LinKS project - Food and Agriculture Organization · LinKS project gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems for food security Biodiversity• Gender• Knowledge May 2004

Sensitisation workshop on agro-biodiversity, gender and local knowledge

Mo rogo ro , 7 and 8 Ap r i l 2004

LinKS project gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems for food security

Biodiversity• Gender• Knowledge

May 2004 Report nr 22

Report of a

Sensitisation workshop on agro-biodiversity, gender and

local knowledge

Morogoro, 7 and 8 April 2004

Compiled by Barbara Adolph

Natural Resources Institute, Chatham, UK

14 April 2004

Sensitisation workshop for the LinKS project, Morogoro, Tanzania, 7 and 8 April 2004

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Acronyms LinKS FAO project on “Gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems for

food security” NRI Natural Resources Institute, Chatham, UK PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal SL Sustainable livelihoods SUA Sokoine University of Agriculture TFNC Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre

Table of contents

Acronyms ...........................................................................................................3 Table of contents ................................................................................................3 Table of figures, tables and annexes...................................................................3

Summary.......................................................................................................................4

Session objectives and outputs....................................................................................6 Day one – Concepts and Sustainable Livelihoods framework..................................6

Overall learning objectives and plan for the day................................................6 Session 1 - Introduction......................................................................................6 Session 2 – LinKS concepts ...............................................................................7 Session 3 – Introducing and applying the SL framework ................................12

Day two – Vulnerability, PIPs, and application of LinKS concepts in participants’ work 18 Overall learning objectives and plan for the day..............................................18 Session 4 – Vulnerability context.....................................................................18 Session 5 – Policies, institutions and processes ...............................................20 Session 6 The way forward ..........................................................................24

Table of figures, tables and annexes Table 1 Programme of the sensitisation workshop.....................................................5 Figure 1 The sustainable rural livelihoods and its relationship to agro-biodiversity,

gender and local knowledge ........................................................................13 Annex 1 Further resources..........................................................................................28


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Summary LinKS is a participatory project, funded by FAO, and focusing on the linkages between gender, agricultural biodiversity and local knowledge. The second phase of the LinKS project was launched in April 2002. During phase I of the project more than 250 people were trained in training workshops on gender, local knowledge, and biodiversity and skills enhancement in gender analysis and participatory methods in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The objectives of this sensitisation workshop were:

� Sensitise leading researchers, lecturers, trainers and other development workers on the LinKS concepts

� Provide them with a conceptual framework to explore the linkages between Agro-biodiversity, Gender and Local Knowledge systems for Food Security

� Provide the opportunity to interact with LinKS partners from Swaziland, Mozambique and Tanzania

Participants were drawn from the partner organisation of LinKS in Tanzania: Sokoine University of Agriculture, the Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre.


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Table 1 Programme of the sensitisation workshop

Day 1 – Wednesday, 7 April 2004

9.00 – 10.15 Introduction session (session 1) of participants and trainers Objectives of the workshop Workshop programme Introduction to LinKS project and food security focus

10.15 – 10.45 Tea break

10.45 – 13.00 Session 2 on LinKS concepts: • Narrative: Explanation of Mali case study • Plenary: Group formation • Read case study • Group work with guiding questions, produce presentation • Feedback to plenary

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch break

14.00 – 15.00 Session 3: Introduction to SL framework • Brainstorming on “Livelihoods” and “sustainability” • Powerpoint presentation on SL framework • Follow up with participants’ examples on paper

15.00 – 17.00 Group work on Mali case study and feedback to plenary Day 2 – Thursday, 8 April 2004

8.30 – 9.15 Recap of vulnerability context LinKS videos

9.15 – 10.15 Session 4: Group work on vulnerability context - Shocks - Trends - Seasonality

10.15 – 10.45 Tea break

10.45 – 11.30 Feedback to plenary

11.30 – 12.30 Session 5: Plenary session on PIPs (Policies, Institutions and processes)

12.30 – 13.00 Presentation on PIPs concepts and linkages

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch break

14.00 – 15.00 Session 6: Relation of LinKS concept to participants’work

15.00 – 16.00 Closing and evaluation


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Session objectives and outputs The following section contains, in chronological order, a summary of the various sessions of the workshop, including all materials used and outputs produced during group work. Presentations and handouts used are included in separate files (Powerpoint presentations). Outputs produced during group work are included unedited in order to preserve their authenticity and to reflect participants’ learning.

