unesco iaciu policy brief no. 2 english version

PROMOTING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS: PUTTING AFRICA IN THE LEAD 1

Institute for African Culture And International Understanding Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library

Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library

Institute for African Culture and International Understanding

Policy BriefNo. 2, January-March 2014

Promoting Indigenous Knowledge Systems: Putting Africa in the Lead

IACIU Policy Brief is a quarterly publication of the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, a UNESCO Category 2 Institute at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

The series of Policy Briefs is designed to meet the needs of policy-makers, culture experts and development specialists in addressing emerging issues on African culture and the promotion of international understanding within and outsidethe Africa region. The aim is to develop key messages to support evidence-informed policy-making. The Policy Briefs will synthesise existingresearch knowledge on a policy or practice issue of importance. They will address the questions: “What is the research evidence related to a given policy or practice and what policy recommendations follow from the evidence?”

Summary

In spite of the impressive economic performance of many African countries in the last few years and a bright forecast for the future, there is need to be cautiously optimistic of long-term gains. The dependence of many countries on natural resources to leverage economic development rather than on knowledge and human capital is adduced as reason for the cautionary note. There is a rueful reference to the magic of the performance of African economies being attributed to the abundance of finite natural resources especially oil and gas. The speculation is thick in the air that in a knowledge-driven global economy, the spike in the GDP growth of African countries will be a flash in the pan if thoughts are not steered in the direction of growing the economy through knowledge development. The commodity known as knowledge is built through education and training, a terrain where Africa parades dismal statistics. It has become urgent for Africa to rethink the delivery of education in quantity and quality and as we stressed in this Policy Brief, for attention to turn more forcefully to strengthening Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems which were the continent’s forte when it literally ruled the world. We provided the advantages of harnessing the power of indigenous knowledge and proposed a number of policy options to put Africa in the lead. It is our view that if indigenous knowledge is value-added, the GDP growth of African countries can witness an average annual increase of 0.2% over forecast figures in the coming years.

Introduction

At the close of the 20th century, it was fashionable to forecast that Africa will claim the 21st century. Beyond this trite statement and sloganeering, it is noteworthy that some efforts were invested in a direction that has now seen

African countries, within the first two decades of the century, record pat-on-the-back success stories in their economic growth. Ernst & Young in its 2013 Competitive Survey, reports that in spite of the negative impact of global economic crises, the size of the African economy has more than tripled since 2000. The continent also hold bright prospects, with many countries in Africa set to continue recording high economic growth levels in the future. The projected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth from 2012-2017 identify Malawi (7%), Mozambique (6.8%), Angola (6.5%), Ethiopia (6.3%) and Zambia (6.2%) as top five. The economic report cards of many Asian, European and North and South American countries pale in comparison with the economic performance of many countries in Africa.

Published by the Institute for African Culture And International UnderstandingOlusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Nigeria

ISSN : 2354-234X



There is a rueful reference to the magic of the performance of African economies being attributed to the abundance of finite natural resources especially oil and gas. The speculation is thick in the air that in a knowledge-driven global economy, the spike in the GDP growth of African countries will be a flash in the pan if thoughts are not steered in the direction of growing the economy through knowledge development. The commodity known as knowledge is built through education and training, a terrain where Africa parades dismal statistics. It has become urgent for Africa to rethink the delivery of education in quantity and quality and as we shall stress in this Policy Brief, for attention to turn more forcefully to strengthening Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems which were the continent’s forte when it literally ruled the world. The earliest humans who developed and deployed indigenous knowledge and skills were found in Africa. Up to about 500 AD, these indigenous peoples harnessed the power of such knowledge to improve the wellbeing of humanity. As Okebukola (2012) documented, some of the well-known contributions of ancient African science included one of the first intensive agricultural schemes in the Nile valley and along the delta of the Niger. Metallurgy, including the mining and smelting of copper was practised in Africa as far back as 4000 B.C. The system of hieroglyphic writing and the use of papyrus had African origin. The science of architecture also reached new heights with the pyramids. They were amazing accomplishments both in terms of construction and the mathematical and astronomical knowledge necessary to build and situate them. Between 3000 and 2500 B.C., calendar and numeration systems were developed and a carefully defined medical system was established under the guidance of Imhotep, an African physician and architect. The Egyptians were responsible for many medical innovations. In addition to developing an elaborate herbal tradition and many methods of clinical therapy, they also devised a code of medical ethics. Impressive artworks, building architecture and farming practices dot the landscape occupied by ancient inhabitants of the geographical area now known as Africa. During the Middle Ages, while Europe was experiencing a “dark” era and few scientific ideas were being presented, science and the pursuit of knowledge were not dormant. Incredible amounts of scientific knowledge and data were being gleaned, nurtured, expanded and stored in the African continent, and some of this information would later stimulate Europe to its “Renaissance.” In the seventeenth century Isaac Newton said: “If I have seen further than most men, it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants.” As Newton well knew, not all those giants were Europeans! Africa also featured scientific giants. In spite of this apparent early lead, Africa remains, today, in the back seat in science and technology development. Why this is so and how the slumbering giant in the sun could be awakened through re-invigorating its indigenous science and technology enterprises are the some of the over-arching issues that this Policy Brief will address. A definition of indigenous knowledge is a good way to begin.

