9.5.1 The Contextualisation of IKS
The contextualisation of IKS was achieved by exploring the participants’ understanding and views of indigenous knowledge systems. In the data collection process,
there were various views on the understanding of the concept that identified
similarities and differences in how this knowledge system impacts on agricultural
practices. Indigenous knowledge is the local knowledge that is unique to a given
culture or society. It is the basis for local-level decision-making in agriculture, health
care, food preparation, education natural resources management, and a host of other
activities in rural communities (Warren 1991). The contextualisation of IKS
included how the knowledge was acquired and the understanding of the relationship
between the concept of sustainable agriculture and IKS.
In exploring the concept of IKS, it was imperative to indicate and establish the
participants understanding of IKS, which influenced the direction of the interaction
and observation process. The following is a descriptive summary of the definitions
of IKS provided by the participants:
• The application of indigenous knowledge in agricultural practices encourages the
utilisation of land and crops in its natural form without adding any artificial
chemicals.
• IKS is defined as knowledge that has been part of the community for generations
and it has transferred from one generation to the next through different sharing
tools and mechanisms like storytelling, and it is taught practically by the elderly
within families and close communities.
• IKS consists of knowledge that is formed from beliefs and cultural practices and
defines the manner in which communities and individuals act and behave towards
certain concepts and situations.
• The application of indigenous knowledge supports and encourages the use of
indigenous crops, which are locally grown and are not available in other
locations.
• IKS is the type of a knowledge base that encourages working with nature to
optimise the crop and livestock production rather than working against it and
utilises experiences on how people in the bygone years used to operate in
different sectors of life.
The identified commonality in the responses with regard to IKS was that IKS is a
generational type of knowledge which evolves over time that encourages the usage
of products in its natural form. This type of knowledge is normally transferred
through storytelling and practical experiences which can both be a benefit as
previously shown and a challenge in instances where the knowledgeable person is
no longer staying in the community. One of the highlights in the data capturing
sessions was there is a clear understanding of IKS and its relation to agriculture by
the younger generation farmers as well. The importance of utilising IKS was mostly
associated with using natural resources rather than utilising man-made chemicals in
fertilisation and pest management. One of the examples is using chillies, garlic, and
9 Assessing the Impact of Indigenous Knowledge Systems on Sustainable. . .
195
The contextualisation of IKS was achieved by exploring the participants’ understanding and views of indigenous knowledge systems. In the data collection process,
there were various views on the understanding of the concept that identified
similarities and differences in how this knowledge system impacts on agricultural
practices. Indigenous knowledge is the local knowledge that is unique to a given
culture or society. It is the basis for local-level decision-making in agriculture, health
care, food preparation, education natural resources management, and a host of other
activities in rural communities (Warren 1991). The contextualisation of IKS
included how the knowledge was acquired and the understanding of the relationship
between the concept of sustainable agriculture and IKS.
In exploring the concept of IKS, it was imperative to indicate and establish the
participants understanding of IKS, which influenced the direction of the interaction
and observation process. The following is a descriptive summary of the definitions
of IKS provided by the participants:
• The application of indigenous knowledge in agricultural practices encourages the
utilisation of land and crops in its natural form without adding any artificial
chemicals.
• IKS is defined as knowledge that has been part of the community for generations
and it has transferred from one generation to the next through different sharing
tools and mechanisms like storytelling, and it is taught practically by the elderly
within families and close communities.
• IKS consists of knowledge that is formed from beliefs and cultural practices and
defines the manner in which communities and individuals act and behave towards
certain concepts and situations.
• The application of indigenous knowledge supports and encourages the use of
indigenous crops, which are locally grown and are not available in other
locations.
• IKS is the type of a knowledge base that encourages working with nature to
optimise the crop and livestock production rather than working against it and
utilises experiences on how people in the bygone years used to operate in
different sectors of life.
The identified commonality in the responses with regard to IKS was that IKS is a
generational type of knowledge which evolves over time that encourages the usage
of products in its natural form. This type of knowledge is normally transferred
through storytelling and practical experiences which can both be a benefit as
previously shown and a challenge in instances where the knowledgeable person is
no longer staying in the community. One of the highlights in the data capturing
sessions was there is a clear understanding of IKS and its relation to agriculture by
the younger generation farmers as well. The importance of utilising IKS was mostly
associated with using natural resources rather than utilising man-made chemicals in
fertilisation and pest management. One of the examples is using chillies, garlic, and
9 Assessing the Impact of Indigenous Knowledge Systems on Sustainable. . .
195