ik in ethiopia

7/29/2019 IK in Ethiopia

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Indigenous Knowledge in Ethiopia:The Untapped Resource

Tesfahun Fenta

Coordinator, PROLINNOVA-Ethiopia


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Knowledge

KNOWLEDGE is EXPERIENCE ,

EVRYTHING ELSE

IS INFORMATION

Albert EINSTEIN

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge (whether indigenous or non-indigenous) isassociated with practical experience and skill in solvinga particular problem while holding information does notnecessary endow one with solving a particular problem.


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Definition of IK

Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is the local knowledge. Knowledge

that is unique to a given culture or society. It is the basis for

local-level decision making in agriculture, health care, foodpreparation, education, natural resource management, and ahost of other activities in rural communities. (Warren 1991).

Source: World Bank Bulletin

1998


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Why IK?

IK can provide problem solving strategies for localcommunities, especially the poor.

Up to 2/3 of the world population depend on foods providedthrough IK of species and farming systems (RATI, 1994) e.g.90% of food in sub-Saharan Africa is produced usingcustomary farming system.

Learning from IK can improve understanding of localcommunities


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Why Contd

Understanding IK can increase responsiveness to clients

Building on local experiences, judgments and practices canincrease the impact of a development program beyond costeffective delivery of stages

Indigenous approach to development leads to sustainability

creating sense of ownership.

It can provide a building block for the empowerment of thepoor.


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IK and Innovation

Local innovation refers to the dynamics of indigenousknowledge, which is the knowledge that grows within a

social group, incorporating learning from own experienceover generations but also knowledge that was gained atsome time from other sources but has been completelyinternalized within the local ways of thinking and doing.

Local innovation is the process through which individuals

or groups discover or develop new and better: ways ofmanaging resources, building on and expanding theboundaries of their indigenous knowledge

Successful local innovations often involve new ways of

community organization, or new ways of stakeholderinteraction.


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IK and Bioprospecting

Global

119 drugs developed and on the market today 74% were

discovered from a pool of traditional herbal medicine. Annual world market for medicines derived from medicinal

plants discovered from indigenous peoples amount to US$43billion in 1985 (Rosey and Dutfield, 1990)

World wide sales of pharmaceuticals amounted to more thanUS$130 billion annually at the beginning of 1990's (RAFI, 1994)

The top 15 crops in the USA with annual sales of US 150 billion -originated in dev' countries. Many of the genetic resourcesnecessary to continually improve these products are obtainedfrom these countries (UNEP, 1998)


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Few examples of bio prospecting

No Plant Name Country oforigins Purpose Collected by

1Maytenusbuchananii

ShimbaHills,Kenya For treatingpancreatic cancer NCI,USA

2 Homalanthusnutans Samoa rainforest Anti-HIV compoundprostratin

3 AncistrocladusKorruplnsis Korup forestCameron

4Filipendulaulmaria(measowsweet)

Amazon forestBrazil

Aspirin Bayer

5 Prunis Africana West Africa For treating prostategland Plazer

6 Calophyllumlanigerum Rainforest ofSarawak HIv- inhaibitorycompounds Sengeta

7. Anrilusprosperusus Mongolia Against obesity Plazer


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Exchange of IK

Although IK is readily shared among members of acommunity, it is generally shared to a lesser degree acrosscommunities.

IK is predominantly tacit or embedded in practice andexperiences; it is most commonly exchanged throughpersonal communication and demonstration. From masterto apprentice, from parents to children from neighbor toneighbor.

Though some needs protection, it is good to exchange of

IK among communities taking in to consideration thecultural aspect.

If is also important that the research community beinterested focusing on some important IK for furtherresearch to improve and enrich them as appropriates to thecommunity


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Why Protecting IK?

Preserve Indigenous Knowledge

Increase awareness of its value Commercialize it, where appropriate with

equitable benefit sharing

Prevent from possible abuse

Conserve biodiversity


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IK in Ethiopia

Early Ethiopian Civilization serves as an evidence for theextent and rationality of indigenous knowledge

The domestication of certain crops like coffee, teff and ensetand the development of bench terrace system by the Konsonationalities are among important cases of achievements inagriculture

When farmers in many parts of the world were still practicingthe hoe-culture cultivation, the fact that the Ethiopian farmers

designed and practiced the traditional plow is a livingtestimony to the inventive and innovative capacity of thetraditional Ethiopia

The country with written language for over 2000 years ownsover 500 years old manuscripts, which deal with traditionalknowledge concerning public health and veterinary medicine


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Ethiopia: IK and Biodiversity

Genetic Resources of Ethiopia have served the world greatly.

