2000年-世界发展银行全球_Indigenous_Knowledge_for_Development_Program___Two_Years_Down_the_Road_4页_648kb

IK Notes Summary

Core Content

The Indigenous Knowledge (IK) for Development Program is an initiative launched by the World Bank, in collaboration with other organizations such as UNESCO, ITU, and WIPO, under the auspices of the Partnership for Information and Communication Technology for Africa (PICTA). The program aims to integrate indigenous knowledge into development activities to enhance the effectiveness of development assistance, especially for the poor. It emphasizes a bottom-up approach, where local communities, NGOs, and civil society play a central role in shaping and implementing development strategies.

Main Objectives

• Mainstream indigenous knowledge into development activities
• Facilitate information exchange among indigenous communities, NGOs, governments, and the private sector
• Promote the recognition and use of indigenous knowledge in policy and project development
• Establish partnerships that support the application of IK in various development sectors

Key Achievements

Disseminating Information

• A database of indigenous knowledge and practices has been developed, containing over 100 case studies.
• These case studies are not a repository of knowledge but a referral database that highlights lessons learned from local communities.
• Topics include indigenous financial practices, AIDs prevention, local architecture, water resource management, and healing practices.
• The IK Notes series, published in three languages, reaches over 20,000 readers and documents locally driven solutions to sensitive issues such as female circumcision.
• The initiative supports home-grown, locally owned projects, which strengthen local institutions and lead to innovations in education and Koranic literacy in West Africa.

Facilitating Exchange

• The World Bank has supported the establishment of eight IK Resource Centers in Africa.
• These centers have enhanced information sharing through:
  • Research on IK practices in countries like Cameroon, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe
  • Improving telecommunications connectivity in Burkina Faso and Uganda
  • Creating rural community Telecenters that serve as platforms for knowledge exchange

Applying Indigenous Knowledge

• The initiative has successfully mainstreamed IK in development programs, such as:
  • Uganda: Formulation of a national policy on IK and the Kampala Declaration on IK for sustainable development
  • Ghana: Use of IK to improve agricultural practices
  • Burkina Faso: Highlighting the role of traditional hunters in natural resource management
• It has also started advising Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) on the use of IK in Agriculture, Research, and Training Projects (ARTP)
• The second phase of the ARTP (II) project supports long-term technology development and the dissemination of improved cultural practices, such as the improved Ugandan plow and Matoke management techniques to combat Sigatoka disease

Partnerships and Collaborations

• The initiative has built strong partnerships with NGOs, development organizations, and IK Centers
• Over 75% of the best practices shared online are contributed by these partners
• It has expanded beyond PICTA members, including WIPO in discussions on intellectual property rights (IPRs)
• Local communities are engaged through grassroots initiatives, enabling a two-way dialogue between traditional practitioners and government institutions

Next Steps

• Intensify efforts to integrate IK into the broader development process
• Increase donor involvement and participation in IK-related activities
• Establish communities of practice to facilitate interactive knowledge exchanges (e.g., through the Development Marketplace)
• Form local alliances around issues like IPRs to support enablement and empowerment

Conclusion

The IK for Development Initiative has made significant strides in promoting the use of indigenous knowledge in development activities. By supporting local initiatives, fostering partnerships, and encouraging the mainstreaming of IK, the program has demonstrated the potential of indigenous knowledge to improve lives and environments, especially in rural and under-resourced areas. The initiative continues to evolve and is expected to play a key role in shaping future development strategies in Africa and beyond.

IK Notes Audience

• Name
• Institution
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Contact Information

• Editor: IK Notes
• Knowledge and Learning Center
• Africa Region, World Bank
• 1818 H Street, N.W., Room J5-055
• Washington, D.C. 20433
• E-mail: pmohan@worldbank.org