What is Indigenous Knowledge?

The pot of definition of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) is populated by a diverse array of views, yet there are discernible commonalities. Ogunniyi (2013) regards indigenous knowledge systems as “a conglomeration of thought systems or worldviews that have evolved among various local communities over a considerable length of time. It is the product of human reflection, creativity and resourcefulness. It is the sum total of organised human interactions with nature and represented in various forms: verbal, graphic or written”. The community-based attribute of indigenous knowledge highlighted by Ogunniyi resonates in Serote’s (2012) definition- “IKS is accumulated

Is the spike in GDP growth of African countries a flash in the pan?

Re-invigorating the slumbering giant in the sun through indigenous knowledge systems



and organised knowledge which is used further to accumulate knowledge with the objective to create quality of life and to ensure a liveable world” In this Policy Brief, indigenous knowledge system is taken to mean “a corpus of raw, unpolluted, idiosyncratic knowledge, values and skills associated with indigenous peoples in a given community. It is the product of the process of viewing the world through the lens of such communities, a distillate of their understanding of how the world works and how such understanding can be deployed for their wellbeing, welfare and improved quality of life” (Okebukola, 2013). Down through the ages, the first settlers in a geographical location studied and took control of their environment in a way that addressed their everyday need for food, shelter, health, security and several other needs that assured some measure of good quality of life. The knowledge and skills acquired and refined over time by such indigenous peoples is indigenous knowledge. Farming practices including irrigation, planting techniques, storage and distribution of farm produce were based on such knowledge systems. Herbal treatment when ill; ingenious bone-setting techniques; organisation into cooperatives in banking and funds management; effective governance methodologies; conflict resolution mechanisms; as well as non-formal and information methods of educating children and adults were part of the conglomerate of indigenous knowledge systems. How is this form of knowledge different from others especially from what is often regarded as modern, western or explicit knowledge?

Indigenous (Tacit) Versus Western (Explicit) Knowledge

Indigenous knowledge which is part of the human repertoire of knowledge, goes by various synonyms- local-, traditional-, folk-, ethno- intangible and tacit- are some of the adjectival labels for some of the synonyms. Indigenous or tacit knowledge is created through individual experiences and immersed within the culture and traditions of individuals and communities. It is derived from acceptable mode of knowledge generation although it is erroneously lumped with superstition, magic and irrationalism and labelled primitive, pagan, outdated and barbaric. In contrast, western or scientific knowledge which comes with such labels as scientific, western, modern, eurocentric, tangible and explicit is derived from empiricism and scientific investigations which have testable and objective data as product. Its hallmark is verifiability. Tangible or explicit knowledge is recorded and codified and widely conveyed through formal language- textual or electronic. Tacit knowledge on the other hand is largely transmitted through oral history and hardly codified in a globally-intelligible form. It lives mainly in the memory of the beholder, unless transferred, it dies with the beholder. It is mostly rural, commonly practised among poor communities and hence marginalised (Ochalla, 2007). Indigenous knowledge is becoming increasingly recognised as a form of rational and reliable knowledge developed through generations of intimate contact by native peoples and its value is becoming appreciated by scientists, managers and policy makers (Onwu, 2012; Dei, 2013). For example, many western medical scientists have tapped into the huge resource of knowledge and skills in healthcare built over centuries by indigenous peoples. In a number of medical schools in Nigeria and South Africa, the curriculum includes training in local herbal medical practice and it is becoming less rare to see viable partnerships between traditional healers and western or orthodox medical practitioners in delivering healthcare (Amabeoku, (2013). We should turn attention next to describing the current situation with regard to indigenous knowledge and what Africa stands to gain by giving it greater visibility.

