Browsing by Author "Benjamin B. Jabik (PhD)"

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Demystifying Indigenous Knowledge systems as Superstition in Advancing African Agriculture
(FARA, 2026-05-28) Benjamin B. Jabik (PhD)
This presentation examines the role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in advancing sustainable agricultural development in Africa and challenges the tendency to dismiss local knowledge as superstition. The author argues that Indigenous Knowledge represents a systematic, experience-based, and context-specific body of knowledge developed by local communities through long-term interaction with their environment. Using qualitative and ethnographic approaches, the presentation distinguishes Indigenous Knowledge from myths and superstition by emphasizing its practical utility, ecological specificity, cultural grounding, and intergenerational transmission. The discussion highlights the importance of Indigenous Knowledge in agricultural resilience, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, seasonal forecasting, agroforestry, soil fertility management, and sustainable farming systems. The presentation further advocates for integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into agricultural research, policy, curriculum development, and innovation systems in Africa. It concludes that documenting, investing in, and institutionalizing Indigenous Knowledge can contribute significantly to sustainable agricultural transformation, climate resilience, and locally driven innovation across the continent.