| IntroductionAt the Africa Leadership Awards | | | | co-operative principles"The specific type of |
| Ceremony held in South Africa the former | | | | co-operation of interest is labeled the user |
| president of Zambia, dr. Kenneth Kaunda | | | | co-operative. Philip (2003) defines a user |
| pleaded for a Green Revolution in Africa in | | | | co-operative as a co-operative in which the |
| order to meet hunger and poverty by working | | | | members are users of the services of the |
| together as a people of one continent. This | | | | co-operation, without any necessary |
| plea was made in the belief that "in unity | | | | employment relationship with the enterprise. |
| there is strength" (Eze, 2006). This amongst | | | | This type of co-operation is in contrast to |
| other, demands a rethinking of how synergism | | | | the worker co-operation, in which workers in |
| can be established between the knowledge | | | | an enterprise own and control the enterprise. |
| systems available in the global village and | | | | The user co-operative model is preferred as |
| the available indigenous knowledge systems in | | | | a model to merge indigenous knowledge systems |
| Africa to develop appropriate knowledge and | | | | with scientific knowledge systems as it |
| processes to address the particular problems | | | | carries with it the ability to mobilize wide |
| and opportunities of this rich endowed | | | | participation from local communities and from |
| continent. Too date, little interact has | | | | researchers operating in the scientific |
| happen between indigenous knowledge | | | | domain creating huge potential for innovative |
| production in Africa and global knowledge | | | | but context specific discoveries across many |
| production.Neglecting proper integration of | | | | spectrums of life. By following such an |
| these two important knowledge systems may | | | | approach a development strategy and |
| over the long term have a detrimental effect | | | | competitive advantage can be formulated |
| on the development efforts of Africa. In | | | | suitable to the particularities of a specific |
| this regard Hart (2006) remarked that both | | | | environment.In order to synergised meaningful |
| forms of knowledge are evidence of dynamic | | | | participation between the scientific |
| processes of observation, investigation and | | | | community and people possessing indigenous |
| experimentation, that both can include and | | | | knowledge it is imperative that the |
| adapt external innovations and should | | | | functioning of the user co-operatives are |
| therefore be treated as equal to contributing | | | | founded on sound principles. Ximiya (2004) |
| to scientific knowledge and only differs with | | | | identified the following universal principles |
| regard to resources at its | | | | and values on which and co-operative should |
| disposal.PurposeThe purpose of this article | | | | be founded:· Membership should be open and |
| is to indicate that the establishment of | | | | voluntarily; |
| 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 indigenous | | | | established; |
| 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 this | | | | responsibilities of membership; |
| objective will ensure that proposed | | | | |
| improvements and development plans account | | | | · Member economic participation and |
| for the specific and particular cultural | | | | equity; |
| 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 development | | | | education and training to its members and |
| approaches. An integrated approach could | | | | employees"; 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 of | | | | social responsible manner.However, to bridge |
| society".Establishing indigenous -scientific | | | | the big gap that exists between the creators |
| knowledge co-operative movements to merge | | | | of the two knowledge systems interventions |
| knowledge systemsIt can thus be deducted that | | | | like drawing in other role players like |
| the integration of scientific knowledge with | | | | financial institutions, governments and |
| indigenous knowledge (In this article | | | | development agencies may be required to |
| indigenous knowledge refers to the knowledge | | | | overcome mental model bottlenecks between |
| created by a particular community at a | | | | those involved, to map out a way forward in |
| particular location on the African continent | | | | overcoming these bottlenecks and to ensure |
| that was not influenced by the global | | | | productive and fruitful participation by all. |
| knowledge system.) would enable societies to | | | | By 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 specific | | | | which it operates with distinct legal and |
| types of societies. An instrument | | | | development values with the primary aim of |
| available to society to facilitate such a | | | | fulfilling the needs of their members coming |
| process is through the establishment of | | | | from different knowledge systems and the |
| co-operative movements in specific sectors of | | | | particular community.ConclusionThrough the |
| community life.At the highest level, a | | | | development of a strong user-co-operative |
| tertiary co-operative should be established | | | | movement, embedded in indigenous and |
| whose objective should be to advocate and | | | | scientific knowledge systems, the energies, |
| engage organs of state, the private sector | | | | resources and skills of all people in |
| and stakeholders on behalf of its members to | | | | communities can be mobilized and harnessed to |
| merge, harness and grow the integration of | | | | contribute to the development and |
| indigenous and scientific knowledge in order | | | | organisation of Africa.BibliographyAlbrow, M. |
| to develop societies in a contextualised | | | | 1999. Sciology: The basics. London: |
| manner. The principle aim of this | | | | Routledge. |
| co-operative should be to understand what | | | | |
| contributions indigenous knowledge has | | | | De Beer, F. & Swanepoel, H. 2000. |
| contributed to the present state and how it | | | | Introduction to development studies. Cape |
| can be used in conjunction with scientific | | | | Town: Oxford University Press. |
| knowledge for innovation purposes and to make | | | | |
| new knowledge useful within a specific social | | | | Eze, M.A. 2006. Kick poverty out of Africa - |
| environment.Although many types of | | | | Kaunda. AU Magazine. 1(6). 18-19. |
| co-operatives can be established like | | | | |
| agricultural co-operatives, housing | | | | Hart, T. 2005. Returning to African |
| co-operatives, marketing and supply | | | | Tradition the way forward for small farmers? |
| co-operatives and consumer co-operatives each | | | | HSRC Review. 3(2). 10-11. |
| having its own set of objectives, all share | | | | |
| the same features described by the Government | | | | Philip, K. 2003. Co-operatives in South |
| Gazette (2005) namely:" A co-operative means | | | | Africa: their role in job creation and |
| an autonomous association of persons united | | | | poverty reduction. South African Foundation. |
| voluntarily to meet their common economic and | | | | October. 1-6. |
| social needs and aspirations through a | | | | |
| jointly owned and democratically controlled | | | | Ximiya, W. 2004. Co-operative development. |
| enterprise organized and operated on | | | | |