Indigenous Knowledge : Enhancing its Contribution to Natural Resources Management

This book addresses indigenous knowledge's (IK) potential in solving issues such as coping with change, ensuring global food supply, reversing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable practices. It draws together strands of biocultural diversity research into natural resources management, providing an overview of conceptual issues.

Indigenous Knowledge (IK) reviews cutting-edge research and links theory with practice to further our understanding of this important approach''s contribution to natural resource management. It addresses IK''s potential in solving issues such as coping with change, ensuring global food supply for a growing population, reversing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable practices. It is increasingly recognised that IK, which has featured centrally in resource management for millennia, should play a significant part in today''s programmes that seek to increase land productivity and food security while ensuring environmental conservation. By drawing together strands of biocultural diversity research into natural resources management, this book: - Provides an overview of conceptual issues around IK and its contributions to sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation;- Addresses key themes via case studies from bioculturally diverse regions of the world; - Displays a wide range of methodologies and outlines a possible agenda to guide future work. An invaluable resource for researchers and postgraduate students in environmental science and natural resources management, this book is also an informative read for development practitioners and undergraduates in agriculture, forestry, geography, anthropology and environmental studies.