Indigenous Knowledge for Development Opportunities and Challenges 2 4 8 6 9 * l )'iIndigenous Knowledge for Development Program Nicolas Gorjestani The World Bank This paper introduces indigenous knowledge (IK) as a signi/icant resource which cotzld contribute to the increased ffficieng, effectiveness and sustainabilio! of the development pro- cess. 1K is defined as the basis for communif-level detision making in areas pertaining tofood securi!j; huiman and animal health, edutcation, natural resource management and other vital economic and social activities. Severalgood pracitice cases will demonstrate the value added by?L IK to development in the productive as well as social sec tors. An overview of the 1orld Bank s Indiegenous Knowledgefor Development 1Program describes the objectives, some of the achieve- men/s and the challenges ahead. Further cases will demonstrate how some of these challentges can be met. In conclusion, the paper argues that the harnessing of IK empowers local comm-E nities and could help improve aid effectiveness in povert rediu ction. ndigenous knowledge (IK) is used at the local level by communities as the basis for decisions pertaining to food security, human and animal health, education, natural resources management, and other vital activities. IK is a key element of the social capital of the poor and constitutes their main asset in their efforts to gain control of their own lives. For thcse reasons, the potential contribution of IK to locally managed, sustaitnable and cost-effective survival strat- egies shouldbepromotedinthedevelopment process.t "Indigenous knowledge is an integral part of To facilitatc the integration of IK into operations, the the culture and history of a local community. African department of the \World Bank launched the We need to learn from local communities to Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program in enrich the development process". 1998. This paper reflects on the Program's experiences over the last three years and the steps that could be James D. Wolfensohn, President taken to further assist communities and governments of the World Bank to integrate indigenous knowledge into the develop- ment process. The development case for indigenous knowledge T'he potcntial development impact of indigenous knowledge systems can be gauged by a few examplcs of what IK has already achieved. After fifteen years of civil war, community leaders in Nlozambique report- edly managed about 500,000 informal "land transactions" and helped in the settlement of about 5 milllon refugees and displaced persons in two years. Most significantly, they achieved this without direct external 1 Indigenous knowledge is not confined to indigenous peoples alone-all communities have developed their own body of knowledge over generations. help from donors or central governmcnt. I-low Box 1 did this happen? 'Traditional, local authorities re- lied on indigenous, CuIStOruarv laws to resolve In the Iganga district of Uganda, leveraging traditional knowl- edge systems with simple and appropriate modern commu- potential conflicts arising from compcting clains nications helped to dramatically reduce high maternal mor- to land by returrning rfugees and those who had tality rates. In the past, traditional care could not assist in complicated cases and the modern health service delivery settlc d the lands during the civil war. As a result, system reached less than half the population of the district. smol1 holders were able to quickly r,settie and To address the high mortality rates, local communities and tr officials built on the local traditional institutions to improve ,eun e farming and contribute to the growth the reach and impact of modern prenatal and maternal Iaricultral prodlcuoti. healthcare services. The local initiative used and leveraged agricultral productin. 2Xthe system known and trusted by Ugandan women-the tra- A 4t _ ota Food for \Work Program in Nepal, indig- ditional birth attendant (TBA). The project provided the TBAs nous knowledge . -with walkie-talkies to communicate with public health ser- edge has been a more effective agent vice workers from their outposts. This enabled the TBAs in of development than modern tcchnology. A do- remote areas to become the referral system to modern healthcare. In cases of complications or emergencies, the nor-assisted food distribution program was I- TBA could now call in the modern mobile unit or refer the curring major losses of food along the distribu- patient to the rural health center. As a result, maternal mor- tion hne. The project matiagers turned to the tality in the Iganga district reportedly declined by 50 percent uon line. The project managers turned to the in three years!' local community for solutions. It wvas jointiv dc- Musoke, M. (1999). 