Explore the towns of England


Green Revolution in Africa: Merging of Indigenous Knowledge and Other Knowledge Systems Through User

IntroductionAt the Africa Leadership Awardsco-operative principles"The specific type of
Ceremony held in South Africa the formerco-operation of interest is labeled the user
president of Zambia, dr. Kenneth Kaundaco-operative. Philip (2003) defines a user
pleaded for a Green Revolution in Africa inco-operative as a co-operative in which the
order to meet hunger and poverty by workingmembers are users of the services of the
together as a people of one continent. Thisco-operation, without any necessary
plea was made in the belief that "in unityemployment relationship with the enterprise.
there is strength" (Eze, 2006). This amongstThis type of co-operation is in contrast to
other, demands a rethinking of how synergismthe worker co-operation, in which workers in
can be established between the knowledgean enterprise own and control the enterprise.
systems available in the global village andThe user co-operative model is preferred as
the available indigenous knowledge systems ina model to merge indigenous knowledge systems
Africa to develop appropriate knowledge andwith scientific knowledge systems as it
processes to address the particular problemscarries with it the ability to mobilize wide
and opportunities of this rich endowedparticipation from local communities and from
continent. Too date, little interact hasresearchers operating in the scientific
happen between indigenous knowledgedomain creating huge potential for innovative
production in Africa and global knowledgebut context specific discoveries across many
production.Neglecting proper integration ofspectrums of life. By following such an
these two important knowledge systems mayapproach a development strategy and
over the long term have a detrimental effectcompetitive advantage can be formulated
on the development efforts of Africa. Insuitable to the particularities of a specific
this regard Hart (2006) remarked that bothenvironment.In order to synergised meaningful
forms of knowledge are evidence of dynamicparticipation between the scientific
processes of observation, investigation andcommunity and people possessing indigenous
experimentation, that both can include andknowledge it is imperative that the
adapt external innovations and shouldfunctioning of the user co-operatives are
therefore be treated as equal to contributingfounded on sound principles. Ximiya (2004)
to scientific knowledge and only differs withidentified the following universal principles
regard to resources at itsand values on which and co-operative should
disposal.PurposeThe purpose of this articlebe founded:· Membership should be open and
is to indicate that the establishment ofvoluntarily;
sector specific user co-operatives in Africa
that source on the knowledge systems of both· Democratic member control should be
the global village and the indigenousestablished;
knowledge systems may support and facilitate
a Green Revolution in Africa to defeat hunger· Members should be able to accept the
and stimulate development. Pursuing thisresponsibilities  of  membership;
objective will ensure that proposed
improvements and development plans account· Member economic participation and
for the specific and particular culturalequity;
foundations - on which the behaviour and
values of each society on the content is·  Autonomy  and  independence;
based - in all development initiatives. The
result of this could certainly lead to better· The co-operative shouldt provides
contextualised innovations and developmenteducation and training to its members and
approaches. An integrated approach couldemployees";  and
ensure in the words of Albrow (1999) that
change in society "... does not occur· The co-operative should behave in a
independent of particular types ofsocial responsible manner.However, to bridge
society".Establishing indigenous -scientificthe big gap that exists between the creators
knowledge co-operative movements to mergeof the two knowledge systems interventions
knowledge systemsIt can thus be deducted thatlike drawing in other role players like
the integration of scientific knowledge withfinancial institutions, governments and
indigenous knowledge (In this articledevelopment agencies may be required to
indigenous knowledge refers to the knowledgeovercome mental model bottlenecks between
created by a particular community at athose involved, to map out a way forward in
particular location on the African continentovercoming these bottlenecks and to ensure
that was not influenced by the globalproductive and fruitful participation by all.
knowledge system.) would enable societies toBy so doing the user co-operative chooses to
develop according to the needs, aspirations,be an integral part of the social sector in
particularities and heritage of specificwhich it operates with distinct legal and
types of societies. An instrumentdevelopment values with the primary aim of
available to society to facilitate such afulfilling the needs of their members coming
process is through the establishment offrom different knowledge systems and the
co-operative movements in specific sectors ofparticular community.ConclusionThrough the
community life.At the highest level, adevelopment of a strong user-co-operative
tertiary co-operative should be establishedmovement, embedded in indigenous and
whose objective should be to advocate andscientific knowledge systems, the energies,
engage organs of state, the private sectorresources and skills of all people in
and stakeholders on behalf of its members tocommunities can be mobilized and harnessed to
merge, harness and grow the integration ofcontribute to the development and
indigenous and scientific knowledge in orderorganisation of Africa.BibliographyAlbrow, M.
to develop societies in a contextualised1999. Sciology: The basics. London:
manner. The principle aim of thisRoutledge.
co-operative should be to understand what
contributions indigenous knowledge hasDe Beer, F. & Swanepoel, H. 2000.
contributed to the present state and how itIntroduction to development studies. Cape
can be used in conjunction with scientificTown:  Oxford  University  Press.
knowledge for innovation purposes and to make
new knowledge useful within a specific socialEze, M.A. 2006. Kick poverty out of Africa -
environment.Although many types ofKaunda.  AU  Magazine.  1(6).  18-19.
co-operatives can be established like
agricultural co-operatives, housingHart, T. 2005. Returning to African
co-operatives, marketing and supplyTradition the way forward for small farmers?
co-operatives and consumer co-operatives eachHSRC  Review.  3(2).  10-11.
having its own set of objectives, all share
the same features described by the GovernmentPhilip, K. 2003. Co-operatives in South
Gazette (2005) namely:" A co-operative meansAfrica: their role in job creation and
an autonomous association of persons unitedpoverty reduction. South African Foundation.
voluntarily to meet their common economic andOctober.  1-6.
social needs and aspirations through a
jointly owned and democratically controlledXimiya, W. 2004. Co-operative development.
enterprise organized and operated on



1 A B C D 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105