Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank

Concept Note

Programme
« Énergie
Environnement
Développement »

At
Definition and context:
Traditional or local knowledge is strongly tied to local culture. This type of knowledge is also referred to as
indigenous. All around the world, indigenous populations have lived in perfect harmony with nature. Over long
period of times these populations have acquired knowledge about the inner workings of their immediate
surroundings or environment. Accordingly, these populations have developed intimate knowledge on a wide
array of topics ranging from environmental, biophysical, economic and social issues to spiritual knowledge (S
and E, 2002). So much so that many authors refer to this type of knowledge as traditional knowledge
systems. In these systems, knowledge is being continuously acquired by men, women and children in a given
society or community. (Grenier,1998) and (McGregor, 2004) present traditional knowledge as a collective
memory that is conveyed with speech from generation to generation through songs or tales and also through
actions and observations. Otto (2008) defines local knowledge as knowledge outside of the formal scientific
realm held by local people in a specific geographic area.

Local knowledge is tied to a single culture or society and is gained through many years of community
experience conveyed from one generation to another. A local knowledge system encompasses local practices
as well as beliefs and moral value systems (Berkes, 1999).
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO, 2007), traditional knowledge Systems are
«knowledge that is generated, preserved and transmitted in a traditional and intergenerational context, which
is distinctively associated with a community which preserves and transmits it between generations and is an
integral to the cultural identity of the community which is recognized as holding the knowledge ».
(Easton, 2004) when giving ENDA’s perspective on education and local knowledge introduces three different
definitions:
- Local knowledge as an inheritance from the past ;
- Local knowledge as a representation of an alternative way of thinking typical of African cultures ;
- Local knowledge as a means to express what people know and create new knowledge from the
intersection of their capacities and development challenges.
In this project, the term « indigenous knowledge » is used in a broad sense to mean all knowledge that exist
and develop in a community located in a specific geographical area. However, this definition excludes modern
knowledge or knowledge acquired through external support structures.
Accordingly, this work goes beyond knowledge of indigenous people often considered as primitive people or
just an accumulation of traditional knowledge. But we focus on knowledge in patrimony through culture and
history used by local populations to adapt to climate change.

Enda TM / Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank

This project on “Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank” is being implemented in a context
where the international community is recognizing the contribution of local knowledge in the conservation of
resources and in sustainable development efforts. However, the main issue with this type of knowledge
stems from the fact that it’s orally transmitted from generation to generation. It is therefore subject to
weaknesses like any knowledge system that is based on oral transmittance. During the last two decades,
traditional knowledge systems have experienced renewed interest from researchers and development actors.
In this perspective the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) launched a program on local
knowledge in Eastern Africa in the early 90s.The World Bank has developed a program on local knowledge in
1998 and developed a database on local knowledge with many notes on indigenous knowledge (IK Notes)
that describe how local practices contribute to the development process. The IDRC has also conducted many
studies in this area such as the researchers guide on« Working with indigenous knowledge ». The 14/COP.2
decision was asking the secretary of the Convention on Desertification to make a compilation of documents
that deal with traditional knowledge. The recommendations should help attain a better integration of local
knowledge in National Action Plans. The United Nations Organization for Education; Science and Culture also
developed a database on best practices in indigenous knowledge.
The « Institute for Global Environmental Strategies » (IGES) has developed a package for deciders and
teachers that shows the importance of indigenous and local knowledge in the facilitation of adaptation to
climate change.
The Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating committee (IPACC) is a network of indigenous peoples’
organizations in African countries whose objective is to promote recognition of and respect for indigenous
people.
Many factors explain the focus on indigenous knowledge:
 The failure of some natural resource management policies based on a top-down approach where
local populations are not involved ;
 The existence of movements for the rights of indigenous populations to participate in the decision
making process for issues related to local development. This movements also prone the integration of
indigenous knowledge in sustainable development strategies;
 The awareness about the threat of the extinction of the very important local value system based on
indigenous knowledge and that contributes substantially to local development;
 The realization that indigenous and western knowledge are not in contradiction but are rather
complementary;
 The political will of some governments such as (Canada, Australia and the United States of America)
is to listen and to start a dialogue with local populations ;
 The possibility that local knowledge can contribute to local development strategies by taking into
account local circumstances, local potential, experiences and wisdom.
Enda TM / Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank
  The convention on Biological Diversity recognizes the value of local knowledge and resources and
invites parties to the convention to : subject to its national legislation, respect, preserve and maintain
knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional
lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their
wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations
and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of such
knowledge, innovations and practices (Article 8-j ) ;
 Increased importance is given to indigenous knowledge in social science research. Indigenous
knowledge is related to some of the tools used in social sciences such as interviews and focus
groups that help obtain qualitative information rather than quantitative data.;
 Gender issues that imply a deep knowledge of the roles and values assigned to women and men in
different cultures.
However, in spite of all the efforts made to put local indigenous knowledge to good use, there is a lack of
analytical studies on the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of local communities.