'The Challenge and Opportunities of termined that using local equipment (e.g., bul- Information and Communicaton Technologies (ICTs) in the Health lock carts), distributors, and community-based Sector" Prepared for the African Development Forum (ADF) '99; Makerere University, Kampala. supervisioni would be the most appropriate way 2 Meagher, P. Upadhyaya, K., to distributc the food in the local context. Hir- Wilkinson, B. (2000). ing local buddock carts in place of the covered trucks opcratcd by ci"--based companies provided additional Combating Rural Public Works Corruption: Food- income for rural communitics and improved transparency of the distribution process.2 for-Work Programs in Nepal" IRIS Center Work- In Scncgal, extcrnal partners had for years engaged the country authorities to abolish female genital ing Paper #239, College Park, Maryland. mutilation (FIGM), though with little success. Indigcnous knowledge and empowerment of commtUutv groups evcntually made a national impact. After attcnding an adult literacy course conducted by TOSTAN, 3 Easton, P. (1998 and 2001). a local NGO, a group of xvomen from a village called Malicounda decided to address the issue in their IK-Notes #3 'Senegalese Women RemakeTheirCul- commutunes. They convinced the traditional spiritual Icaders to jomi their campaign against the practice. ture" and IK Notes #31 WVithin twvo vcars tihesc empowered women liad conivinced sixteen neighboring communites to abolish the 'Malicounda-Bambara: The Sequel", The World practice. As a result of the growinag impact of the Malicounda initiative, by the end of 1999 the practce was Bank, Washington DC. declared illegal in Senegal. The Malicounda initiative has spread to other groups in the neighboring coun- tries xvhcrc already morc than 200 communities havc abolished F`GM. 4 While it may initially be more expensive to study and un- Indigenous institutions, indigenous appropriate techniology, and low-cost approaches can incrcase the derstand relevant IK prac- tices, the costs of develop- cfficienicy of developmelit programs because IK is a locally owned and managed resource.' Building on IK ment programs can be re- can be par 1-cularly effectivc in helping to reach the poor since IK is oftcn the onlv asset they conuol, and duced substantially where local means or community- certainly one with which thcy are verv familiar. Utilizing IK helps to increase the sustainabilitv of devclop- based resources (human and biophysical) can be uti- menit efforts because the IK integration process provides for mutual leariting and adaptation, whlich in turn lized. contributes to the empowerment of local communities. Sincc efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainabilitv arc key dcterinnants of the quality of development work, harnessing indigenous knowledge has a clcar devel- opment business casc. Early indications point to significanit improvements in development project quality if IK is leveraged With modern technologies. T'he example from an UNFPA-supported program in Uganda supports this proposition (Box 1). Building on IK systems also empowers local Box 2 communities. Empowerment, especially of the In India, the Wbild Bank-supported Sodic Lands Reclamation poor, is a core objective of most development Projectisafarmer-drivenefforttoincreasehouseholdincomes. efforts. The case from India (Box 2) shows how The major constraints were sodic soils, a result of inappropri- farn.ing communities were abletoleverageindate irrigation management and brown plant hoppers, which farming communities were able to leverage indig- often destroyed up to 50 percent of paddy and wheat crops. enous and global knowledge locally, and build a By combining local and modern knowledge, farmers applied gypsum, built contour bunds, leached the soil, started multi- network of practitioners that engaged the agri- cropping, green manuring, crop rotation and composting, and cultural administration and research in a dialogue reclaimed over 68,000 hectares of land belonging to 247,000 of partners. The empowerment of these com- families. They controlled brown plant hoppers with Neem' ex- tract, rice husk:and green manure. After five years, paddy and munities is demonstrated in the impact of their wheat yields and incomes had reportedly risen by 60 percent. efforts, the application of their own knowledge With World Bank support, farmers created a local farmers school to incorporate these practices into curriculum and out- to address a critical problem, and their effective reach work. Today, farmers train and advise fellow farmers, engagement of assistance from authorities and reaching over 7,200 households in 65 villages. Recognizing and incorporating IK has not only produced technical and eco- donors nomic results, but has helped to create a farmer-owned train- Building on such examples, several teams in the ing institution with tremendous credibility and outreach. \Vorld Bank now seek to leverage global and lo- The Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) has been used in India for centuries in a variety of applications related to human and animal cal knowledge svstems to adapt the design of treatments and as a means to control insect pest. Bank-supported projects and programs