Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge Research Articles

Knowledge Management Strategy for Indigenous Knowledge on Land Use and Agricultural Development in Western Ethiopia

Knowledge plays a great role whenever there is change and growths follow a complex field and competitive. Agriculture in Ethiopia today is such field. Encouraging knowledge in this field is a critical point in the transformation of agricultural sector in Ethiopia. Also managing knowledge within the communities enhances agricultural development. Therefore the main aim of this study is to develop knowledge management strategy in managing indigenous knowledge of land use and agricultural development in western Ethiopia, Ilu Aba Bora zone which is crucial to enhance management of agricultural indigenous knowledge and land Data was collected using focus group discussion, questionnaire, information mapping from local communities, extension officers and land management officers of Ilu Aba Bora Zone. The result of the study revealed that local communities had various IK on land use and agricultural development. However, this knowledge was not acquired, developed, shared and preserved well. The major barriers to indigenous knowledge of land use and agricultural development in the local communities include poor knowledge sharing culture, lack of IK records, lack of trust, no interest to receive IK by younger generation, oral transfer of IK, change of life style and poor recognition of IK. Further research works are recommended to enhance management of indigenous knowledge of local communities.

Documenting and Disseminating Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Food Security: The Efforts of Agricultural Research Libraries in Nigeria

Developing the agricultural sector remains a critical factor towards the achievement of sustainable food production and, indeed, global food security. While indigenous agricultural knowledge is of immense value in improving food production, its documentation and dissemination remain a big challenge confronting librarians and other information professionals, particularly in Africa where traditional practices are prevalent. This study, therefore, investigated the efforts of agricultural research libraries in Nigeria in documenting and disseminating agricultural indigenous knowledge towards achieving sustainable food security in the country. It also determined the agricultural indigenous practices that have been documented as well as the obstacles to the documentation of agricultural indigenous knowledge. Librarians in selected agricultural research libraries in Nigeria constituted the target population of the study, and a questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations have been made aimed at improving the documentation and dissemination of agricultural indigenous knowledge in order to enhance food security in Nigeria.

Challenges of Managing Indigenous Knowledge with other Knowledge Systems for Agricultural Growth in sub-Saharan Africa

This article provides a systematic analysis of the challenges of managing agricultural indigenous knowledge (IK), and accessing external knowledge in the rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on Tanzania. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect primary data from 181 small-scale farmers in the six districts of Tanzania. The findings indicated that farmers faced various challenges in managing their IK, and accessing external knowledge, which ranged from personal and social barriers, to factors in the external environment such as infrastructure, policy, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), and weak linkages between research, extension services and farmers. Farmers also faced challenges when using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to manage their knowledge, such as personal, socio-cultural, infrastructural, technical, and economic factors. It is thus important for the government to improve access to extension services, review the IPR system, enhance rural electrification, telecommunications and roads infrastructure. Further, the knowledge providers (i.e. agricultural extension officers, researchers, educators, libraries, non governmental organisations, civil society, and other agricultural actors) should nurture a knowledge sharing culture. Farmers need to be assisted and trained to document their knowledge, map communities' IK bearers and innovators, use multiple formats (print and ICTs) with traditional communication channels (for instance, folklore and apprenticeships) specific to a local context to disseminate knowledge. Participatory approaches should be employed in knowledge production and dissemination in order to include farmers' needs and expressing knowledge in the resulting technologies, practices and new knowledge. In this way linkages between indigenous and external knowledge would be enhanced for improved farming activities in the local communities.

Understanding indigenous knowledge: Bridging the knowledge gap through a knowledge creation model for agricultural development

This article addresses the management of agricultural indigenous knowledge (IK) in developing countries, with a specific focus on Tanzania. It provides background details on IK and its importance for agricultural development. It introduces various knowledge management (KM) concepts and discusses their application in managing IK in the developing world by placing Nonaka’s knowledge creation theory (Nonaka 1991; Nonaka & Takeuchi 1995; Nonaka, Toyama & Konno 2000) in the context of the local communities. Data from focus groups were used to triangulate with data from interviews in order to validate, confirm and corroborate quantitative results with qualitative findings. The study findings showed that knowledge creation theory can be used to manage IK in the local communities, however, adequate and appropriate resources need to be allocated for capturing and preserving IK before it disappears altogether. For sustainable agricultural development, the communities have to be placed within a knowledge-creating setting that continuously creates, distributes and shares knowledge within and beyond the communities’ boundaries and integrates it with new agricultural technologies, innovations and knowledge.

Managing Agricultural Indigenous And Exogenous Knowledge Through Information And Communication Technologies For Poverty Reduction In Tanzania

This article addresses the extent to which information and communication technologies (ICTs) may be used to manage agricultural indigenous knowledge (IK) to alleviate extreme poverty and halve hunger in the rural areas of Tanzania. It also discusses ways that ICTs can be used to introduce exogenous knowledge into the local communities in order to reduce hunger and poverty. The advent of ICTs provides a window of opportunity for developing countries to harness and utilize IK to their advantage. Access to, and use of, ICTs provides new and faster ways of delivering and accessing information and knowledge that may improve productivity in a wide range of sectors, including agriculture. Access to information and knowledge may give Tanzania the possibility to reduce poverty and increase agricultural productivity. The rural population of Tanzania is not only deprived from accessing global knowledge on agriculture, but it also lacks opportunities to share its own IK. Research shows that the use of exogenous knowledge together with IK systems may improve farming activities. Recommendations are given on how IK may be effectively managed through ICTs in Tanzania