FG-indigenous

From agknowledgeafrica ilriwikis

Focus Group session on Indigenous Knowledge - Listening to the Roots“Traditional Knowledge and Science Our Culture - Our Basis - Our Future.” Anke File:Invidation Focus Group Session on Indigenous Knowledge_rev.pdf

Organizers/ Focal Point(s)

● Session Chair: Ms. Anke Weisheit, (PhD Fellow, M.Sc, B.Sc. Eng.) Task force Member for the establishment, of the Institute Indigenous Knowledge (IIK) Faculty of Development Studies, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda, Tel: +256-772-888096 / +256-702-888096 Fax: +49-3212-1921970 (FAX to email), E-Mail : ankeweisheit@web.de, [ankweis@yahoo.com] Web: http://www.must.ac.ug/

● Co facilitator:  Process - Mr. Pete Cranston, Consultant

Some outputs

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Photos at: [[1]]


Aims of the session

The aim of the Focus group Discussion is to identify the potential of Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge System in Innovation in Agricultural and Rural Development Knowledge in Africa. - To Identify roles of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in Agriculture and Rural Development - To establish pathway of integration of IK in Agriculture and Rural Development interventions - To identify ways of institutionalizing IK in scientific research and academic training teaching - To address issues with Intellectual Property Rights and benefit sharing with IK Bearers and Communities

Process

1. Agenda for the session

The session duration is 90 min: 0 - 5 The session will start with a short introduction (skipped by large group) of the participants, 05 – 10 Presentation of the main objectives of the meeting and key note on Institute 05 – 35 6 short Presentations 35 – 50 Round 1 of World Café 50 – 65 Round 2 of World Café 65 – 80 Round 3 of World Café 80 – 90 Wrap up and what steps can we take taken to continue? (online group) 90 End of session and farewell ● During the session a participant list will be passed around to enable the participants to provide their contacts for sharing among the participants, receiving the proceedings and future networking. ● A wiki will be open for participants to register for future discussion online after the AgKnowledge Africa’ Share Fair Sharing Africa’s Agricultural and Rural Development Knowledge Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to develop a working paper as a final product to share beyond the event.

2. Knowledge Sharing technique used (if any): World Café Method of Knowledge Sharing

The Interactive part of the session will use the World Café Method of Knowledge Sharing (http://www.kstoolkit.org/The+World+Cafe) The World Café is a whole group interaction method focused on conversations. A Café Conversation is a creative process for leading collaborative dialogue, sharing knowledge and creating possibilities for action in groups of all sizes. The environment is set up like a café, with paper-covered tables for four.. People sit four to a table and hold a series of conversational rounds lasting from 20 minutes about one or more leading questions which are provided at the table. At the end of each round, one person remains at each table as the host, while the other three travels to separate tables. Table hosts welcome newcomers to their tables and share the essence of that table's conversation so far. The newcomers relate any conversational threads they are carrying -- and then the conversation continues, deepening as the round progresses.

Speakers/Talents

● Keynote: Indigenous Knowledge and Institutional Development for Integration of IK in Research for Development, Ms. Anke Weisheit, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST)Libraries as Centers for the Dissemination of Indigenous Knowledge – Ms. Helen Sheehy, Ms. Sylvia A. NyanaThe Pennsylvania State University (PSU) USA, email: hms2@psu.edu, [san17@psu.edu], Website: http:www.psu.eduTraditional ways and processes that knowledge is created and shared in Africa - Ms. Ednah Karamagi Akiiki, Busoga Rural Open Source & Development Initiative (BROSDI), Uganda - ednahkaramagi@brosdi.or.ug, Website: http:www.brosdi.or.ugIndigenous Knowledge in Utilization of Local Trees and Shrubs for Sustainable Livestock Production in Central Tanzania – Mr. John J. Werema Mahegere, Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), email: jmahegere@yahoo.com, Website: http:www.costech.or.tzFrom Radio-Research Gardens to Multi-Media Village Food Festivals: Mwana Alirenji Innovative Knowledge Sharing – Mr. Gladson Makowa, Story Workshop, email: gladson@storyworkshop.org, Website: http:www.storyworkshop.orgIntegrating Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Risk Management to Support Community Based Adaptation, - Dr. Luke Olang (ICPAC), IGAD Climate Prediction & Applications Centre (ICPAC), email: olanglk@yahoo.com, Website: http://www.icpac.net/

Brief Content:

Institutionalisation of IK - The Institute Indigenous Knowledge (IIK)

Anke Weisheit: Indigenous knowledge technologies and science are the root source and now contributing to the development a wide range of fields like Agriculture, Food Science, Health, Social Sciences, Construction, and Engineering.Centers of Excellence in the integration of Indigenous Knowledge (IIK) are their contribution to development not yet fully realized that such centers would contribute great to understand the vast traditional agricultural systems and finding methods to transform them to reach a wider development impact. The model aims of promoting the development of research, training and technologies regarding the past, present and future of Uganda’s indigenous knowledge systems.Its fundamental objectives include contributing to a better awareness and valuation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems with the aim to harness the potential of Indigenous Knowledge for socio-economic and political transformation. This will be by providing a conducive environment for research, training and innovation for IK technologies.

