Local ecological knowledge in natural resource management

1. Local ecological knowledge in natural resource management Laxman Joshi, Luis Arévalo, Nelly Luque, Julio Alegre and Fergus Sinclair Bridging Scales and Epistemologies Conference, 17-20 March 2004, Alexandria, Egypt

2. Rationale • Rural people depend on natural resources for their livelihood • long term use depends on their ability to manage • farmers are heterogeneous in terms of their management ability, objectives, dependence, local context, experience and observations • In natural science, the emphasis is on practical explanatory and predictive knowledge

3. Knowledge an output of learning, reasoning and perception and a basis for predictions of future events; it is people’s understanding and interpretation based on some explainable logic of supposedly general validity.

4. Local Ecological Knowledge local people’s knowledge about elements and about processes and inter-relationship between these elements of their agro-ecosystem.

5. Knowledge sphere natural “supernatural” process rules, norms and values descriptive perceptions Local knowledge learning action Predicting consequences decisions External source Resource endowments external

6. Methodology Articulation and representation of local ecological knowledge to effectively incorporate local ecological knowledge and local perspective in R&D programs. Knowledge-based systems approach

7. Reported study : Indonesia Sumberjaya, South Sumatra • coffee based – sun, shade and multistrata system on slopes • disputed land • mostly local people • long farming experience

8. Reported study : Peru Pucallpa – Shipibo Conibo community • fishing, hunting and gathering fruits and medicinal plants • farming relatively new • annual flooding (2-3 months)

9. Results – Indonesia • Farmer innovations (terraces, vegetation strips, furrows and compost pits, multi-storey system) • turbidity in paddy fields – nutrient source for plants but water flow must be regulated • landscape scale – riverside vegetation (roots) for watershed functions • Knowledge of other factors – exist but not always practised Key reasons • resource (especially time and labour) constraints • individual efforts not very effective • insecure land tenure – uncertainty

10. Explanatory knowledge Rainfall duration Rainfall intensity Water holding capacity of soil Rain water runoff Turbidity of water in river Trees, bamboos and shrubs Interception of raindrops Turbidity of water in fish pond Roots hold soil Root system Turbidity of water in paddy fields Land slope soil erosion Soil nutrients Leaf litter Quantity & quality earthworms Litter decomposition Soil fertility shading Ground vegetation Ground cover Land suitability for different plants Prevents excessive drying of soil Soil organic matter Plant growth

11. Results – Peru • Soil fertility related to post-flooding condition of soils - dark non-clayey property and organic content (indicated by crop performance) • Knowledge about poor fertility indicator plants [e.g. shuashui (?), arrocillo (Rottboellia exaltata), gramalote (Brachiaria mutica) • Flood tolerant and flood susceptible fruits – but much contradiction among the people • Local ecological knowledge about soil resources – less sophisticated • Knowledge about fishing and hunting – richer?

12. Research indicate that LEK • has explanatory aspects, with a logical structure comparable to scientific understanding • comes largely from experience • holistic and “un-disciplined” • notions of description, classification and fertility of soils – lacalized • explanatory knowledge and underlying principles can be generalized (regularity across similar agroecosystems) • knowledge may not always translate into action – other constraints • LEK is not “opaque” - can be articulated and recorded through structured discussions with local people

13. LEK research in NRM • focused development imperatives • useful for three aspects: • Building on local practice • Recognizing sophistication of local knowledge (and terminology) for effective communication • Realising its limitations – windows for improvement

14. bridging through dialogue, appreciation, and respect of others’ knowledge systems and further investigation if required three poorly connected major knowledge systems Ecological knowledge about NRM Scientific K Local K Policy makers K