Meaning of indigenous knowledge

Differences and complimentarity of indigenous and modern knowledge systems



Situation Analysis: Why is Indigenous Knowledge Important to Africa?

Africa is home to many indigenous peoples. This implies existence of a rich corpus of valuable indigenous knowledge systems developed over centuries. At this time of turnaround of the socio-economic fortunes of the region, there is a need to tap into the potentials of such indigenous knowledge in catalysing development in order to maintain a steady rise and positive economic growth. Knowledge is also a social capital of the poor where most holders of indigenous knowledge reside. It is their main asset to invest in the march to extricate Africans from the jaws of poverty and hunger. Indigenous knowledge systems are important in food production, healthcare, governance, banking, shelter and for improving the quality of life especially of the rural poor. The skills, knowledge and attitudes associated with indigenous knowledge systems in Africa when shared, adapted and refined are known to sustain communities and bring about development. Some examples as listed by Ochalla (2007) are healing (e.g. alternative/traditional/herbal medicine; physical and mental fitness; the Maasai’s treatment of foot-and-mouth disease; the Fulani’s treatment of cattle ticks with Euphorbia plants); nutrition (e.g. vegetarian cuisine; the Hoodia stem/cactus used by San people to stave off hunger and control thirst on hunting trips); wealth, income and business (e.g. intellectual property, tourism, the informal sector or small, medium and micro-enterprises); education (e.g. customs, traditions, culture, language); entertainment (e.g. traditional music and dance); politics (conflict resolution through an indaba, baraza, imbizo, kgotla); and architecture and design (some wonderful African architecture exists in Egypt and South Africa; clothes/attire). Tourism in Africa is a huge revenue earner. It is promoted through products derived from the application of indigenous knowledge. In some cases, the products are so aesthetically, culturally and intellectually appealing that they are stolen by persons from other regions notably Europe and North America. Business and trade through tourism have created significant interest in indigenous food, arts and craft especially weaving, painting, dress, dance, sculpture and pottery. Significant growth has also been driven by pharmaceuticals through herbal medicines (Amabeoku, 2013). A study of the visibility given to indigenous knowledge in Africa shows three groups of countries - high, average and low (see Figure 1). The high-visibility countries have standalone policies on indigenous knowledge systems or high dose of provisions on indigenous knowledge in generic policies in at least four sectoral areas such as agriculture, arts and music, architecture, banking, community development, science and technology, medicine, poverty alleviation, politics, governance and religion. An average-visibility country has no standalone indigenous knowledge policy but has at least provisions in at two or three thematic areas. Low visibility has no standalone policy but provisions in one thematic area. The contributions of the different themes of indigenous knowledge systems have also been reported (see Okebukola, 2013). Indigenous knowledge relating to medicine and healthcare is the most patronised and actively studied followed by agriculture and food security and environmental conservation and management.

Benefits of indigenous knowledge

How African countries rank in giving visibility to indigenous knowledge systems



Poverty alleviation

Education

Science and technology

Housing

Banking

Community participation and governance

Environmental Conservation and management

Medicine and healthcare

Agricultural and food security

0 20 40 60 80 100

Fig. 1: Map showing visibility of indigenous knowledge policies in African countries

Fig. 2: Percentage contribution of indigenous knowledge thematic areas to development in Africa

Red- High; Purple- Average; White-low

Within the UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations Programme (MOST) database, more than half the practices (14) of the 27 best practices recorded all over the world, are set in Africa (Table 1). Next comes Asia (9), Latin America (3) and finally Europe (1). When updated to 2013, South Africa and many more African countries would have made appearance in the database of best practices.