Libraries as Centers for the Dissemination of Indigenous Knowledge

Our session is divided into two parts:Helen Sheehy shares with attendees the scope of Penn State University Libraries’ newly acquired collection from the Center for Indigenous Knowledge for Agriculture and Rural Development (CIKARD). The intent is to digitize and make the collection universally accessible. And, she explores opportunities for additional partnerships with academic and educational institutions around the world to create a truly global collection of accessible indigenous knowledge resources.Sylvia Nyana explores the use and maintenance of oral tradition within a library system as a tool in the provision of information to reach communities where knowledge and information are communicated orally. Suggests a library system that is sustainable and compatible with oral tradition, and thus explores the following questions: (1) Are library collections and services patterned after Western culture and information needs (print, etc.) relevant to communities where knowledge and information are communicated orally; and (2) How can librarians/libraries be better trained to meet the information needs of communities where knowledge and information are communicated orally?

Traditional ways and processes that knowledge is created and shared in Africa

Ms. Ednah Karamagi Akiiki, Experience in building and working with farmers in the CELAC Project has taught us that local agricultural content can be created either as a result of “necessity is the mother of creation” and/or through experience passed on by parents and grandparents. This content is disseminated using both modern and traditional methods. Traditional ones include Village horns; Music dance and drama; Portable notice boards using Trees and Sacks; Meetings at either the Village Local Council or Village Forums. The CELAC Project aims at improving rural farmers’ livelihoods through enabling food security by engaging government, private sector, and civil society in knowledge sharing and information management of agricultural local content using ICT.

From Radio-Research Gardens to Multi-Media Village Food Festivals: Mwana Alirenji Innovative Knowledge Sharing

Gladson Makowa: (Video presentation) The video highlights the process which Mwana Alirenji project a village go through up to food whole food festivals. Mwana Alirenji the project started as a radio programme but has been including other aspects like radio-research gardens and low literacy illustrations in 2003, and finally matured to a Multi-media community project in 2007. The Mwana Alirenji a full multi-media project continues to inspire and benefited many people through the networking forum that it offers at village level. Irrigation, water harvesting using simple and appropriate technologies and use off manure are some of the popular messages. As the title of the programmes depicts food self-sufficient crop and food diversification is the major messages as to adopt and mitigate climate change effect. The problem which may also be strength is that we are solely a communication project so in some cases the motivated people need some external inputs which they cannot afford that time we do not provide. Because we encourage self-reliance partnering with an lost loans inputs providing projects to help those who cannot afford but are motivated remains the best way forward.

Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Risk Management to Support Community Based Adaptation

Dr. Luke Olang (ICPAC): To enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities to the negative impacts of climate variability and adapt to climate change effects, there is the need to integrate Indigenous knowledge (IK) and modern-day climate risk management science. This presentation highlights the key experiences of the project currently being implemented by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) in collaboration with the Nganyi Community (core group), Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), National Museums of Kenya and the Great Lakes University, Kisumu in Kenya.

Indigenous Knowledge in Utilization of Local Trees Shrubs for Sustainable Livestock Production in Central Tanzania

John J. Werema Mahegere: Trees and shrubs are of value in agriculture as they directly or indirectly contribute to crop and livestock production. They provide fodder to animals and replenish soil fertility. Similarly, they are useful to people when they provide wood for various purposes, when used in human and veterinary medicine and also for environmental conservation. The aim of this paper is to highlight the current state of knowledge on utilization of different local trees and shrubs among agropastoralists in the Dodoma and Singida regions, in the semi-arid zone of Central Tanzania

Notes

Leading questions: What are the areas of integration of IK at your workplace? How can IK be active content in future farmer's mind and actions? What can we do to conserve IK for its fair, ethical and active use by all? IK work is scattered and project based: How can we bring it together and permanent - ? May by institutionalisation?

What is a Focus group session? A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a concept. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members. In the Focus Group Session will be 4-6 short presentation of 3-5 minutes and then humble time for questions and comments. Guided questions will be provided to kick start the discussion.