Nicolas Gorjestani

1
X - Cutting Issues
Indigenous/Local Knowledge for Development
Nicolas Gorjestani Presentation to Action
Summit March, 9, 2000
2
VisionBalanced Flow of Knowledge
Networks
Local
Global
3
Key Issue

Enabling local communities to use their
indigenous knowledge for development
4
Indigenous Knowledge is . . .

• Embedded in Culture
• Critical Element of Global Knowledge
• Foundation for Human and Social Capital
• Gateway to Empowerment
• Key to Sustainable Development

5
Indigenous Knowledge must be
acknowledged and
used
? ? ? ?
preserved
shared
developed
6
Empowerment
Communities shape own development agenda by

• actively participating in the development
  dialogue
• determining research agendas
• transforming/ enhancing good governance
• integrating indigenous knowledge in development

7
Integrating IK into development programs
Case of Uganda

• Agricultural Research Training Project II
• focuses research activities on local practices
• disseminates successful IK practices
• National Strategy on Utilization of IK
• establishes national focal point for IK
• organizes national forum to draft IK policy

8
Access

• Helping local practitioners and communities
  to
• exchange knowledge of local practices
• build local knowledge networks
• engage authorities, researchers experts
• dialogue with development partners
• leverage local global knowledge

9
Empowerment through Enablement
Building on indigenous knowledge values
exchange engage connect Helping communities
learn

• learn
• hear
• listen
• Learning from communities

10
LeveragingKnowledge Networks
Uganda Case of traditional birth attendants

• Under RESCUER project in Iganga District
• PHCs partner with traditional birth attendants
• link attendants to health units thru
  walkie-talkies
• attendants serve as referral points
• more women receive health services
• Impact maternal deaths decline by 50 in 3 yrs

11
LeveragingKnowledge Networks
Uganda Case of traditional birth attendants

• Lesson
• appropriate technology can help to enable
  empower local practitioners to improve the
  quality of life

12
X - Cutting Issue
Enablement for Empowerment,
Strengthens local network capacity Leverage local
and global knowledge
Equitable Access
Facilitates exchange of local knowledge Access to
global knowledge
Promotes good Governance
Freedom to chose Participation in decision making
13
Agenda for GKP to
Address Support
Action

• community-to-community exchange
• local content development gt ICT
• national/ regional IK strategies policies
• development programs that build on IK
• venture funds for local innovators

14
Agenda for GKP to
Address Support
Action

• enhance capacity community-based IK centers
• community led research programs
• appropriate ICT to capture, exchange IK
• IK dissemination through local languages
• IPR issues of IK

15
How it could work
Case Building Local Networks through
Community-to-Community Exchange
16
From Recipients..
17
.to Participants
Share local practices
across communities
18
Networks of Local Practitioners
Farmers
Healers
Engage Exchange Learn Influence

Hunters
19
LeveragingKnowledge Networks
WHO/ World Bank Specialists
Researchers
Ministry of Health
PHC providers
Traditional Healers
Doctors
Pharmacists
Health Care CBOs/ NGOs
Botanists
20
Form a Local Knowledge Partnership in GKP ?
CBO/NGO
Governments
LKP

Development organizations
Private Sector