Application of knowledge management approaches and information and communication technologies to manage indigenous knowledge in the agricultural sector in selected districts of Tanzania
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Date
2009
Authors
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Publisher
University of KwaZulu-Natal
Abstract
This study investigated the extent to which knowledge management (KM) approaches and
information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to manage agricultural
indigenous knowledge (IK), and introduce relevant exogenous knowledge in some local
communities of Tanzania. The recognition and management of local practices do not only give
confidence to farmers that their knowledge and skills are valued, but also leads to the
preservation and continued use of their IK. Managing IK within and across communities can
help to enhance cross-cultural understanding and promote the cultural dimension of agricultural
development in the local communities.
The current state of managing agricultural IK and access to relevant exogenous knowledge in the
selected local communities in Tanzania was investigated. The study used mixed research
methods, where the qualitative approach was the dominant method. Both quantitative and
qualitative data were gathered simultaneously during a single phase of data collection. The
primary purpose was to gather qualitative data through the semi-structured interviews, focus
groups, non-participant observation, and participatory rural appraisal tools (information mapping
and linkage diagrams, and problem trees). The secondary purpose was to gather quantitative data
through closed questions which were embedded in the same semi-structured interviews. Both
qualitative and quantitative data analyses were kept separate, and then they were combined or
integrated into the meta-inferences. Some of the qualitative themes were also transformed into
counts, and these counts were compared with descriptive quantitative data. The study
participants included three categories of respondents: local communities (farmers and village
leaders), IK policy makers (institutions that deal with intellectual property policies in Tanzania),
and knowledge intennediaries (institutions that deal with agricultural KM activities in the rural
areas).
The findings indicated that KM approaches can be used to manage IK and appropriately
introduce exogenous knowledge in the local communities, and thus the integration of both
indigenous and exogenous knowledge can be feasible. The study findings showed that farmers
possessed an extensive base of agricultural IK. However, this knowledge was acquired,
ivdeveloped and shared within a small, weak and spontaneous network, and thus knowledge loss
was prevalent in the surveyed communities. Formal sources of knowledge mainly focused on
disseminating exogenous knowledge in the local communities, which showed the predominance
of the exogenous knowledge system over IK in the surveyed local communities. The study found
that most of the farmers’ knowledge was tacit and it was created and shared through human
interactions, and thus lack of ICTs did not constitute a barrier for KM practices in the rural areas.
The study findings showed that radio was the major ICT used to access exogenous and
indigenous knowledge in the local communities. There was low use of ICTs to share and
preserve agricultural IK in the local communities. Although there was a predominance of the
exogenous knowledge system over IK in the local communities, fanners applied IK gained from
tacit and explicit sources of knowledge in their fanning systems as compared to exogenous
knowledge in the surveyed communities. Farmers trusted their own knowledge since it did not
challenge their assumptions as would new knowledge from research institutions and universities.
Low use of exogenous knowledge on some farming aspects was attributed to the fact that few
knowledge intermediaries had identified and prioritized farmers’ knowledge and needs in the
local communities. Individual and collective interactions were already used to integrate farmers’
knowledge and exogenous knowledge in the local communities, however, they needed to be
strengthened through KM practices. The study findings showed that various factors determined
access to knowledge in the communities, which included ICTs, culture of a certain locality, trust,
status, context and space. The findings also showed that the lack of IK policy and existence of
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) that inadequately recognised and protected IK, limited
acquisition, sharing and preservation of IK in the surveyed communities in Tanzania.
The study concluded that unless KM approaches are applied, IK will continue to disappear, and
the rural fanners will have nothing to rely on, for their farming practices. Since knowledge is the
collective expertise of everyone in the communities, this study recommends that KM practices
should be embedded in the community, private and public agricultural actors and other
government and private institutions as they currently function in the local communities. The
government and private agricultural actors should foster the KM practices in the local
communities by engaging the community leaders and rural people in the whole process. Since
VIK is site-specific, it can therefore seldom be scaled up without an adaptation, however it can be
used to stimulate experimentation and innovation in other communities. With this view, this
study recommends that knowledge should not be separated from the individuals who possess it,
instead efforts should be made to enable the communities to manage their own knowledge, and
to adapt other knowledge systems to suit their local context for effective KM practices.
Indigenous knowledge would be effectively managed and integrated with exogenous knowledge
if the government ensures that there are policies and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) that
recognise and protect the existing knowledge in the country. These policies may include sectoral
policies that deal with IK, rural development, agriculture, ICTs, education issues and various
other issues. These policies should comprise the following: (i) a shared definition of and vision
for KM in the country; (ii) the clear goals/strategies for the innovation initiatives to take place in
the rural areas; and (iii) guidance with regard to prioritizing, deciding upon, and taking action to
institutionalize KM processes in the rural areas with linkages to gender perspectives. Issues
related to the capacity building, culture, content, infrastructure, and leadership should be
addressed at this level for effective implementation of KM services in the rural areas. This will
enable the communities and agricultural actors (such as research, extension, NGOs, libraries) to
establish KM practices and a culture that is conducive for KM activities in their localities.
Further, the study recommends that public and private institutions, knowledge intermediaries
(such as research, extension, NGOs, libraries) and village leaders should be involved in the KM
practices in the rural areas, and they should ensure that there is a committed leadership for KM
activities, knowledge culture, appropriate ICTs, favourable context and space, and mapping to
locate knowledge bearers and knowledge resources in the rural areas. However, the absence of
ICTs should not constitute a barrier for KM and knowledge integration processes, since the
findings showed that communities are more likely to understand, acquire and use knowledge that
is shared through indigenous communication channels which are oral in nature rather than other
approaches such as ICTs.
Description
PhD-Thesis
Keywords
Information and communication technologies, Indigenous knowledge, Knowledge management, Agricultural sector