Granaries in which indigenous grains such as millet and sorghum are stored until the next rainy season

Best

Practice

No. (2002)

08

02, 03, 04

09

01

05

10

06, 07

Country

Benin

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Cameroon

Ethiopia

Ghana

Kenya

Namibia

Niger

Nigeria

Senegal

Tanzania

Tunisia

Zimbabwe

Best Practice

No. (1999)

02

03

04

05

06, 07, 08, 09

02

10

11, 12

13, 14

Table 1: African entries in the UNESCO MOST Database of best practices in Indigenous knowledge

Source: UNESCO MOST (2003)



Yam barns in Eastern Nigeria where yams are stored after harvest to prevent spoilage as a result of excessive moisture or floods that usually rampage farms during rainy season

Baobab tree (left) and fruits (right). The leaves, fruits, and seeds are used as food. The dried fruit powder contains various nutrients: carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium and iron. It contains 50% more calcium than spinach, is high in antioxidants, and has three times the vitamin C of an orange. Trunks store 32,000 gallons of water.

Traditional bone setting in Nigeria



Socio-economic Benefits of Indigenous Knowledge to DevelopmentThe link between knowledge and development has long been established. Development is accentuated by increasing knowledge stock within a community since product and services which are elements of gross domestic product and development are distillates of knowledge. At the beginning of this century, the knowledge-development link has assumed greater strength on account of the emergence of the “knowledge economy”. Knowledge of whatever variant is the basis for producing new technologies used for improving agriculture, healthcare delivery, education, communication, transport, mass production of goods and services as well as for leisure. These add up to enhancing development at the community, national, regional and global levels. Indigenous knowledge is a component of this composite knowledge which on its own has proved to be a noteworthy contributor to development. Illustrating with a few examples, indigenous agricultural farming and irrigation practices have translated to improved yield as attested to by best practices from Kenya, Nigeria and Tunisia, documented in the UNESCO and World Bank indigenous knowledge databases. Indigenous techniques for storage of fruits, seeds and tubers have led to significant reduction in spoilage as reported in examples from Ethiopia and Nigeria in the database. In medicine and healthcare, reports from Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa have confirmed financial savings in the use of herbal medicines from local flora and fauna (Amabeoku, 2013; Shirungu & Cheikyoussef, 2013). Revenue from the

Table 2: Sample entries in the UNESCO MOST Database of best practices in Indigenous knowledge

Country Sample indigenous knowledge best practice(s)

Benin The promotion of non-conventional food resources: The case of

snail and mushroom production in Benin

Burkina Faso Zaï, an indigenous water harvesting and soil fertility management

practice in Burkina Faso

Pits for trees: How farmers in semi-arid Burkina Faso increase and

diversify plant biomass.

Ethiopia Daldal: dams to trap silt and water, an Irob innovation in

northern Ethiopia (soil and water conservation)

Kenya The use of locally produced clay pots modified for safe storage of

drinking water in the home–a component of CARE Kenya’s

Nyanza Healthy Water Project

Nigeria The making and use of traps for fishing in wetland ecosystems in

south-eastern Nigeria

Senegal Improving nutrition with Moringa ‘miracle’ trees in Senegal

Tunisia Women’s innovations (irrigation systems and poultry farming)rural

livelihood systems in arid areas of Tunisia

Innovators (water conservation and natural resource management) in

land husbandry in arid areas of Tunisia

Source: UNESCO MOST database (2003).

