their agricultural practices. Furthermore, how the knowledge was acquired and what
initiatives these communities were engaged in, in order to ensure that the knowledge
of their agricultural practices is preserved and shared within the communities. The
study also further probed how the usage of IKS has affected sustainable agriculture
by ensuring the preservation of natural resources to ensure the availability of such
resources in the future (the beneficial effect).
9.2
Aim and Objectives
The aim of the study was to decipher the impact of indigenous knowledge system on
sustainable agriculture in the selected communities of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan, Gauteng Province in South Africa. The specific objectives of this research
have been identified as follows:
• To contextualise the impact of IKS by defining and exploring related concepts;
• To define and systematically analyse the impact of IKS on sustainable agriculture;
• To describe and identify the challenges and issues faced in sustainable agriculture
in the selected rural communities in the City of Tshwane Municipality;
• To identify best practices in the utilisation of IKS to ensure food security through
sustainable agriculture in selected rural communities in the City of Tshwane
Municipality; and
• To identify ways in which indigenous knowledge and its practices and
innovations might enhance livelihood in a manner that is ecologically sustainable,
economically viable, and socially acceptable.
9.3
Research Methodology
Research is systematic, that is, it is the adoption of a coherent strategy or a set of
principles to study an issue of interest (Chilisa 2012). This process includes the
gathering of data in order to understand or explore the knowledge base in a particular
area or topic. Such a coherent strategy usually commences with the identification of
an area of interest to study; a review of the literature to develop further understanding
of the issue to be investigated; and the choice of a research design or strategy that
will inform the way the sampling of respondents is performed, the instruments for
data collection, the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the findings (Chilisa
2012).
9.3.1 Research Design
This study was based on IKS and how the identified communities in the City of
Tshwane Metropolitan interacted with the environment, with specific reference to
sustainable agriculture. In this research an approach to how IKS needs to be
investigated is defined which informed the decision to follow the qualitative research
188
J. Seko et al.
initiatives these communities were engaged in, in order to ensure that the knowledge
of their agricultural practices is preserved and shared within the communities. The
study also further probed how the usage of IKS has affected sustainable agriculture
by ensuring the preservation of natural resources to ensure the availability of such
resources in the future (the beneficial effect).
9.2
Aim and Objectives
The aim of the study was to decipher the impact of indigenous knowledge system on
sustainable agriculture in the selected communities of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan, Gauteng Province in South Africa. The specific objectives of this research
have been identified as follows:
• To contextualise the impact of IKS by defining and exploring related concepts;
• To define and systematically analyse the impact of IKS on sustainable agriculture;
• To describe and identify the challenges and issues faced in sustainable agriculture
in the selected rural communities in the City of Tshwane Municipality;
• To identify best practices in the utilisation of IKS to ensure food security through
sustainable agriculture in selected rural communities in the City of Tshwane
Municipality; and
• To identify ways in which indigenous knowledge and its practices and
innovations might enhance livelihood in a manner that is ecologically sustainable,
economically viable, and socially acceptable.
9.3
Research Methodology
Research is systematic, that is, it is the adoption of a coherent strategy or a set of
principles to study an issue of interest (Chilisa 2012). This process includes the
gathering of data in order to understand or explore the knowledge base in a particular
area or topic. Such a coherent strategy usually commences with the identification of
an area of interest to study; a review of the literature to develop further understanding
of the issue to be investigated; and the choice of a research design or strategy that
will inform the way the sampling of respondents is performed, the instruments for
data collection, the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the findings (Chilisa
2012).
9.3.1 Research Design
This study was based on IKS and how the identified communities in the City of
Tshwane Metropolitan interacted with the environment, with specific reference to
sustainable agriculture. In this research an approach to how IKS needs to be
investigated is defined which informed the decision to follow the qualitative research
188
J. Seko et al.