Understanding indigenous knowledge: Bridging the knowledge gap through a knowledge creation model for agricultural development

Abstract

This article addresses the management of agricultural indigenous knowledge (IK) in developing countries, with a specific focus on Tanzania. It provides background details on IK and its importance for agricultural development. It introduces various knowledge management (KM) concepts and discusses their application in managing IK in the developing world by placing Nonaka’s knowledge creation theory (Nonaka 1991; Nonaka & Takeuchi 1995; Nonaka, Toyama & Konno 2000) in the context of the local communities. Data from focus groups were used to triangulate with data from interviews in order to validate, confirm and corroborate quantitative results with qualitative findings. The study findings showed that knowledge creation theory can be used to manage IK in the local communities, however, adequate and appropriate resources need to be allocated for capturing and preserving IK before it disappears altogether. For sustainable agricultural development, the communities have to be placed within a knowledge-creating setting that continuously creates, distributes and shares knowledge within and beyond the communities’ boundaries and integrates it with new agricultural technologies, innovations and knowledge.<p><strong>How to cite this article:</strong><br /> Lwoga, E.T., Ngulube, P. & Stilwell, C., 2010, ‘Understanding indigenous knowledge: Bridging the knowledge gap through a knowledge creation model for agricultural development’, <em>SA Journal of Information Management</em> 12(1), Art. #436, 8 pages. DOI: 10.4102/sajim.v12i1.436</p&gt

Comparative Study of China’s Ye’cheng System and Korea’s Gyeongbokgung Palace

“…There has been some criticism of this theory. For instance, Andriessen and Boom (2007), Glisby and Holden (2003), Bratianu and Orzea (2010), Harsh (2009), Lwoga and Ngulube (2010), and Ngulube (2003) reveal that Nonaka's model has various shortcomings. Glisby and Holden (2003), for example, argue that Nonaka's knowledge-creating theory has been indiscriminately applied across contexts and cultures as inherently superior to other systems of knowledge management.…”

“…Ultimately, tacit indigenous knowledge needs to be managed because it is at risk of becoming extinct if appropriate measures are not taken to preserve and manage it. According to Lwoga, Ngulube and Stilwell (2010), IK needs to be managed by using knowledge management theories because much of IK is preserved in the memories of elders, thus gradually disappearing due to loss of memory and death. Mosoti and Masheka (2010) sum up the drive to manage knowledge in African culture with an old African proverb that states, "In Africa, when an old man dies, the entire library is burnt."…”

Factors influencing the creation of synergies between research-based technologies and farmers’ indigenous knowledge systems and practices in Sierra Leone

“…"Indigenous or local knowledge" refers to knowledge that communities have long generated and disseminated to cope with their own agro-ecological and socio-economic environments [2]. This knowledge is generated and transformed through systematic processes of changing the environmental, socio-economic and technological situation by observing local conditions, experimenting with solutions and reformulating previously identified solutions [3].…”

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“…Dependence of farmers over dairy co-operative societies may be considered for enhancing utilization of location specific technologies under smallholder production system . Recent trends indicate that frugalization have more potential as customer requirements have strong regional characterization and industrial response were not structured (Colledani et al, 2016).Local communities need to be in forefront towards knowledge creating, distribution and sharing system (Lwoga et al, 2010). Kolawole et al (2007) shared that indigenous system provided platform for local level decision.…”