Indigenous knowledge has proved to be a noteworthy contributor to development



sale of local herbal remedies continues to hike ostensibly due to their potency and affordability to the poor. In the last ten years, the global quest for herbal remedies has risen exponentially, netting an estimated annual revenue of $43.2 billion. Africa and China have huge share of this revenue. In addition, the collateral benefit of improved health through the application of indigenous herbal treatment and surgeries is improved productivity engendered by healthier citizenry. In education, improved learning leading to better skilled persons to drive the wheel of development has been amply documented in the mother-tongue education literature. Use of the local language rather than English or other foreign languages or non-African languages is predisposing to knowledge and skills development especially at the basic education level. A solid grounding at this level is a recipe for improved performance at the post-basic and higher education levels. In turn, this will ensure the production of better quality graduates who will be building blocks of skilled high-level human resources for fast tracking development. Still on education, Gbamanja (2014), has underlined the importance of the use of local knowledge and improvisation of materials from local sources in boosting achievement of secondary school students in science and in winning more students for science. With African students doing better in science through direct and indirect contributions of indigenous knowledge, development in the region is poised for a significant boost. Indigenous architecture and housing are cheap and usually more energy efficient than western-styled housing. Aeration without the expensive use of air conditioners and the energy they consume is socio-economically beneficial to the largely rural population in Africa. Earthenware pots which are ingeniously constructed can cool water to temperatures fairly close to what a compressor-powered refrigerator can deliver. These are energy conserving devices which have positive impact on our environment and on decelerating global warming. Taken together, there is a positive gain in employment as a consequence of more vigorous application of indigenous knowledge in all sectors of the economy. Rural agriculture, indigenous science and technology, indigenous healthcare practices and others provide rich avenues for employment. Wiser harnessing of indigenous knowledge can be a potent pathway for reducing unemployment in Africa.

Forecast on the Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge to Gross Domestic Product of African CountriesBased on data gleaned from national budgets of 23 African countries from all sub-regions of the continent from 2008 to 2012 as well as actual and projected revenues from goods and services produced through application of indigenous knowledge systems, we compute an average annual increase of 0.2% in the GDP of Africa. However with every 10% increase in value-added of IKS, we forecast a 0.2 % rise in the average annual GDP growth rate (see figure 3). This underscores the need for African countries to give more prominence to harnessing the power of indigenous knowledge systems for development.

Through application of indigenous knowledge systems, we compute an average annual increase of 0.2% in the GDP of Africa



Recommendations and Policy Options

In order to propel Africa to a leading height in the league of regions on the development indicator, by taking full advantage of the power of indigenous knowledge systems, there are some policy options worth considering at the national and regional level. These are highlighted as follows:

Enactment/strengthening of national and regional policies on indigenous knowledge systems: In order to cohere the activities of all indigenous knowledge practitioners regardless of focal area such as agriculture, science and technology and healthcare, a comprehensive national and regional policy is imperative. A national policy which brings all provisions in separate policies in specialised sectors under one document roof will ensure pooling of resources and collaboration among all stakeholders, translating to efficient and effective indigenous knowledge practice. More than two-thirds of African countries lack such national policies. In most countries, there are of course, sprinkles of provisions on indigenous knowledge in policies and laws on agriculture, education, health, copyright, housing, science and technology and others. The success of the South African National Policy on Indigenous Knowledge assures that this model is an option worth adapting or adopting by other African countries. Where such national policies already exist, they are worth strengthening to ensure responsiveness to current, emerging and future challenges and needs. An Africa-wide regional policy is also needed.

Partnership for resource sharing: Within-country indigenous knowledge practitioners are often found to work in separate, independent niches although there are obvious common grounds on which to pitch their tents. Duplication of efforts, resources and strategies is a typical resultant. In turn, this translates to slowing down of research

Real GDP Growth

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

With IKS Value-Added

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Source: IACIU Projections

Fig. 3: 5-Year Moving Average Annual Projected GDP Growth

Key Policy Options

1. Policy to cohere the activities of all indigenous knowledge practitioners regardless of focal area such as agriculture, science and technology and healthcare at the national and regional level has become imperative.

2. National and regional partnership for IKS resource sharing and which supports research with cross-cutting themes and authorship, transcending national boundaries.

3. Policy to foster mapping, validation, codification and integration into other knowledge systems



and development which otherwise would have significantly elevated the profile and contributions of indigenous knowledge practices to national development. Intra-African partnership is even worse served. We, therefore, underscore the importance of national and regional action that will stimulate such partnerships. Policies that will support research with themes and authorship which cross-cut sectors and national boundaries is one way. Other ways are conduct of seminars, conferences and authorship of textual and journal materials which reflect viable and sustainable partnerships.

