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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Rural Livelihood Diversity in Developing Countries

Livelihoods are also about creating and embracing new opportunities. A livelihood is considered to consist of the possessions, actions, and privileges that enable people to make a living. Possessions may consist of natural resources, aptitudes, information, assistance, and employment opportunities. It is important to realize that assets are not only natural resources, such as land-living, marine, fisheries, crystals, but they may also include social, political, human, physical and financial dimensions. Actions are things that people do to gain a living and these will usually be based on available assets. Activities may be based on acquired information and assistance, thus education and training has a prominent position in a sustainable livelihoods approach to sustainable development. Information and assistance may also be acquired through traditional, cultural processes. Entitlements refer to those things that people may rely upon because of legal or customary rights. It may include the mutual the mutual support structures that are often included with village life in many different cultures. It brings all relevant aspects of people’s lives and livelihoods into development.

Rural livelihood is defined as the process by which households construct a diverse portfolio of activities and social support capabilities for survival and in order to improve their standard of living. Having alternatives for income generation can make the difference between minimally viable livelihoods and destitution. The diversity of livelihoods is an important feature of rural survival but often overlooked by the architects of strategy. In this sense, diverse living systems are less susceptible than expanded ones. A livelihood is environmentally sustainable when it maintains or enhances the local and global assets in which livings depends. It may include the mutual the mutual support structures that are often included with village life in many different cultures. It brings all relevant aspects of people’s lives and livelihoods into development.

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Culture and Traditions in Development: Ethical Vision and Policy Directions

Traditions is rooted in any culture and it is very difficult to over pass those traditions during implementation of any development projects. Tradition is a part of a culture in society and hence to consider traditions and traditional knowledge while formulating development projects is essential. Traditions guide local people in every aspect of their life. Innovations, means to development, occur in every society, simpler or complex, primitive or advanced. Culture and traditions are major determinants of development. However, every culture and traditions do not help in development. Culture is one of the major factors that influence development.

The fundamental connection between culture and ethics is ethical considerations are product of particular cultures. Cultures fifer from society to society and also within a society. In a society people with different cultures live. So, when we make development projects and report it to the local people, it is difficult to access and predict the type of response our messages and actions will produce because our society is composed with multicultural people. Everyone has dignity and self-respect in their society and culture. Everyone wants some level of dignity, respect and a feeling of worth. It is our contention that an ethical stance gives this respect to every human beings. So, development workers must give worth this respect to every human beings.

All people have right to be equal and equal right to be different. All cultures have some similarities in their cultures. A complete and honest intercultural ethic grants similarities and recognizes differences. Culture essentially is a business of evolving values and norms in a free and open atmosphere. Hence, all groups of people having their own culture are to be integrated in the development process. 

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