to local conditions. Eventually, more communities xvill shape their own agenda by actively participating in the development dialogue and enlhancing good gover- 5 The initial partners were nance from below Helping communities to value their own knowledge and, in turn, learning from it, CnforAmaCionSocietyDevel- enhances the Bank's own knowledge. The Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program operates opment in Africa ), IDRC, ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and within this context. WHO. The IK Program co- operates with other orga- nizations, including: The Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program of the World Bank's Africa Region tional Research and Advi- sory Networks) at Nuffic At the first Global Knowledge Conference in June 1997 in Toronto, government leaders and civil society (NethewandsOrganization groups urged the \NXorld Bank and other donors to learn from local communities. In concluding remarks to tion in Higher Education), the Conference, the Vice President of the WVorld Bank's African Region, supported a vision of global FAO, GM/CCD (Global knowledge partncrship that will be rcalized only when the poor participate as both users of and contribu- tion to Combat Oesertifica- tors to knowledge. tion), GTZ, IFAD, ILO, SDC. UNCED, WIPO, and numerous NGOs and Around the same time, results of client feedback surveys conducted by the \Vorld Bank in several African Os mainly in Afrca. countries indicated that country authorities and stakeholders wanted Bank staff to do better in adapting their highly regarded technical expertise to local conditions. The African Department of the \Vorld B responded to these challenges by launching the Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program in art nership with over a dozen organizations in 1998.i The IK Program has developed a number of instruments and services for the capture, dissemma _ v and application of these practices. These include: the creation of an IK database of over 200 indigeno practices; a monthly publication, "IK Notes," appearing in two international languages (English, French) and two local languages (\Volof, Swahili), with over 20,000 readers; and a multilingual website.6 The pro- gram has also helped IK Resource Centers in eight countries to improve their national and regional net- working capacity For example, Uganda received advisory and financial support to help draft a national Empowerment through Enablement Building on traditional knowledge systems e4LB ~~~~~~~~~~~I learn exchange hear engage listen connect Learning from communities Helping communities learn Mcolas Go.jestanm. The World Bank strategy for the integration of 1K into its national ermen will bc merged with scientific knowledge to Poverty Eradication Action Plrogram and grant fund- improve the sustainable use of the Lake Malawi Ba- ing to build capacity for the implementation of thc sin resources. In Eritrea, 1K practices in earlsy child- strategy. Other countrics have undertaken various hood care were studied for tleir eventual promo- activities to build on IK in agriculture, healthcare, tion and dissemination. In Kenva, Ethiopia and and education with the assistance of the IK Pro- Ghana, projects arc under way to promote medici- gram. In cooperation with other agencics (SDC and nal plants as an integral part of health-related IK to GM/CCD), local comnmunities have been supported provide alternative sources of income and to main- in sharing their IK through communitv-to-commu- tain and protect biodiversity. nty (C2_C) exchanges. The 1K Program has also The IK Program's role in these cases was to pro- brokered partnerships betwveen scientists, legal ex- vide methodological input, brokerage of knowledge perts, and IK practitioners to support scientific vali- or funding for targeted studies. 'Ilhe lessons of these dation of IK practices, and supported IK practitio- ners to form national or regional traditional knowl- lict th e inegrto fur ingtrearation 91 b~~~~lcate thc mttegratiori of IK durmi-g the preparation edge networks. of projects in the future. Tlhe IK Program promotes the integration of IK systems into \World Bank-supported programs. For Challenges ahead example, the Agricultural Research and Training Project (ARTI P II) in Uganda plans to explore the Considerable progress has been made in promoting use of IK in agriculture to make them part of their IK: recognition of indigenous knowledge is increas- outreach program. Practices include the use of small ingly becoming part of the development agenda; farm implements designed for the smaller cattle of national initiatives and policies are emerging; civil Uganda, such as the improved Ugandan plow. In the societv groups are forming a broad base of support; Ugandan National Agricultural Advisory Services local initatives are multplying; and the number of Program, a team interv,iewved communities anid farm- development projects and programs integrating IK ers to devise a performance monitorilng system