Mapping, Validation, Codification and Integration into other Knowledge Systems: For indigenous knowledge of African origin to be pushed to higher level of visibility and acceptability, national and regional action plans should be developed that will lead to its mapping, validation, codification and integration into other knowledge systems. A series of steps was proposed by the World Bank to achieve this goal. The first step is recognition and identification. This is followed by a second step of validation or affirmation by identifying its significance, relevance, reliability, functionality, effectiveness and transferability. The third step is codification, recording or documentation. The fourth step consists of the storage of indigenous knowledge for retrieval. This requires the creation and development of indigenous knowledge repositories requiring taxonomies, databases, recording, indexing and preservation for easy access and use. This is followed by dissemination. The knowledge is put to the test for acceptance and further validation with a view to development (World Bank, 1998). As Ocholla & Onyancha (2006) advised, these steps or processes are essential if the gap between indigenous knowledge and other forms of knowledge is to be closed.

Copyright protection and enforcement: For too long, indigenous knowledge practitioners have suffered from lack of copyright protection for their original works. Such works have fallen in the hands of persons who have patented and made fortunes from their illegal claim to the intellectual property of others. Where copyright laws on indigenous knowledge are non-existent or deficient, efforts should be made at the national and regional levels to put such laws in place or strengthen existing ones. Beyond enactment of such laws, the issue of enforcement is typically found to be weakly addressed. Consequently, the teeth of enforcement mechanism should be sharpened to assure deterrence to flouting laws which protect indigenous knowledge and related intellectual property.

Incorporation in curriculum of schools at all levels: Since complementarity has been established between indigenous and western-type knowledge systems and the huge value of indigenous knowledge to socio-economic development documented, national policies should be steered in the direction of incorporating indigenous knowledge into the curriculum of schools. All school subjects from mathematics through economics to medicine at all levels of the education systems should have some infusion of indigenous knowledge theory and practice. There are some exemplary practices in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa that others can model.

Research and Development: For maximum benefit to be derived from indigenous knowledge systems, there is a need for expanding their horizon through research. Outcomes of such research will open new vistas of understanding, improve current knowledge base, isolate deleterious elements to development and improve the status of indigenous relative to western knowledge. Breakthroughs in medicine especially cure for such diseases as cancer and HIV/AIDS as well as in science and technology may depend on the rigour of research on indigenous knowledge. Therefore, a key policy option relates to investing in and encouraging stakeholders to step up research and development on indigenous knowledge systems.

Key Policy Options- contd

4. . Copyright protection for original works of African indigenous knowledge practitioners. Where copyright laws on indigenous knowledge are non-existent or deficient, efforts should be made at the national and regional levels to put such laws in place or strengthen existing ones.

5. Incorporate indigenous knowledge into the curriculum of schools. All school subjects from mathematics through economics to medicine at all levels of the education systems should have some infusion of indigenous knowledge theory and practice.

6. Policy on research on indigenous knowledge systems should be enacted or strengthened. Its provision should include investing in and encouraging stakeholders to step up research which partners with western knowledge practitioners adopting scientific methodologies.



Tax relief for users of indigenous knowledge: A preponderance of indigenous knowledge practitioners and users of such knowledge systems are far from affluent, most are poor. Policy which provides tax relief when such knowledge is deployed for commercial production will encourage greater use and further development of indigenous knowledge.

National and regional exhibition and fairs: A potent way of encouraging and giving visibility to activities within the indigenous knowledge domain is to support the organisation of exhibition and fairs. Such events at the national and regional levels will showcase processes and products of indigenous knowledge and provide a platform where practitioners who may be unaware of what others are doing to see the output of other colleagues and partner to form a coalition of special interest groups.