Justification:
“Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank” is a new project undertaken by ENDA to fill the gap
identified with respect to the previous approaches. It focuses on climate change vulnerability and adaptation
analysis in relation with local livelihoods.
It must develop an accessible database on local knowledge. It aims to show how indigenous local knowledge
can be integrated in the vulnerability and adaptation to climate change work. (Fernandez, 1994) when
speaking about the limits on non participative approaches to development work in the agricultural sector
shows how these models have made local farmers dependant on external support to solve local problems
and made them loose faith in their own problem solving capacity.
Since local communities have a heritage that can enable them to react when facing environmental
challenges, it is important to see how the « cultural capital » and « social capital » (Bourdieu, 1983) in addition
to the technical capital that we add here can be mobilized to manage vulnerability and develop climate
change adaptation strategies.
This project will build up on the experiences gained in the area of climate change (vulnerability and
adaptation), to combat desertification and sustainable development.
This process is to be understood in a context where we aim to valuate local indigenous knowledge and
develop strategies that can help Africa build up its adaptive capacity to the threats of climate change.
Some of the local knowledge have been forgotten, hidden or simply ignored even though they are very
valuable for mitigation and adaptation research efforts to achieve a sustainable socio-ecological development.

Enda TM / Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank

Objectives:
The main objective of the project is to identify, validate and valorise already existing local African knowledge
that are sometimes lost by communities that have used them in the past to survive, prosper and manage
socio-economical and environmental crisis.
Specific objectives of the project are to:
 Identify and understand the contribution of indigenous knowledge on adaptation and vulnerability;
 Promote the development of an operational database for development actors;
 Contribute to the integration of local knowledge in climate change adaptation strategies at different
level.

Methodological Approach:
To achieve the objectives, a robust method was defined. The method is based on four main activities: a
literature review and the associated concept note followed by data collection and processing and information
diffusion and finally the monitoring and evaluation of the overall process.

 Literature review and Conceptual note

The literature review enables us to gather all available information in the literature about local or
indigenous knowledge and its use to foster sustainable development;
- A concept note is available;
- A database of available literature on indigenous knowledge is developed and categorized according
the different economic sectors of activity (agriculture, fishing, cattle breeding, others).

 Data collection
Data collection is organized through identified NGO and CBO networks able to contribute to the
process. Consultations are held with the different ENDA entities to gain from their experiences and
knowledge.

Ongoing case studies at the ENDA« Energy, Environment, Development » program will also be used.
During field surveys, data collection tools such as interviews, focus groups, historical profiles and
stakeholder consultations will help evaluate the vulnerability and adaptation capacity of communities.
Three types of ecosystems (Arid/ semi- Arid, marine and coastal zones, river walleys and floodplains)
are chosen in order to analyze community practices to adapt to climate change and develop
sustainable livelihoods.

 Information processing and diffusion

Enda TM / Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank
 - All collected informations are processed and analyzed ;
- A tool for data entry and analysis is developed;
- Information is stored in a database and shared with interested parties ;
- A bilingual (English and French) knowledge exchange platform is developed and closely monitored ;
- Flyers,CDs and films are made ;
- Two activities reports are drafted ( midterm and final);
 Monitoring and Evaluation
A steering committee is created to give advices and to evaluate the implementation process.

Expected Results
 Indigenous knowledge has been identified and valorise;
 Local knowledge on adaptation and vulnerability have been integrated in sustainable
development strategies ;
 Adequate communication materials are developed and diffused.

Enda TM / Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank

Bibliography :
- Banque Mondiale (2004) : Les connaissances autochtones - Des approches locales pour un
développement global, 305 p.
- Banque Mondiale (2003) : Consolider les systèmes de savoirs traditionnels pour le développement,
Ik Notes N° 61 p.
- Berkes F. (1999): Sacred Ecology: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Resource Management.
Taylor Francis, xvi + 209p
- Bourdieu P. (1983) : "Ökonomisches Kapital, kulturelles Kapital, soziales Kapital" in Soziale
Ungleichheiten (Soziale Welt, Sonderheft 2), edited by Reinhard Kreckel. Goettingen: Otto Schartz &
Co. pp. 183-98. The article appears here in English translated by Richard Nice.
- Fernandez, P. G. (1994): « Indigenous seed practices for sustainable development », Indigenous
Knowledge and Development Monitor, vol. 2, no 2. Internet : http://www.nufficcs.nl/ciran/ikdm/.
- IGES (2004): Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Local and Indigenous Knowledge for
Adaptation to Climate Change. http://www.iges.or.jp/en/pub/eLearning/link/overview.htm
- ISDR (2008): Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction: Good practices and lessons
learned from Expérioences in the Asia – Pacific Region. 2008, 97 p.
- Louise Grenier (1998): Working with indigenous knowledge, a guide for Researchers, International
Development Research Centre, 82 p.
- McCorkle, C. A. (1989): « Towards a knowledge of local knowledge and its importance for
agriculture RD&E », Agriculture and Human Values, vol. 6, no 3, p. 4-11.
- McGregor D. (2004): Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Sustainable Development Towards Co-
existence, IDRC. http://www.idec:en:er-64525-201-Do_Topic.html
- OMPI (2007) : La protection des savoirs traditionnels additive au recueil d’observations écrites sur la
liste de questions. Comité Intergouvernemental de la propriété intellectuelle relative aux ressources
génétiques, aux savoirs traditionnels et aux Folklore. Genève du 03 au 12 juillet 2007, 14 p.
- PNUE. (1992) : Convention sur la Diversité Biologique. Version de juin 1992. 33 p
- UNCCD (2003): Promotion of Traditional Knowledge, a compilation of UNCCD documents and
reports from 1997 – 2003, 156 p.
- UNESCO. (2005) : Vers les sociétés du savoir, 222 p.
Sites:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/EXTINDKNOWLEDGE/0,,menuPK:
825562~pagePK:64168427~piPK:64168435~theSitePK:825547,00.html
http://www.worldbank.org/afr/ik/guidelines/
http://www.worldbank.org/afr/ik/datab.htm
http://www.unesco.org/most/bpindi.htm
Enda TM / Climate and development Indigenous Knowledge Bank