based is increasing. Yet, some substantial challenges remain. on IK indicators. In Malawi, IK of farmers and fish- 4 Box 3. National IK Strategy in Uganda In July 1999, the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology-(UNCST) initiated a study supported by the World Bank, to explore the potential of utilizing IK in the agricul- ture and health sectors. This was the basis for a national workshop involving policy mak- ers, scientists, development practitioners, NGO and CBO representatives, traditional heal- ers, and farmers to draft a national strategy and framework for action. This was the gen- esis of the Kampala Declaration' on Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Development. The Declaration urges the government to support the development of IK and planners to include IK in the national planning process. The strategy is to be implemented in several ways, such as including IK in Uganda's Poverty Eradication and Action Plan (PEAP). The World Bank has provided an Institutional Development Fund (IDF) grant to support the development of a national Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and the incorporation of IK into the operations of the health and agriculture ministries. A Steering Committee moni- tors the implementation process. The National Agricultural Research Organization has drafted a plan to incorporate IK in its activities.' * First published in Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, Vol. 8/1 March 2000. ** National Agricultural Research Organization (2001). 'Integrating IK in Agricultural Research.' Workshop report, Entebbe. The priorities would be to: * encourage more countries to formulate and implement strate,gies for IK integration * enhance the capacity of national and regional 1K networks * promote the local exchange and adaptation of indigenous knowledge * identify innovative mechanisms to protect 1K in a wav that fosters the further development, promotion, valida- tion, and e-xchange of IK. The following examples may demonstrate how some of these challenges can be addressed: Efforts are already under way to support national strategies in Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to mainstream IK, supported by the IK Program and, in the case of Tanzania, in partnership with the FAO Links project. A global network of indigenous knowledge resource centers has emerged over the last ten years. Its members include academic institutions, NGOs, CBOs, and individuals engaged in the study, documen - tion, dissemination, and advocacy of indigenous knowledge. Regional networks are continuously emerin _Y1 such as PELUM, formed in some countries in East and Southern Africa to share and combine experince$, ____ skills, and kno wledge in smallholder agriculture. Active, efficient and member-driven networks can N;ee,, fective disseminators and advocates of IK. At the local level, the IK Program has helped to strengthen community-based institutions through facili- tating community-to-community exchanges (C2C). A pilot C2C exchange was recently conducted in South Africa supported by the \Vorld Bank in partnership with the Global Mechanism of the Convention to Combat Desertification. 3 Box 4. Local exchange and adaptation in South Africa The Rooibos tea-growing farmers of Wupperthal in the Westem Cape Province were successfully exporting their tea to Europe. An NGO, EMG thought that other tea-growing communities could benefit from their experience. In June 2000, over a dozen small- holder Rooibos tea-growing farmers of Suid Bokkeveld visited their neighbors for discussions on crop quality, processing and market- ing. The outcome: the visiting farmers went back to their commu- -chn%* ;dg-4 11nities, shared what they had learned, set up a farmers' co-opera- tive, improved their post-harvest processing and secured a $15,000 order from an European importer. -Altlhough IK has proven its validity over centuries there are areas xvhere scientific validation max' be required prior to the sharing of such IK practices beyond the original context and location. A case at hand is herbal medicine, wlhere validation could help to prov-ide assurances of safety and effectiveness (Box 5). These examples also demonstrate that functioning partnerships of a variety of stakeholders covering community-based organizations, NGOs, academia, the private sector, research, academia and government, and the donor institutions can significantly enhance the chances of success in the use of IK for develop- ment. This holds especially true for addressing the issue of intellectual property rights (IPR). WVTPO, a partner of the 1K Program, has taken the lead in a global discussioni and partnerships around the challenge of how to find innovative approaches to IPR as the} apply to indigenous knowledge. Innovative approaches are necessary because existing arrangements may not be applicable to the specif- ics of IK. 