Sources of valuable genes to crop improvement programs in

national and international efforts. Resistance in barley - BYDV

High lysine/protein genotypes in sorghum

Durum wheat

Borena Crossbred BYDV resistant barely was taken to USA and the country (USA)

generates 150 million US dollars per year to its farmers.

Veronoria sppuseful for the painting industry is used by USAchemical industries


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IK and Natural Resource Management

The terrain of the Konso area of Gamugofa is mountainousand stony, causing many hundreds of kilometers of ahighly developed dry stone contour bench terrace systems

to develop, to enable sustained agriculture The earth is cut away to form a vertical face, against which

a wall consisting of carefully selected stones, is built. Dueto the steepness of the terrain, the terraces are generallylevel, narrow and high; often about 2.5 meters wide and 1.5meters high.

The Konso nationality has won a prize for its effectiveindigenous practices of water and soil conservation at the50th Annversary of

Random bench terracing :In Northeast Shewa and theChercher mountains of Harerge,

Contour Terraces of the Hararge Highlands


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IK and Health

If is estimated that over one-third of the

worlds population locks regular accessto affordable essential drugs (UNCTAD,2002)

For these people, modern medicine is

never likely to be a realistic treatmentoption. In contract, traditional medicine iswidely available and affordable.

Many local and traditional communities inEthiopia conserve rare medicinal plants in


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IK and Ethno veterinary

Due to inadequate modern veterinary services in Ethiopia andits inaccessibility in most parts of the country, large proportionof the countrys livestock owners heavily depend on traditional

healers and herbalists. The local practitioners of traditional veterinary medicine are

the first contact of people even the modern veterinary careservice is available.

Traditional veterinary practices include Mechanical /Physical,Pharmacological, Surgical, Rituals and managerial methods of

treatment. In Southern Ethiopia: Black /eg:- Cut open the infected part with knife and then

brand the wound with a hot sickle. Pasteusellosis:- direct the smoke of burning eucalyptus leaves

and of croton tree around the infected animal.


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IK and Ethno veterinary

Being the leading country in Africa with its cattle populationtraditional animal husbandry and veterinary practices arewidely practiced and provide a substantial animal health care.

Due to inadequate modern veterinary services in Ethiopia andits inaccessibility in most parts of the country, large proportionof the countrys livestock owners heavily depend on traditionalhealers and herbalists.

The local practitioners of traditional veterinary medicine arethe first contact of people even the modern veterinary care

service is available. Traditional veterinary practices include Mechanical /Physical,

Pharmacological, Surgical, Rituals and managerial methods oftreatment. In Southern Ethiopia:

Black /eg:- Cut open the infected part with knife and thenbrand the wound with a hot sickle.

Pasteusellosis:- direct the smoke of burning eucalyptus leavesand of croton tree around the infected animal.


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International Experiences

National Innovation Foundation of India (NIF) If is an autonomous scientific society set up in March 2000, by

Department of S & T of India. It is committed to make India innovative by documenting,adding value, protecting IPRs, disseminating on commercial aswell as non- commercial basis, contemporary unaidedtechnological innovations as well as outstanding examples ofTraditional Knowledge

Honey Bee Network NIF functions

Scouting and documentation Value addition & product development Enterprise & Business Development IPRs Management

Dissemination& IT


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International Contd

Achievements

Scouted 15,000 entries comprising of mechanicalinnovation and outstanding TraditionalKnowledge practices.

Awarded- 98 innovators & outs tendingTraditional Knowledge holder

Honored by the president of India.


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International Contd

Traditional medicine in Tanga Today

For centuries, traditional healers have been the main providersof primary health care in Africa.

To day, healers in Africa, especially in Tanga, carry the burdenof care for treating people with HIV/AIDS.

In Tanga, the Tanga AIDS Working Group. (TAWG) situated inBombo Hospital, has been successfully collaborating withtraditional healers since 1990.

It is a promising partnership between the ancient and modernworld to combat HIV/AIDS.

Tanga District has approx. 670 traditional healers there is onehealer for every 343 residents of Tanga town.

In Tanga, TAWG has received international recognition for itsinnovative work and traditional healers.


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International Contd

It has received support from OXFAM, World Bank USAID

Bio-medical personnel soon observed that patients treated

with waziris three plants generally had improvedappetites, gained weight, suffered from fewer and lesssevere opportunistic infections, and enjoyed improvedhealth and well being. The plant remedies soon becamethe hospitals standard HIV/AIDS treatment for patientswho preferred herbal medicine.

TAWGs work is an outstanding example of how positiveresults can be achieved in the fight against AIDS bysynergistically combining local expertise, indigenousknowledge, and modern health workers to provide effectivelow cost treatment for people living with AIDS


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Brief Note on IK in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia some scattered efforts have been made torecord and document IK.

