strengthening indigenous knowledge for sustainable livelihoods, resource and social change
DESCRIPTION
Strengthening Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Livelihoods, Resource and Social Change. XU Jianchu, PhD & Executive Director Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge (CBIK) Http://www.cbik.org/ or http://cbik.ac.cn/. Outline. Introduction Why IK Matters? The roles of IK - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Strengthening Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Livelihoods, Resource and
Social Change
XU Jianchu, PhD & Executive Director
Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge (CBIK)
Http://www.cbik.org/ or http://cbik.ac.cn/
Outline
Introduction Why IK Matters? The roles of IK Constraints Creating space for IK
Why IK?
Cultural Diversity
Human Rights
Social Capital
What is CBIK?
CBIK is Chinese NGO, registered in 1995 with more than 25 staff
CBIK is dedicated to Applying IK and technical innovations for
resource governance Access to biodiversity for sustainable
livelihood Intercultural dialogue and communication
CBIK Structure
IAB + Local board Executive directors
Watershed governance program Community livelihood program IK and education program
Capacity building Communication Institutional development
Yunnan: the Roof of MMSEAFTA: China + ASEAN
Elevation ZonesElevation ZonesElevation ZonesElevation Zones
Yunnan: the Poor in the Paradise
Yi
Introduction of Issues
Know-How: Dynamics, diversity and complexity as human-ecology
processes Indigenous people: objects or citizens in mountain regions? Social justice: common earth but uneven ground
CBIK: What roles are there for NGOs and civil society?
CBIK as a learning institution growing with civil society
What is IK? Comovision (world views)– indigenous ways
of understanding the universe Linguistic knowledge and technical practices Knowledge transfer and adaptation
mechanisms Customary institutions
Hani’s comovision about ‘community’ CBIK Issue: How to understand other ways of seeing and doing?CBIK Action: Small Grants Program for indigenous researchers
Why IK Matters (1): Adaptation
IK: Complexity of upland resource dynamics and
livelihoods Importance of subjective understandings in
explaining why people do, what they do, how they do
Different ways of knowing relate to different ecological and social niches
CBIK concerned Issue: What other options for promoting sustainable livelihoods can we see?
CBIK Action: Promoting organic farming in upland communities
Why IK Matters (2):
Social and Environmental Justice
IK is largely collective IK is culturally embedded Dialogue with IK systems can help to avoid socially
undesirable outcomes, toward socially desirable outcomes (local sanction, equitable access, etc.)CBIK Issue: How can we promote social inclusion?CBIK Action: Developing community-led eco-tourism models
Workshop on Dams and Sustainable Development, Oct.9-10, 2003
Why IK Matters (3): Efficiency
Sustainable Livelihoods depend on:
•Biodiversity (natural capital)•Indigenous Knowledge (social capital) •Technical innovations (re-adaptation)•Knowledge transfer mechanisms (learning process)•Values and Consent, and (local governance)•Enabling environment (policies and markets)CBIK Issue: What is the contemporary relevance
of IK?CBIK Action: Participatory technology development with indigenous community members, e.g. rattan cultivation
Globalization is not new Local: upland vs. lowland Regional: the “Southern Silk Road” in 122 B.C. International: Zhen He, Voyages in 1405-1433 A.D.
Trade, Migration (e.g.: MMSEA), Expedition
What is new? Global scale of interactions and their impacts The prospect of irreversible changes Global governance systems (unfair trade & partnership)
Why IK Matters (4):
Linking local and global
CBIK Action: •Training program on International Trade Law, Environment and Sustainable Development (IISD, IUCN, CBIK in collaboration with SEPA)
•Translating IDRC Book “Beyond Property Rights”
•Traditional Resource Rights Network (China, MMSEA)
The Roles of IK: local level
Customary Authorities Indigenous experts>> (usually old)
actor>>power>>decision-making for local accountability Statutory Authorities (state nomination or local
election) “Educated” >>(young) actor>>power>> decision-making
for outside accountability Can they work together?
CBIK Issue:
How does knowledge link to power structures & decision-makings?CBIK Action: Research on village elections and resource governance
The Roles of IK: Local - Outside interaction
Competing knowledge systems or conflicting objectives? People’s actions are driven by their objectives Knowledge is brought to bear on the implementation of those
objectives
CBIK Issue: How to facilitate effective dialogues?
CBIK Action: Providing training in participatory methods for dialogue, e.g. Xishuangbanna Vocation Training School
What prevents IKfrom being exercised?
IK linked to local objectives Local objectives conflict with outside objectives
Conservation vs development Capacity of the state (state lacks of knowledge, skills and interest)
Spatial scale conflicts (small v.s big) Fine scale of knowledge in mosaic landscapes and mountain
ecosystems Temporal scale conflicts of interests
Profit maximization versus sustainable livelihoods (e.g. “Upland Conversion Program” in China)
CBIK Action: Official and Vernacular Identifications in the Making of the Modern World
Uneven Playing Field
Who make the laws? Who has powers? Who make the decisions? Whose agenda accounted? Nationality “Autonomy” Law in China: rhetoric or
practice?
CBIK Issue: How can NGOs help address macro-level constraints?CBIK Action: Policy research, e.g. YEDP-PRICA
Creating Space for IK
Representation: powers, capacities, accountability relations Resilience, re-adaptation and ‘invisible hand’ mechanisms Leveling the playing field
IPRs of indigenous knowledge Traditional resource rights Eco-and-fair trade
CBNRM>>>Community-based education
CBIK Action: Agro-Pastoralist Livelihoods Project
Agro-pastoralist Livelihoods
Improving understanding of agro-pastoralist livelihoods
Participatory Technology Development Institutional innovation, and Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation
Major Events by CBIK
“Yunnan Initiative”: Version and actions for enhancing cultural and biological diversity, from Culture and Biodiversity Congress 2000
III MMSEA Conference: Mountain festival with more 150 indigenous peoplesFor policy document: Yunnan Initiative and III MMSEA
proceedings, please download from website:
http://www.cbik.ac.cn/resources
Shangri-La: The Way Ahead
Thanks!