Indigenous Knowledge and Development
By Kristin Gilmore for the Chronicle
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Among the resources for indigenous peoples in the United Nations system is the Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program of the World Bank's Africa Region. The Program, which partners with over a dozen organizations, was launched in 1998 to respond to government leaders and civil society who had called for the Bank and other donors to learn from local communities at the first Global Knowledge Conference held in Toronto in June 1997.
Indigenous knowledge (IK) is local knowledge unique to every culture or society and is the basis for local decision-making and problem solving in areas including, but not limited to, agriculture, health care, food preparation, education and natural resource management. IK is tacit knowledge traditionally held by communities rather than individuals and is commonly embedded in community practices, institutions, relationships and rituals and therefore, difficult to codify.
According to the Program, the importance of such knowledge is fourfold. First, it provides problem-solving strategies for local communities, especially the poor. Historically, indigenous peoples have been the poorest and most excluded populations in the world. The Bank notes that there is often a high correlation between poverty and being indigenous.
Second, IK represents an important contribution to global development knowledge however; third, IK systems are endangered—at risk of becoming extinct. Research has documented the role of IK systems in sub-Saharan Africa, however there are "few known effective instruments and methods for the capture and dissemination of IK and local practices" the IK initiative has noted.
Finally, IK is relevant for the development process although it has heretofore been under-utilized. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank, has said that "indigenous knowledge is an integral part of the culture and history of a local community", and that "we need to learn from local communities to enrich the development process".
Recognizing that "indigenous knowledge is a critical factor for sustainable development", as Program Manager Nicolas Gorjestani has stated, the IK Program aims to integrate IK into Bank-financed operations, to mainstream IK in development, to build the capacity to facilitate IK exchanges, to collect and disseminate IK and to build partnerships. In the five years since its inception, the Program has achieved success in each of the aforementioned areas. For example, IK was integrated into a multi-sectoral AIDS project in Burundi, an agricultural research and training project in Uganda, and in the Lake Malawi Ecosystems Project.
Moreover, the IK Program has created a database of over 200 indigenous practices, developed a monthly publication "IK Notes" which appears in English, French, Wolof and Swahili and produced a multilingual website. However, according to Mr. Gorjestani there are "challenges ahead". As such, he has established priorities for the future including: encouraging "more countries to formulate and implement strategies for IK integration", enhancing "the capacity of national and regional IK networks", promoting "the local exchange and adaptation of indigenous knowledge" and identifying "innovative mechanisms to protect IK in a way that fosters the further development, promotion, validation, and exchange of IK".
The World Bank Group is also involved in other topics pertaining to indigenous peoples such as social inclusion, human rights, gender, biodiversity and bilingual education. Upcoming events include The First Global Summit on Indigenous Tourism in Ontario, Canada in August 2003 and the 4th International Conference and Exhibition on Traditional Medicine, 20 to 21 July 2004, in Dakar, Senegal with the theme "Traditional Healing and HIV/AIDS". More information on the Bank's work to "promote indigenous peoples' development and ensure that the development process fosters the full respect for the dignity, human rights and uniqueness of indigenous peoples" is available on its website.
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| Established on 1 July 1944 by a conference of 44 governments in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, the World Bank is composed of five organizations: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The Bank's mission is "To fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results; to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity, and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors; and to be an excellent institution able to attract, excite, and nurture diverse and committed staff with exceptional skills who know how to listen and learn". With 184 member States, the Bank is one of the world's largest sources of development assistance; in 2002 it provided $19.5 billion to developing countries and brought finance and/or technical expertise towards reducing poverty in more than 100 developing economies. |
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