National recognition and awards: At the national and regional levels, there should be a scheme for recognising outstanding contributions to indigenous knowledge development. South Africa has a thriving scheme- Indigenous Knowledge Holders. Also, the UNESCO Living Human Treasures programme has similar aims. This Institute- Institute for African Culture and International Understanding is currently implementing the programme in Kenya, Mozambique and Nigeria. Such national or regional recognitions will encourage those who have earned the awards to strive to do more and stimulate those who have not, to work towards earning national recognition through their activity in indigenous knowledge systems.

Concluding RemarksIn this Policy Brief, we rejoiced at the impressive economic performance of African countries within the global firmament of regions and stressed the need to be cautiously optimistic. The dependence of many African countries on natural resources rather than on knowledge and human resources to leverage economic development was adduced as reason for the cautionary note. We provided the advantages of harnessing the power of indigenous knowledge and proposed a number of policy options. It was our view that if indigenous knowledge is value-added, the GDP growth of African countries can witness an average annual increase of 0.2% in the coming years. If Africa is to claim the 21st century, there are several roadblocks to progress that will need to be dismantled. One of such roadblocks is the region’s relatively weak contribution to knowledge development. Since indigenous knowledge would appear to be an area of strength and one of its best feet, it makes intuitive sense for Africa to put its best foot forward by accelerating its development of indigenous knowledge systems and striving towards a complementarity with western knowledge. Of the more than ten thematic areas, the two most outstanding at this time are indigenous medicine and healthcare practices as well as agriculture and food security. Incidentally, these are aligned with two sectors with immense global challenges- health and agriculture. The world is groaning under huge health burden of such diseases as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, obesity and malaria that herbal medicines on parade in Africa have the potential of tackling only if better researched. World hunger has been predicted to rise in the coming years. Indigenous African agricultural practices when coupled with mechanisation of western technology and improved seedlings can help to diminish this doom. We conclude on the note that investment in indigenous knowledge systems in Africa will not solve all of the region’s developmental problem. We however affirm that such investment, as the little drops of water which make the mighty ocean, could translate to improved socio-economic standing of the region by a few notches in the years ahead.

Key Policy Options- contd

7. . Policy which provides tax relief when indigenous knowledge is deployed for commercial production should be enacted as it will encourage greater use and further development of such knowledge systems.

8. Support the organisation of exhibition and fairs. Such events at the national and regional levels will showcase processes and products of indigenous knowledge and provide a platform where practitioners who may be unaware of what others are doing to see the output of other colleagues and partner to form a coalition of special interest groups.

9. At the national and regional levels, there should be a scheme for recognising outstanding contributions to indigenous knowledge development.

Investment in indigenous knowledge systems in Africa will translate to improved socio-economic standing of the region by a few notches in the years ahead.



ReferencesAmabeoku, G.J. (2013). Integrating indigenous medicine into public health systems.

In M.B. Ogunniyi (Ed.). Proceedings of the Fourth international conference of the science and indigenous knowledge project. Cape Town: University of the Western Cape.

Dei, G.J. (2013). Indigenising the school curriculum: The case of African universities. In M.B. Ogunniyi (Ed.). Proceedings of the Fourth international conference of the science and indigenous knowledge project. Cape Town: University of the Western Cape.

Gbamanja, S.P.T. (2014). Nexus Between Science and Culture: A Panoramic View From Sierra Leone. Journal of African Culture and International Understanding, No. 7, 16-24.

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Ogunniyi, M.B. (2013). Harnessing indigenous knowledge systems in fostering quality education in Africa. Journal of African Culture and International Understanding, No. 5, 13-23.

Okebukola, P.A.O. (2012). Sustaining Indigenous Science and Technology Culture in Africa. Journal of African Culture and International Understanding, No. 1, 15-18.

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Shirungu, M., & Cheikyoussef, A. (2013). Discourses of ethno-botanical knowledge on mental illness in Kavango region northeastern part of Namibia. In M.B. Ogunniyi (Ed.). Proceedings of the Fourth international conference of the science and indigenous knowledge project. Cape Town: University of the Western Cape.

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World Bank (1998). Indigenous knowledge for development: A framework for action. http://www.world bank.org/afr/ik/ikrept.pdf. Accessed January 6, 2014.



