Facilitating sustainable agriculture: integrating indigenous knowledge in current agricultural knowledge and information systems

Abstract

There is a disparate comparison of non-adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) and blaming farmers, their farms and methods of conventional farming practices in the most cases. Some of the trends like the recognition of the importance of farmer's ITK (Indigenous Technical Knowledge), farmer's participation, the emergence of non-government organizations (NGOs) within the agricultural knowledge and information system, and synergy processes among all determinants of agricultural knowledge and information system, are the main topics in facilitating sustainable agriculture. The challenge for the current agricultural knowledge and information systems toward sustainability is to find better ways to learn about indigenous institutions and practices and where necessary adapt modern techniques (i.e., “sustainability sound practices”) to the local practices. As such, this study aimed at reviewing three case studies concerning integration of indigenous knowledge in the agricultural knowledge and information systems to represent indigenous knowledge outcomes on the effectiveness of different projects and extracting solutions for incorporating indigenous knowledge in current agricultural knowledge and information systems toward sustainability. In the all case studies, indigenous knowledge provided problem-solving strategies for local communities and helps shape local solutions to revitalizing farming system and environment. Also, in this paper integration and co- management of indigenous and non- indigenous knowledge subsystems has been addressed. Finally, recommendations for integrating indigenous knowledge in the current agricultural knowledge and information systems toward sustainability have been proposed.