodiversity Congress 2000, 20-30
July 2000, Yunnan, P.R. China. 1030 pp. ISBN number: 7-5416-1440-8. Price: not
given. Published by Yunnan Science and Technology Press, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R.C.
For orders, contact: Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge,
Zhonghuandasha, Yanjiadi, Kunming, Yunnan 650034 China.
Fax: +86-871-4128471.
E-mail: CBIK@public.km.yn.cn
Website: http://cbik.org/ or
http://cbik.ac.cn/
As the record of one of the first major international conferences on the relationship between biological and cultural diversity, this sprawling book is something of a landmark - although, unfortunately, a flawed one. The Cultures and Biodiversity Congress was held in July 2000 in the Chinese province of Yunnan, which is perhaps the most ethnically diverse province in the country. In over 1000 folio-sized pages, Links between cultures and biodiversity gives the reader more than 100 papers presented at the meeting. Ethnographers, cultural anthropologists, sociologists, indigenous leaders, community activists, conservationists, biologists, and many others are represented here. What emerges from a reading of the book is a portrait of a budding interdisciplinary field which certainly holds the promise of being one of the most exciting and fruitful paths to a more complete understanding of the contribution of indigenous peoples to the world's biocultural vitality.
In a catch-all proceedings such as this, the quality of the papers is bound to be uneven. Still, there are excellent individual contributions scattered throughout the book, of which I would highlight several from Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa on topics ranging from the displacement of native Andean diets by Western foods to the importance of sacred groves in Kenya. But the centerpiece of the book, and rightfully so, are the papers focused on China, and on Yunnan in particular. For me, a person having next to no familiarity with the details of the indigenous people of China, the many papers on this topic were a fascinating introduction. In their entirety, these papers leave one in no doubt as to the continuing importance of the biocultural landscape to the indigenous peoples of the region. Disturbingly, though not surprisingly, many of the authors report that these cultures are beleaguered not only by all the pressures familiar to readers of the IK&DM, but also by the unique challenges posed by the national Chinese political system. While there are certainly sympathetic elements within the national governing structure, the impression I came away with is that of people struggling on the political (and geographical) margins - again, a situation that is sadly familiar to indigenous peoples everywhere.
I wish I could give the book an unqualified recommendation, but regrettably I must mention some serious problems with the content and presentation. The excessive length of the book is discouraging, and there are some papers that read as if they were mere sketches for a particular speaker's presentation. These should not have been included. But even more serious is that many of the substantive papers are disfigured by radically unidiomatic English, to the point where numerous sentences within them make no sense. I bring up this criticism with some fear, for no one has a right to expect perfect usage from non-native speakers of any language. Yet even the most lenient reader will find that her/his understanding of the substance of many of the papers is impaired. And, on top of all this, there are recurring problems with the scholarly apparatus: citations are missing or incomplete, maps and figures are sometimes illegible, promised tables never materialize, and so on. This is all the more frustrating because so many of the authors obviously have interesting things to tell.
Much of this could be forgiven if there were signposts along the way - synthesis or overview papers analyzing the papers within a given topical section. I realize this is, after all, a proceedings, not a volume of invited papers. So I would urge potential readers to take the book as it is: a snapshot in time of the early stages in the development of a global appreciation of biocultural diversity. Flaws and all, there is much to be gained by a close reading of this important book.
(David Harmon, co-founder of Terralingua: Partnerships for Linguistic and
Biological Diversity, Hancock, Michigan, USA. E-mail: dharmon@terralingua.org
Website: http://www.terralingua.org)
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