Information and Communication Technologies, Knowledge Management and Indigenous Knowledge

1. Information and Communication Technologies, Knowledge Management and Indigenous Knowledge Implications for Communities in Ethiopia

2. Agenda Information and communication technologies and IK Community structures for promoting IK systems in Ethiopia Knowledge Management and Indigenous Knowledge systems Best practices around the world Conclusion

3. What is indigenous knowledge? Profound, detailed and shared knowledge, beliefs and rules with regards to the physical resource, social norms, health, ecosystem, culture, livelihood of the people who interact with environment both in rural and urban settings Knowledge that forms basis for local level decision making in agriculture, health care, food preparation, education, natural resource management, and a host of other activities

4. Indigenous knowledge Dynamic and evolved from years of experience and trial-and-error problem solving by groups of people working in their environments drawing upon resources they have at hand Often shunned by modern scientific knowledge

5. What are some roles of the ICTs include telecommunications technologies such as telephony, cable, satellite and radio, as well as digital technologies, such as computers, information networks and software ICTs Enable capturing, storing and sharing of indigenous knowledge Support the incorporation of indigenous knowledge with modern scientific and technical knowledge Create easily accessible indigenous knowledge information systems Promote integration of indigenous knowledge in formal and non-formal training Provide a platform for advocating for improved benefit of the poor from their intellectual property rights and indigenous creators

6. Characteristics of IK that impact on ICTs IK is generated within communities IK is location and culture specific IK is part of the local ecosystem IK covers human and animal life, primary production, natural resource management (basic needs) Use of IK is cost-effective, sustainable and locally manageable IK is dynamic , innovative, adaptive and open for experimentation IK is oral and rural in nature IK is not systematically documented IK is not integrated into modern scientific and technical knowledge

7. Challenges in applying ICTs All IK does not require ICTs � can be captured on paper, books Knowledge holder often do not volunteer their knowledge IK databases and capturing process is laborious and time consuming Significant unresolved intellectual property issues and challenges especially if the traditional knowledge leads to corporate gains People who need IK may not have access to the technologies to make use of them Those who read IK or access to databases are biased towards modern knowledge Need to put in place and strengthen community structures that promote the flow of IK

8. Community Structures for IK - interface Recent practice focuses on the development of IK databases and encourage their use by target groups The model was not successful in many cases Important to encourage the flow and systematic gathering of IK through existing community structure such as �idir�, �iqub�, community resources centres, community libraries, etc. Less high-tech approach to IK by focusing on index of what works, where to find and whom to contact

9. Role of Libraries and IRCs Collecting, preserving and disseminate indigenous and local traditional knowledge Publicizing the value, contribution, and importance of indigenous and local traditional knowledge to both non-indigenous and indigenous peoples Raising awareness on the protection of indigenous knowledge against exploitation Involving elders and communities in the production of resources and teaching children to understand and appreciate the traditional knowledge Encouraging the recognition of principles of intellectual property to ensure the proper protection and use of indigenous traditional knowledge and products derived from it.

10. Role of MPCCs Venue for ICT introduction to community Platform for sharing digitized IK Platform for trying new technologies and tools out Community broadcasting can be used for exchange of IK

11. Role of Community Based Structures Community based social-capital structure such as �idir� and �iqub� have been platforms for exchange of IK Can be used to capture and exchange knowledge or develop indices of IK on �what works� and �what does not�, who holds relevant knowledge and how to contact them in electronic and non-electronic formats Form the basis of IK systems in Ethiopia

12. Example of Best Practices 1 Honey Bee Network Gathered over 11,000 IK innovations in India Provide venture funds to turn ideas and practices into product � enterprise development Establish competition on recipes for women Protection of intellectual property rights and rewarding innovators Annual innovators meeting, market place Promotion of changes into the educational systems

13. Example of Best Practice 2 Policy development in South Africa IK policy approved by Cabinet in 2004 Covers aspects such as Institutional and governance arrangement Gathering and preserving IK Networks and support mechanism for IK Research and development Intellectual property rights

14. Lesson for KM for Development 1 � Tacit knowledge - unconscious and intuitive knowledge gained through experience that allows individuals to make decisions without referring to rules or principles (e.g. knowing how to perform medical operations, knowing how to network at a conference); � Explicit knowledge � that is articulated and accessible to anyone who reads, hears or looks at it (e.g. a training guide on using a software package or the conclusions of a policy briefing paper); � Implicit knowledge helps individuals know what is socially and culturally appropriate in a given circumstance including shared beliefs, values and expectations (e.g. knowing that it is inappropriate to undermine colleagues in public, understanding management attitudes within a given organization) Indigenous knowledge is mainly tacit/implicit. That makes is hard for capturing and exchange

15. Lesson from Km for development 2 Sharing knowledge is possible but that does not always translate into use for taking decisions, making informed actions and modifying behaviors in order to achieve development goals. Effective knowledge sharing should not be imposed from outside but should be organic, learned and has to be embedded into work processes, local eco systems and livelihoods Experiences from which most knowledge emerges, have local particularities like context, actors and processes. This limits the way local knowledge can be generalized and replicated in other settings Valuable local knowledge is often not locally known nor socially recognized. This is partially constrained by myths, old paradigms, cultural idiosyncrasies and prejudices of professionals and institutions The interaction between modern and traditional knowledge is desired but too complex to realize

16. Conclusions Focus on IK would help the poor to build on resources in which they are rich � knowledge Ethiopia needs to embark on various steps Create forums of institutions and networking among these Research on mapping IK asset (medicinal plants), barriers, community and social structures Strategies for identifying and document IK and institutional and support initiatives National register on IK, rewarding innovators, integrating IK in educational systems Capacity building in IK and knowledge management IK policy based on developing country experiences

17. �Rabbit, where are you going?I am going to kill the Elephant (IK).Can you do that?Well, I�ll try, and try again.� Tanzanian, Proverb�Thank you