About the Institute

The Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, a UNESCO Category 2 Institute of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State was approved by the Executive Board of UNESCO in October 2008 and formally commissioned at its OOPL site on January 9, 2009 by Koichiro Matsuura, the immediate-past Director-General of UNESCO. The Governing Board of the Centre chaired by HE Dr. Christopher Kolade, was inaugurated on March 4, 2009.

Vision

The vision of the Institute is “to increase inter-cultural dialogue and international understanding between Africa and other civilisations”.

Mission

The mission of the institute is to preserve Africa’s cultural heritage, promote and strengthen renaissance in African cultures both at the regional and international levels.

Aims of the Institute

The institute aims at:

• raising awareness among stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels about the important role played by cultural diversity and its corollary, intercultural dialogue, for social cohesion in pluralistic societies;

• facilitating the network of sister institutions working in these fields and inducing relevant academic and scientific studies;

• providing a platform of genuine cooperation for specialists in African culture;• providing capacity-building through the promotion of knowledge-sharing about

spiritual and other religious traditions and their underlying values in order to strengthen harmonious coexistence; and

• highlighting the values of diversity and dialogue by studying tangible and intangible heritage as well as contemporary cultural expressions in the African region and the Diaspora (through inventories and catalogues, including in digitised form, disseminating and exhibiting collections and other relevant materials).

Governing Board of the Institute

Chairman: His Excellency Dr. Christopher Kolade

Members: Ambassador Dr. Mary M. Khimulu, Ambassador Denise Houphouet-Boigny, Ambassador Mohamed Sameh Amr, Ambassador Dolana Msimang, Professor Hassana Alidou, (Director, UNESCO Regional Multisectoral Office for West Africa in Abuja); Mr. George Ufot (Representative of the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation), Magdalene Anene- Maidoh, Secretary-General, NATCOM-UNESCO, Professor Peter A. Okebukola; Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe.



SecretariatProfessor Peter A. Okebukola (Director), Omotayo Ikotun, Vitalis Ortese, Damian Oyibo, Oladiran Olaniyi, Ibukun Olagbemiro, Akintayo Peters, Tunde Sobola, Femi Jenrola Adebayo, Rotimi Ajayi.

Associate ExpertsProfessor Isaac Albert, Ayo Tella, Professor Gbenga Ogunmoyela, Professor Wole Ogundele, Dr. Anthony Onwumah.

Policy Brief CoordinatorProfessor Isaac Albert (Associate Expert)

Coordinator of Policy Brief No. 2Professor Peter A. Okebukola

Editor-in-ChiefProfessor Peter A. Okebukola

Editorial Office

Institute for African Culture and International UnderstandingOlusegun Obasanjo Presidential LibraryOke-mosan, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Tel: +2348022904423; +2348023400030

Website: www.iaciu-oopl.org

ISSN:2354-239X



About the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential LibraryThe Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the first of its kind in Africa, is located on an expansive 32-hectare

land in the historic town of Abeokuta, Nigeria. It has as mission: “To foster understanding of the life, career and

Presidential administration of Olusegun Obasanjo and through this exposition, promote the ideals of democracy,

good governance and leadership; facilitate critical reflection on best practices in public service; and provide a

clearer comprehension of developments in Nigeria, Africa, the Commonwealth and the rest of the world.” It has

as its focus the Presidential Library centre and museum, around which are built academic units with the core

mission of promoting human security in Africa, an international conference centre, amusement, recreational and

accommodation areas as well as other support facilities. It is designed to encourage patronage from international

scholars, conference organisers, as well as attract global tourism. Besides enhancing the socio-economic life

of its immediate location, its presence represents a positive contribution towards the international image of

Nigeria and of Africa and as an evergreen resource for inspiring the ideals of democracy and good governance.

Board of Trustees of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library

Co-Chair: H.E. Dr. Christopher Kolade and Hon Carl Masters

Chief Promoter: His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR

Members: Alhaji Ahmed Joda, Professor Akinlawon Mabogunje, Chief Olatunde Abudu, Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Chief Obafemi Olopade, Chief (Mrs) Chinyere Asika.

Secretary: Vitalis Ortese

©Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, OOPL, Abeokuta

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