13.1 Concepts of Indigenous Knowledge (IK)
Indigenous knowledge (IK) is broadly speaking, the knowledge used by local people to make a living in a particular environment. Terms used in the field of sustainable development to designate this concept include indigenous technical knowledge, traditional environmental knowledge, rural knowledge, local knowledge and farmer's or pastoralist's knowledge.
Indigenous Knowledge (IK) can also be broadly conceptualized
as the knowledge that an indigenous
(local) community accumulates over generations of living in a particular
environment. This definition encompasses all forms of knowledge, technologies,
know-how skills, practices and beliefs that enable the community to achieve
stable livelihoods in their environment.
Indigenous knowledge can be defined as "A body of
knowledge built up by a group of people through generations of living in close
contact with nature" (Johnson, 1992). Generally speaking, such knowledge
evolves in the local environment, so that it is specifically adapted to the
requirements of local people and conditions. It is also creative and
experimental, constantly incorporating outside influences and inside
innovations to meet new conditions. It is usually a mistake to think of
indigenous knowledge as 'old-fashioned,' 'backwards,' 'static' or 'unchanging Indigenous people are the original inhabitants of a
particular geographic location, who have a culture and belief system distinct
from the international system of knowledge (e.g. the Tribal, Native, First, or
Aboriginal people of an area). Some feel that such a definition is too narrow,
in that it excludes peoples who may have lived in an area for a long period of
time but are not the original inhabitants. This has led to widespread use of
the term local knowledge, a broader concept which refers to the knowledge
possessed by any group living off the land in a particular area for a long
period of time. Under this approach, it is not necessary to know if the people
in question are the original inhabitants of an area, the important thing is to
learn how people - aboriginal or non-aboriginal - in a particular area view and
interact with their environment, in order that their knowledge can be mobilized
for the design of appropriate interventions.
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This Learning Resource was Created by the Regional MSc AICM Program at the Haramaya University RDAE Department with Support of AgShare Project.