The role of indigenous knowledge in agriculture and environmental conservation: the case of Gutu District Zimbabwe

Wutete, Obert

Title: The role of indigenous knowledge in agriculture and environmental conservation: the case of Gutu District Zimbabwe
Creator: Wutete, Obert
Subject: Traditional ecological knowledge
Subject: Conservation of natural resources
Subject: Nature conservation
Date Issued: 2014-01
Date: 2014-01
Type: Doctoral theses
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26526
Identifier: vital:65520
Description: Indigenous Knowledge IK is an emerging area of study that focuses on a community’s ways of knowing, seeing and thinking, developed over a long period of time. The knowledge is passed down orally from one generation to the other. Therefore, this study highlights a number of important factors that are associated with the use of IK in rural communities such as Gutu district. The major importance of IK include the following: it reduces costs through the use of locally available resources, acts as the basis of local-level decision making, is familiar and acceptable to the communities in which the knowledge exists and also that IK helps communities to develop their own sources of livelihoods. The objectives of the study were; to identify the types of IK peculiar to agriculture practices and the conservation of the environment within Gutu district; establish the challenges confronting IK utilization in communities; identify the constraints affecting the sharing, transfer and preservation of IK; determine the measures which should be adopted in order to promote the appreciation and value placed on IK in agriculture practices and the conservation of the environment; and to propose recommendations on how IK should be utilized for sustainable livelihoods in agriculture and environmental conservation in Gutu district and other rural communities. The study employed the survey method which was premised on the use of multiple data gathering tools, also referred to as triangulation. A total of 100 interviewees were sampled from Gutu communities for face-to-face interviews, 48 participants for focus group discussions, with each group comprising of 6 participants. The researcher collected data using a set of interview guide questions for individual participants as well as for the focus group discussions. In order to be comprehensive in data collection, the researcher also utilized observations and transects walks (these are random walks done in an area under study in order to have a better understanding of activities of the area). The triangulation of data gathering tools assisted with diverse information on the crops cultivated by residents, cultivation methods, harvesting and the preservation of the crops. The researcher also gathered information on how residents interacted with the environment, established reasons which contributed to the deterioration of the environment, established the sacredness associated with certain areas in Gutu district and the use of taboos as a way to safeguarding natural resources. The traditional practices have become a thing of the past to the present generations. The research had four major findings: First, it was found out that Indigenous Knowledge which was the basis of traditional lifestyles is no longer a major practice by Gutu residents. The gradual decline of traditional indigenous practices contributed among other factors to the decline in agriculture output. Residents have abandoned traditional farming methods such as conservation farming. The latter practice kept the soil intact and rich in fertility unlike the use of ploughs and tractors which weakens the soil. More so, residents have opted for the cultivation of crops which do not give them good harvests. Maize is one such crop which suffers from droughts as opposed to small grain crops, comprising of finger millet, pearl millet and sorghum. These endure dry conditions with limited rainfall. Gutu residents also revealed that there is overlooking of the sacredness associated with certain areas and the use of taboos to conserve the environment. It was further established that while residents have knowledge of sacred places and prohibitive taboos which are meant to safeguard the environment, residents no longer respect the prohibitions due to the influence of modernity and Christianity which regard some of the practices as backward or wayward beliefs. Second, the study established that the influence of colonial policies influenced a number of changes to the continued utilization of Indigenous Knowledge in agriculture and the management of the environment. For example, Gutu residents no longer practice shifting cultivation which used to be practice in the 1920s backwards. Residents are now confined to small pieces of land which are continuously cultivated on a yearly basis. Therefore, soils have become exhausted and production has gone down since the majority of residents are not able to replenish the soil through the use of fertilizer whose cost they cannot afford. It was also established that the environment has deteriorated continuously due to over use by an ever-increasing population. Third, the study found out that traditional platforms such as the dare men’s meeting place are no longer in existence. The dare is a set-up in which males sit around a fire place and shared ideas on different subject areas as a way of teaching one another life lessons and grooming the future generations. On the other hand, women use the round hut in which food is prepared to address a number of teachings to the girl child. Elderly women took the opportunity to induct young girls into adulthood along the duties expected of women in the society. Nowadays, both males and females share the hut used for preparing food and this is disrupting the traditional set-up of inducting young males and females in separate and appropriate platforms. The situation was worsened by colonialism which came along with Christian teachings, part of which were not in tandem with traditional indigenous practices. For example, the sacredness of places and the use of taboos are regarded by the youths as old and outdated beliefs with no relevance in today’s modern world. To make matter worse, there is limited contact time between the youths and the elders due to work commitments in urban areas. This has limited the opportunities for the sharing, transfer and preservation of IK as opposed to the traditional times in which shared communal lives allowed constant interactions and appreciation of indigenous ways of life. Fourth, there are no tangible strategies for the preservation of IK for posterity. While general information on traditional IK can be shared by residents, there are individuals who possess rare knowledge but made it their preserve after they realized that the knowledge offered them competitive advantages and benefits. Another aspect is that the youths have lost interest in IK of the past since they feel that the knowledge has lost relevance to their present interests due to the dynamism of culture. In the youths’ views, IK which is useful and relevant to their generation will continue to exist while practices which are no longer useful will fall by the way side. The research utilized interviews in order to establish the manner in which Indigenous Knowledge is acquired, shared, transferred and even retained for use by future generations. The findings of the study formed the basis for recommendations, of which if adopted, could contribute significantly to the revival of indigenous knowledge practices in Gutu district. The use of indigenous knowledge, peculiar to people in a given locality, can contribute to the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and development of rural communities in Gutu district. Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations can be considered there is need for the establishment of Indigenous Knowledge Resource Centres IKRCs in communities so that individuals with interest in traditional IK can acquire the knowledge free of charge. It may also be beneficial if IK can be introduced to become part of the tertiary level curricula. Since Zimbabwe is an agro-based economy and also the fact that rural communities rely on the environment for provisions such as firewood, production and conservation measures being part of the curricula. This will assist decision makers to appreciate and value IK in decision making and development projects, not only in agriculture and the conservation of the environment, but also in other sectors that promote people’s livelihood.
Description: Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2014
Format: computer
Format: online resource
Format: application/pdf
Format: 1 online resource (311 leaves)
Format: pdf
Publisher: University of Fort Hare
Publisher: Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Language: English
Rights: University of Fort Hare
Rights: All Rights Reserved
Rights: Open Access

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