Revisiting the Role of Local Knowledge in Natural Resource Management

Abstract

The murky outcomes of development initiatives around the world, steered by dominant liberal discourses, have drawn scientists’, researchers’ and policy makers’ attention towards reinvigorating the potential role of local or traditional ecological knowledge in the development process. Our understanding with respect to the process of development has, thus, considerably evolved over the past few decades. For instance, contrary to top-down approaches, contemporary development policy and praxis emphasize bottom-up approaches which recognize local people as key stakeholders and foster their participation in the decision making processes.
Natural resource management (NRM) has invariably served as an important foci for development policy makers and practitioners alike. This article attempts to examine the potential role of local or traditional ecological knowledge in the management of natural resources by undertaking a rigorous review of existing literature. The findings evince that local or traditional ecological knowledge takes center-stage in the development process by enhancing local people’s participation in the decisionmaking processes. Participation gives ordinary local women and men the leeway to exercise substantial influence over the decisions affecting their lives. Participation
ultimately precipitates in empowerment of such groups living with in the society. Some examples of indigenous knowledge management systems described in the article illustrate how best local people can manage their resources in a more sustainable way. The article also discusses the potential limitations of local knowledge.