Farm Africa, Agri Service Ethiopia, Ministry of Agriculture(1988), and Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineers haveattempted to record and document indigenous knowledgeand practices in their respective field of interest.

A World Bank supported project entitled conservation andsustainable use of medicinal plants is being undertaken byInstitute of Biodiversity Conservation and Research.(IBCR) in collaboration with various R&D institutions.Summary of IK related activities undertaken


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Conservation and Sustainable use of

Medicinal Plants

It is a World Bank supported project aimed at initiatingsupport for conservation, management and sustainableutilization of medicinal plants for human and livestockhealthcare in Ethiopia

The project's specific objectives are to: strengthen institutional capacity identify and document indigenous medicinal plants

used for the treatment of major human diseases andlivestock diseases with emphasis on the following three

namely tapeworm infections, mastitis anddermatophilosis develop a national medicinal plant database; support in-situ conservation and management and

initate ex-situcultivation of medicinal plants. The project commenced in October 2001,and is now

underway which is being coordinated by Institute ofBiodiversity Conservation (IBC)


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Local innovation: promotion,

documentation and sharing

It is being undertaken by Prolinnova-Ethiopia PROLINNOVA- Promotion of Local Innovation in

ecologicallyoriented agriculture and Natural ResourceManagement

It is a national network and partner of PROLINNOVA andhas a primary goal of enhancing the integration of farmer-led research and development approach

It focuses on promoting farmer innovation and localexperimentation, into the endeavors of relevant GOs,

NGOs, universities and research and developmentinstitutions

This promotion certainly will contribute towards therealization of ensuring food security, sustainable rurallivelihoods, poverty reduction and safeguarding theenvironment.


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Local innovation Contd

A steering group composed of state and non-state actorswhich oversees the activities of the platform (Prolinnova-

Ethiopia)

Agri-Service Ethiopia, as a secretariat and facilitator of themulti-stakeholder national platform carries out, amongother things, the financial administration, contractual

agreements, international representation etc

It has documented various local innovations developed byfarmers in different regions of the country


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Inventory of traditional crop protection

practices

It is undertaken by Agri Service Ethiopia aimed at scouting

the existing traditional pest control methods, verify theireffectiveness, restore the knowledge and promote thepractices in order to minimize crop losses and hazards ofpesticides as well as dependency on external inputs.

From 1991 until the end of 1999 a total of 3 seed, 12 field

and 8 storage treatments of crops as well as 6 controlmeasures of livestock parasites have been documented.


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Indigenous Processing Technologies

The national project on indigenous processingtechnologies in Ethiopia is developed by Ethiopian Societyof Chemical Engineers on the basis of recognizing the

importance of upgrading indigenous processingtechnologies in the country.

The project is developed as part of the first phase of theNational Project of indigenous processing technologieswhich is being supported by Local Research Grant which

being coordinated by ESTA

The project is aimed at developing the profile of existingindigenous processing technologies and identifying themost promising ones for further environment andprototype development.


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Indigenous Contd

The sectoral focus for the first phase activity is the foodand beverage processing sectors. The major activitiesinclude template development, profile preparation anddatabase development

Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineers (ESChE) inpartnership with relevant government agencies anddevelopment partners undertake the project.


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Indigenous Conservation Practices

Ethiopian farmers are known for their age- old soil andwater conservation practices.

The Konso Nationalities are the glaring evidence for asuccessful traditional conservation practices who wonFAO prize at its 50th anniversary.

The Ministry of Agriculture made an inventory of traditional

conservation practices in various parts of the country

The project made a detailed analysis of the different

practices. The information database plays a vital role inserving as spring board for hybridizing traditionalconservation practices with the modern ones


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Farmers Participatory Research Project

The major objective of this project is to assist the localfarmer by learning IK from the peasant himself andsynthesize modern knowledge in order solve the major

constraints of the community This approach is done initially by recording and

documenting IK practices of the locality. Then validatethem by discussing with farmers.

Option of hybridizing modern knowledge with IK will bedemonstrated with full participation of the farmers

This project is being carried out by Farm Africa in varioussites of Southern Ethiopia.

Farm Africa indicated its achievements on soil fertilitymanagement, rodent control, Enest landrace conservationand others.5


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Conclusion

In general, IK is still underutilized resource in thedevelopment process of Ethiopia. Special efforts are,

therefore, needed to understand, document and disseminateIK.

IK sharing networking shall be created to innovators sharetheir innovations and IK practices.

A national IK database needs to be established in published

and electronic formats.

IK and Innovations should be linked to the entrepreneurcommunity.

The establishment of a national technology incubation centeris very essential to enhance technology developmentcapacity of the country


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I thank you!

ik in ethiopia

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