Rural Poverty

Poverty is one of the major characteristics of underdeveloped, undeveloped and developing nation. Absence of any things which we are in need of is poverty. Definition of poverty does not only mean lack of sufficient incomes but lack of many other things like education, safe drinking water, political participation and so on. Poverty is a result of social phenomenon, which is the result of social and economic inequality.  

Poverty is the condition of lacking full access to fundamental human needs such as food, shelter and safe drinking water. Poverty is a condition measured only in terms of living standard and resources of a given society at a particular time. Poverty is not only lack of basic needs but lack of anything which we need is poverty. So, poverty is not only cause by low revenue. Deforestation, intensive farming are some of the environmental factors that cause poverty. 

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Indigenous Technologies in Nepal

Indigenous people in Nepal are practicing variety of simple local technologies that have been developed from their long term traditional knowledge and experiences. The concept indigenous denotes that they are locally generated within an existing cultural and social tradition using local tools and knowledge.

In Earlier writings it has been suggested that local indigenous technologies are sustainable, practical, maintainable and equitable. The reason behind was that those technologies have the following characteristics:

v  Low capital inputs

v  Can be maintained by existing organizations

v  Closely adapted to local physical environment

v  Fit existing systems of ownership, obligation and authority

Indigenous knowledge and technologies that can be found in different sectors, such as transportation, agriculture etc. are considered as wealth of Nepal. Such technologies have helped to enhance the self-reliance of rural peoples, particularly rural farmers. 

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Local Appropriate Technology – Nepal’s Experience with both Technology

Appropriate technology is the technology that is designed with special consideration to the environmental, cultural aspects of the community. With these goals in mind, appropriate technology typically requires fewer resources. When a community solves their own problem on their own terms, they have a sense of control, and there is a strong likelihood that the solution will work with the guidance of an expert. Implemented technologies will be appropriate for their cultural values and lifestyles, will be made of materials that can be obtained locally. Building a mutual trust is the first step in the exploration of a problem. Once a trust is built, the community will be more willing to work alongside the outside workers to solve their problem in their way. When the problem is solved in a way that the community is comfortable with, there is a much greater likelihood that the technology will be used and will benefit the community.

Some more sectors where appropriate technologies have helped the rural people a lot in meeting their daily needs and provided the opportunities of income generating as well.

Some are as follows:

Electricity can be provided from solar cells, wind power or micro hydro, with energy stored in batteries. Bio diesel and straight vegetable oil can be appropriate and cheaper than fossil fuels.

Rocket stove improves fuel efficiency and reduces harmful indoor air pollution.

Appropriate technology in the context of Nepal has great significance because the country is not in a position to afford or to import high and erudite technologies. Therefore, technologies that are made of using the traditional knowledge, experiments and with the locally available resources are useful for the rural people. In Nepal, various appropriate technologies have been established and endorsed by different organizations. Some of them are: sudhariyeko chulo (improved cooking stoves (ICS), pani ghatta (watermills), biogas, solar PV systems and solar thermal energy devices such as solar dryer, solar cooker, solar water heater, passive solar heating, etc. The advantage of appropriate technology in a developing country like Nepal are manifold. Due to lack of proper infrastructure and financial constraints in investment in science and technology, it may play an important role in solving contemporary development challenges.

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Traditional knowledge of resource management

Traditional knowledge in general sense is handed down knowledge from the old generation to new generation. It is an old knowledge and often may be transferred through oral form. Traditional knowledge implies the static and low level of change. Local villagers’ perceptions and their control and management of common properties and natural resources. The culture is defined as obtained acquaintance that people use to interpret experience and to generate social behaviour.  The traditional knowledge of the communities passed down orally. 

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Rural People’s Knowledge

Rural people’s knowledge has been developed based on the long experiences. Their knowledge is very helpful in agricultural practices and in conversation of natural resources. Rural people’s knowledge and modern scientific knowledge are complementary in their strengths and weaknesses. In this way, modern scientific and sophisticated knowledge is disseminating to inform and uplift the rural masses. For the rural poorer people, exotic cattle are usually either impossible or unattractive as investments. Rural people’s knowledge has been variously described as people’s science, ethno science, folk ecology and village science. Local knowledge is tempting for its simplicity. Knowledge of the observable environment is also often very detailed. A strength of rural people’s knowledge is the faculties which maintain, extend, and correct it. Such rural knowledge is at the same time vulnerable and adaptable. Rural people’s knowledge can be underpinned and enhanced by a richness of discrimination.

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Indigenous Knowledge System and Development

Indigenous knowledge is unique to a particular culture and civilization. Indigenous knowledge as potential resource for rural community. Building on local knowledge, the basic component of any country’s information structure, is the first step to assemble such capital. Sharing knowledge with the poor is the most effective when we also solicit knowledge from them about their needs and circumstances. Indigenous knowledge is sometimes used to include the agricultural knowledge of local farmers or settler.

Indigenous knowledge and local knowledge are often used interchangeably. Indigenous knowledge is a long term knowledge. It has the predictability capacity. It has passed from generation to generation throughout human civilizations. They have acquired their knowledge and skills over many generations and have developed sophisticated methods for managing their environment and social relations. The indigenous knowledge is the local people’s knowledge and therefore this knowledge system can be used in resource management, systems of irrigation and drinking water control, appropriate energy development and pasture management.

Indigenous knowledge provides the basis for problem solving strategies for local societies, especially the poor. It represents a significant component of global knowledge on development issues. Indigenous knowledge is an underutilized resource in the development process. Understanding indigenous knowledge can increase receptiveness to consumers. Indigenous knowledge is an imperative part of the survives of the poor. It is an essential part of the local ecology. Indigenous knowledge is the ideal outcome of a successful transfer and dissemination. 

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Local Institutions Building for Sustainable Development

Local institutions are very helpful to organize the disadvantaged and dis-empowered to work for social justice and defensible development. If we reassure and sustenance organizations of local people, it enables them to play an answerable role in development with proper knowledge and utilization of the local resources.

In the community level, community based organizations are formed and developing as a self-governing institutions. They have been intensely functioning to know the goals of sustainable development in the community level by focusing on various ecological managements, monetary growth and community growth works by means of using participatory approaches of development. Local institutions helps to develop the capacity to plan and implement integrated local natural resources management. Local institutions helps to reduce the pressure on natural forests by operating income group deeds, saving and credit systems, private agroforestry systems, community plantation, etc.

Therefore we can say that indigenous people or community based institutions are as old as the community themselves. Indigenous institutions are mostly culture specific. All indigenous institutions are primarily community based and characterized by homogeneity in its composition in terms of ethnic groups. 

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