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Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Biosphere - WBGU

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Conserving natural <strong>and</strong> cultural heritage E 3.5<br />

175<br />

result <strong>of</strong> droughts. In <strong>the</strong> early 1970s, drought disasters<br />

drove thous<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> Tuareg to Nigeria <strong>and</strong> Niger.<br />

Traditional cultural patterns <strong>and</strong> forms <strong>of</strong> managing<br />

natural resources <strong>the</strong>refore prove <strong>the</strong>mselves to<br />

be highly vulnerable <strong>and</strong> are increasingly jeopardized<br />

in an ever more globalized world.<br />

The 1999 World Conference on Science:<br />

Encouraging <strong>the</strong> recognition <strong>of</strong> indigenous<br />

knowledge<br />

However, <strong>the</strong> observation that many indigenous <strong>and</strong><br />

traditional communities have contributed with <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

knowledge <strong>and</strong> practices to <strong>the</strong> conservation <strong>and</strong> sustainable<br />

use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> biosphere <strong>and</strong> maintained highly<br />

complex ecosystems, <strong>the</strong> functioning <strong>of</strong> which has not<br />

yet been explained by ecological research, has for<br />

some time increasingly led to discussion on how<br />

indigenous knowledge differs from scientific findings,<br />

especially from <strong>the</strong> natural sciences.<br />

This question played a major role at <strong>the</strong> World<br />

Conference on Science in Budapest (1999) <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

discussions about it were highly emotional at times.<br />

Some representatives <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> indigenous peoples feel<br />

that <strong>the</strong>ir identity is severely threatened <strong>and</strong> call,<br />

among o<strong>the</strong>r things, for <strong>the</strong>ir indigenous knowledge<br />

bases to be recognized as a science. O<strong>the</strong>rs favour a<br />

‘de-mythification programme’, differentiating<br />

between <strong>the</strong> ‘rational core’ <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> spiritual belief<br />

systems <strong>and</strong> practices associated with knowledge systems.<br />

Traditional knowledge systems do in fact impinge<br />

upon many areas <strong>of</strong> science, such as astronomy, meteorology,<br />

geology, ecology, botany, agriculture, physiology<br />

<strong>and</strong> medicine. But <strong>the</strong>re is no clear separation<br />

<strong>of</strong> knowledge <strong>and</strong> belief systems in <strong>the</strong>se knowledge<br />

systems (Berkes et al, 1995; Gadgil, 199). In one<br />

region <strong>of</strong> India <strong>the</strong> indigenous population protects<br />

<strong>and</strong> honours fig trees (practice treatment) because <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir knowledge (qualitative underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

importance <strong>of</strong> fig trees as food for birds, bats, squirrels<br />

<strong>and</strong> monkeys) <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir belief that fig trees are<br />

abodes <strong>of</strong> nature spirits. By contrast, according to <strong>the</strong><br />

example cited by Gadgil (1999), science also comes<br />

to <strong>the</strong> decisions that some fig trees should be protected<br />

(practice dealings), on <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> quantitative<br />

findings about <strong>the</strong>ir importance as a keystone<br />

species. Added to this is <strong>the</strong> belief or value that <strong>the</strong><br />

comprehensive conservation <strong>of</strong> biological diversity is<br />

a desirable objective (Table E 3.5-1).<br />

Berkes et al (1995) cites fur<strong>the</strong>r similarities <strong>and</strong><br />

differences between scientific <strong>and</strong> indigenous knowledge:<br />

both systems <strong>of</strong> knowledge are philosophies or<br />

interpretation systems aiming to make <strong>the</strong> world<br />

comprehensible. Both are based on observations <strong>and</strong><br />

conclusions derived from <strong>the</strong>m. But <strong>the</strong> knowledge<br />

systems also differ in that traditional ecological<br />

knowledge (TEK)<br />

– refers only to restricted geographical areas,<br />

– largely relies on qualitative ra<strong>the</strong>r than quantitative<br />

information,<br />

– lack <strong>of</strong> built-in drive to collect more <strong>and</strong> more<br />

facts,<br />

– accumulates facts much more slowly,<br />

– trusts in trial-<strong>and</strong>-error more than in systematic<br />

experimentation,<br />

– only has limited scope to <strong>the</strong> verification <strong>of</strong> predictions,<br />

– has little interest in developing general principles<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ories.<br />

In future, <strong>the</strong> debates about <strong>the</strong> dignity <strong>and</strong> recognition<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se two knowledge systems will go even fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />

– including in <strong>the</strong> negotiations on <strong>the</strong> CBD. In<br />

addition to <strong>the</strong> more ‘academic’ aspects <strong>of</strong> this discussion<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> question as to how far <strong>the</strong> ecological<br />

knowledge <strong>of</strong> indigenous <strong>and</strong> traditional communities<br />

(or its rational core) is superior to <strong>the</strong> somewhat<br />

rudimentary findings <strong>of</strong> scientific ecology, as proved<br />

by <strong>the</strong> increasing interest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pharmaceutical<br />

industry (Section D 3.3), <strong>the</strong>se traditional knowledge<br />

systems have ano<strong>the</strong>r important function.<br />

Since TEK not only contains cores <strong>of</strong> knowledge,<br />

but also information on managing natural resources,<br />

this knowledge is most definitely <strong>of</strong> practical relevance,<br />

especially when <strong>the</strong> precautionary principle is<br />

Table E 3.5-1<br />

Natural resources in<br />

traditional <strong>and</strong><br />

scientific knowledge<br />

systems.<br />

Source: Gadgil, 1999<br />

Knowledge system Practice Knowledge Belief<br />

Traditional Strict protection Qualitative Fig trees are <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> worship underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> abode <strong>of</strong> natural<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fig tree <strong>the</strong> trees’ fruit spirits<br />

as food for birds,<br />

bats, squirrels,<br />

monkeys<br />

Scientific Partial protection Quantitative Comprehensive<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fig tree underst<strong>and</strong>ing leads conservation <strong>of</strong><br />

to <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>of</strong> a biological diverkey<br />

resource<br />

sity is desirable

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