INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SET TO CONTRIBUTE TO INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA
WHAT IS INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE?
Indigenous knowledge is the local knowledge that is unique to a culture or society. This knowledge is passed from generation to generation, usually by word of mouth and cultural rituals, and has been the basis for agriculture, food preparation, health care, education, conservation and a wide range of other activities that sustain societies in many parts of the world. Indigenous people have a broad knowledge of how to live sustainably in their specific environment. Today, there is a grave risk that much indigenous knowledge is being lost and, along with it, valuable knowledge about ways of living sustainably.
WHAT ARE INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS?
Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) are bodies of knowledge, skills, teachings and beliefs produced locally by people in their specific cultural communities and environments to maintain and improve their livelihood. Indigenous knowledge is also known as community knowledge, traditional knowledge, and local knowledge.
WHY IS INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE IMPORTANT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?
Indigenous knowledge is not only important in its own right, but it is also important for the benefits it brings to the indigenous people who own and live it. In addition, people from around the world can learn lessons for living sustainably from indigenous knowledge. The recognition of the role of indigenous knowledge holders as contributors to the inclusive and sustainable development of their economies, through government policy or legislature, will halt multiple challenges faced by indigenous knowledge communities. These challenges include, amongst other, biopiracy, which refers to the illegal exploitation of indigenous knowledge by individuals or corporations, without the traditional knowledge holders benefitting, or getting any credit, recognition or compensation.
PROMOTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
Reaffirming its commitment to mainstream IKS in South Africa, the South African government envisages IKS as contributing towards sustainable economic development in the country and advancing its scientific competitive advantage. Through the National Research Foundation, the South African government has established a funding instrument to promote and support research to deepen our understanding of IKS, and its role in development of community life. While both applied and basic research is encouraged, the funding focuses on experimental
research that will lead to mutual benefits for both researchers and communities. The clear evidence of active participation and equal ownership of IKS practitioners and communities, where and as appropriate, in all research and development activities is a crucial feature of this instrument. Appropriately acknowledging those who contributed intellectually (i.e. knowledge holders/practitioners) as more than just subjects or informants is also important. It is therefore essential that indigenous communities must also exercise equal control over the research conducted or which uses their members as subjects of study. PAVING THE WAY FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE PRACTITIONERS In August 2019, the South African government signed into law the Protection, Promotion, Development and Management of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) Act, which has paved the way for indigenous knowledge holders to contribute and become part of the mainstream economy, using their own indigenous knowledge. The legislative act will ensure that indigenous knowledge is recorded and documented so that it can be protected and preserved. The implementation of the Act has seen a 13-member Steering Committee for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) of Indigenous Knowledge Practitioners being appointed by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (DSI), Dr Blade Nzimande. The committee will be responsible for the accreditation of institutions for RPL in African Traditional Medicines and facilitating the implementation of a Discipline of Competence (DoC) for the Traditional Health Practice domain, which will run as a pilot programme to develop and test competence norms and standards in a real-life setting. Minister Nzimande said that the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Policy (IKS Policy), adopted by Cabinet in
2004, created an enabling framework to stimulate and strengthen the contribution of indigenous knowledge to social and economic growth in South Africa. “The establishment of mechanisms to recognise areas of indigenous knowledge as professional disciplines with their own institutions, governance structures, and approaches to quality assurance is an important step towards affirming indigenous knowledge as a knowledge domain in its own right,” the Minister said. In congratulating the steering committee members, the DSI’s Chief Director: Science Missions, Prof Yonah Seleti, said the appointment of the steering committee members marked an historic moment. “With the signing into law of the Protection, Promotion, Development and Management of Indigenous Knowledge Act, we can consider the recognition of RPL of traditional healers as part of the legitimate landscape of this country. We have to tackle this responsibility cautiously and take ownership of it, because it propels us into a future that a few years ago was not thought possible,” said Prof Seleti.