knowledge sharing and idea exchange assisted in the growth of the agricultural
practice and innovation, by creating new methods or combining best practices from
different ideas. The sharing of knowledge and ideas enables the community to
expand in their agricultural practices and learn new methods of farming. The
respondents are members of forums and agricultural bodies which encourage regular
gathering and networking sessions. In these forums, sharing of knowledge is
encouraged, which ignites innovation in the field and makes work bearable and
find creative ways to increase the IKS database.
In summary, the application and choice to utilise IKS agricultural methods can be
viewed as situation dependent. Further, this is also dependent on the agricultural
model or approaches each farmer or practitioner preferred, it could be commercial
farming, subsistence farming, household gardens, or community farming. The
application of IKS in agricultural practices results in the enhancement of the
livelihood of the communities in a manner that is ecologically sustainable, economically viable, and socially acceptable. The study thus recommends that the sharing of
IKS and incorporating it with technology and modern agriculture can create a new
dynamic, agricultural practice that will benefit commercial farmers, community or
primary farmers, and households with functional gardens.
Acknowledgement The research team wishes to thank the Agricultural Research Council,
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), North West University,
and the selected communities from the City of Tshwane Metropolitan, Gauteng Province,
South Africa.
Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Web Links
http://www.arc.agric.za/arc-vopi/Pages/Plant%20Breeding/Indigenous-Vegetables.
aspx. Accessed 8 Nov 2019.
References
Aluma J (2004) Sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods: local knowledge innovations in
development. In: Indigenous knowledge: local pathways to global development. Knowledge
and learning group. The World Bank, Africa Region, pp 24–29. https://documents.worldbank.
org/curated/en/981551468340249344/pdf/307350ENGLISH0ik0local0pathways.pdf.
Accessed 1 June 2020
Babbie E, Mouton J (2001) The practice of social research. South African edition. Oxford
University Press, Cape Town
Briggs J (2013) Indigenous knowledge: a false dawn for development theory and practice? Prog
Dev Stud 13:231–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464993413486549
Brynard PA, Hanekom SX (2006) Introduction to research in management-related fields. Van
Schaik Publishers, Pretoria
9 Assessing the Impact of Indigenous Knowledge Systems on Sustainable. . .
207
practice and innovation, by creating new methods or combining best practices from
different ideas. The sharing of knowledge and ideas enables the community to
expand in their agricultural practices and learn new methods of farming. The
respondents are members of forums and agricultural bodies which encourage regular
gathering and networking sessions. In these forums, sharing of knowledge is
encouraged, which ignites innovation in the field and makes work bearable and
find creative ways to increase the IKS database.
In summary, the application and choice to utilise IKS agricultural methods can be
viewed as situation dependent. Further, this is also dependent on the agricultural
model or approaches each farmer or practitioner preferred, it could be commercial
farming, subsistence farming, household gardens, or community farming. The
application of IKS in agricultural practices results in the enhancement of the
livelihood of the communities in a manner that is ecologically sustainable, economically viable, and socially acceptable. The study thus recommends that the sharing of
IKS and incorporating it with technology and modern agriculture can create a new
dynamic, agricultural practice that will benefit commercial farmers, community or
primary farmers, and households with functional gardens.
Acknowledgement The research team wishes to thank the Agricultural Research Council,
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), North West University,
and the selected communities from the City of Tshwane Metropolitan, Gauteng Province,
South Africa.
Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Web Links
http://www.arc.agric.za/arc-vopi/Pages/Plant%20Breeding/Indigenous-Vegetables.
aspx. Accessed 8 Nov 2019.
References
Aluma J (2004) Sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods: local knowledge innovations in
development. In: Indigenous knowledge: local pathways to global development. Knowledge
and learning group. The World Bank, Africa Region, pp 24–29. https://documents.worldbank.
org/curated/en/981551468340249344/pdf/307350ENGLISH0ik0local0pathways.pdf.
Accessed 1 June 2020
Babbie E, Mouton J (2001) The practice of social research. South African edition. Oxford
University Press, Cape Town
Briggs J (2013) Indigenous knowledge: a false dawn for development theory and practice? Prog
Dev Stud 13:231–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464993413486549
Brynard PA, Hanekom SX (2006) Introduction to research in management-related fields. Van
Schaik Publishers, Pretoria
9 Assessing the Impact of Indigenous Knowledge Systems on Sustainable. . .
207