'I'he normal criteria for patenting a process do not exist with IK: 'l'raditional knowledge is preserved through oral tradition and demonstration rather than documentation; more often than not it emerges gradually rather than in distinct increments. Only in rare cases is an industrial process concerned; an individual inventor is unliklely to be identified. Some initiatives may help, such as encouragement to local communities to register traditional practices. Practical, cost-effective and "indigenous" examples of docu- mentation also exist. Other evolving forms of protection of IK include MIaterial Transfer Agreements (MilTA) involving the provision of material (resources or information) in exchange for monetarv or non- monetary benefits. Examples of fair and equitable benefit sharing betxveen users and custodians of tradi- tional knowledge can be found in several countries today (Box 6). Box 5. Traditional healers response to HIVIAIDS in Tanzania In Pangani District traditional healers have treated the opportunistic diseases of over 2000 HIV/AIDS patients, using medicinal plants. Some terminally ill patients have reportedly lived longer by five years. The regional hospital has dedicated a ward to these healers to treat and counsel patients. The IK Program supported an exchange of experiences between healers, people living with AIDS and staff working with patients with similar groups across the coun- try. A critical challenge is to leverage local and global knowledge systems to effectively re- solve development challenges. To facilitate this process, the IK Program brokered a partner- ship between the TANGAAIDS Working Group of Pangani, and the US National Institutes of Health to cooperate on the scientific validation of the efficacy of these herbal treatments.' Scheinman, D.: (2000) An Integrated Program for Developing Medicinal Plants: A Case Study from Tanga, Tanzania; Paper presented to Medicinal Plants Forum for Commonwealth Africa, Cape Town. 6 Box 6 In Cameroon, the US National Cancer Institute reportedly signed a contract with the government following the discovery of a forest plant species with a potential anti-AIDS chemical. Cameroon pro- vides plant samples in return for payments which are used for community development projects.' ^ Posey, D. and Dutfield G. (1996). 'Beyond Intellectual Property: Toward Traditional Resource Rights for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.' IDRC, Ottawa. Regional agrcements could also lead to cost effective forms of protection for local communities. For example, the 1996 Andean Pact adopted by Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, empowcrs the national authority and indigenous communities in each country, as the holders of traditional knoxvledge and resources, to grant prior informed consent in exchange for equitable returns. Howvever, the need to address the issue of IPR of IK should not prevent the development and implementation of IK initiatives that are beneficial for communities and the development process as a whole. Leveraging Knowledge Networks Researchers WHO/ World B ank Specialists n istry of Health PHC providers Doct_ Pharmacists Health Care CBOs/ NGOs Botanists Nicolas Gorjestani, The World Bank Conclusion L Indigenous knowledge is a critical factor for sustainable development. Empowerment of local comm ties is a prerequisite for the integration of IK in the development process. The integration of appropria e IK svstems into development programs has already contributed to efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainable development impact. IK, like any other knowledge, needs to be constantlyr used, challenged, and further adapted to the evolving local contexts. Supporting local and regional networks of traditional practitioncrs and community exchanges can help to disseminate useful and relevant IK and to enable communities to participate more actively in the development process. While innovative mechanisms for the protection of 7 1K need to be developed, manv indigenous knowledge practices can at the same time be integrated into local, national, regional, or even global development efforts. However, experience has showii that this cannot bc done bv onc institution alone. Therefore, partnerships are needed to support this process at all levels. Tlhe Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program of the World Bank will continue to cham- pion 1K and join others in theil efforts to harness indigenous knowledge for development in a process of contitiuous learning from local communities. Nlicolas Gorjestani is Chief Knowled,ge OJficer. Africa Region, The WF'orld Bank. This paper is based on a presentation made b y the author at the UjN2C.>1ID Conference onz Traditionial Know/edge in Geneva. November 1. 2000. The paper was completed after the Conference and in/cludes some additional material which has since become available. 1 he views expressed in this paper are en/irelj those of the author and should not be attribuited in asp manner to the IIrld Bank. to its a/i/iated oregani ations or to members of i/s Board of Exezcutive Directors or the cozutries the) represent. S