Day one – Concepts and Sustainable Livelihoods framework

Overall learning objectives and plan for the day • Trainers understand participants' background and experiences • Participants and trainer agree on objectives and programme of the workshop • Participants explore the LinKS concepts and their different components, using the

Mali case study • Participants understand the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and how it can be

applied to LinKS concepts

Session 1 - Introduction

Material used • Name tags for participants • Hand-outs of workshop programme • Flip charts and stand, marker pens • Overheads / ppt presentation and handouts on LinKS

Outputs

Introductions • Hilda made a brief welcoming remark and introduction to the LinKS project • Participants introduce themselves, saying

o Their names and what they want to be called o What organisation they come from o What they do in their work that relates to the LinKS concepts:

1. Agro-biodiversity 2. Gender 3. Local Knowledge


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Programme and objectives The workshop programme was presented and accepted by participants (see Table 1) The objectives of the workshop were presented and agreed:

� Sensitise leading researchers, lecturers, trainers and other development workers on the LinKS concepts

� Provide them with a conceptual framework to explore the linkages between Agro-biodiversity, Gender and Local Knowledge systems for Food Security

� Provide the opportunity to interact with LinKS partners from Tanzania

LinKS introduction Hilda Missano gave an introduction to the LinKS project and to food security.

Session 2 – LinKS concepts

Material used • Handout of Mali case study • Flip charts and stand, marker pens

Outputs

Introduction to group work on Mali case study (Faith): • Explained group work purpose • Explained Mali case study • Group formation

Guiding questions: Group task on agro-biodiversity

1. What do you understand by this term? 2. What are its key components? 3. How has it changed over time (refer to the case study)?

Group task on Gender:

1. What do you understand by gender? 2. What factors influence gender relations? 3. How have gender relations changed over time (refer to the case study)?


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Group task on Local/indigenous knowledge: 1. What do you understand by local knowledge? 2. What are its key components? 3. How has it changed over time (refer to the case study)?

Group feedback: Group 1: Agro-biodiversity 1. Meaning of agro-biodiversity

Is the interaction of animals, plants, micro organism (ecological niche) that changed overtime as a result of change in activities of living things. Also composition

2. Key components

(a) Crops � Fruits � Vegetables � Grains

(b) Land

� Low land � Upland

(c) Vegetation

� Forest (woodland) � Crops

(d) Water sources

� Streams � Rain

(e) Livestock (f) Weather (g) Human being

3. How does it change over time LAND: � Changed due to human settlement and population growth. � The use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides. � Change of land use patterns (change from traditional to commercial farming)


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PLANTS/CROPS: � From subsistence to commercial � Change of varieties from traditional to exotic varieties. � Introduction of off-farm activities e.g. charcoal making, trading � Change in eating habits � Change in eating habits � Change from traditional to modern agriculture. HUMAN BEINGS: � Man changes due to change in gender roles e.g. in Tanzania in Uluguru

mountains and in Ulanga, farmers used to grow cotton but due to drop out of market, they shift from cotton cultivation to rice cultivation.

� Moshi, farmers shift from coffee growing to vegetable production.

Weather changes Moshi example: � Coffee price � � Young men replacing older group. � Older men still doing coffee business. Ulanga example: � Cotton by men � Women rice � Both producing rice now Southern Highlands: � Beans – traditional varieties being replaced by one-line varieties. � Mixed varieties – Risk evasion.

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Group 2: Gender GENDER

Refers to the social and economic relations of individuals (men & women) regarding their roles in the community/family.

Men - grains/clearing bush Women – sauces/cooking

2. Factors influencing gender relations:

(a) Age – elders owning land/decisions (b) Wealth status – (land owners – commands accessibility)


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(c) Sex – specialized duties women – cooking (d) Authority - lineage (elders-lead)

� first wife – commands others in polygamous marriage. (e) Marital status – Different assignments between married and unmarried. (f) Norm, culture & values (g) Type of enterprise – (Beekeeping, cattle herding) (h) Change in production targets (objectives) – Gardening for consuming

- Gardening for marketing (i) Nature of activities Water fetching - women if no transport - men when there is transport CHANGES IN GENDER RELATIONS WITH TIME 1. Urbanization:-

� lead to change in market demands affecting relations on ownership of market goods (women loose owning production sites = accessibility)

2. Change in standard of living

� Raised monetary needs affecting decision power between men & women in a family/community.

3. Mixed culture

New comers influence changes in goods demanded (eating habit) influencing changes on ownership of production sites and even power to decide (damaged/deteriorated products being for homeuse)

4. Economic capability

Change in economic power between men/women has led to majority of women pulling out of business.

5. Changes in natural habitat. 6. Market economy Changes in perception due to market economy. Other comments / discussions / examples:

• There is a differentiation between gender neutral activities and biologically determined activities. For example, only mothers can breastfeed their children.

• Previously people believed that in order to plant millet one has to clear near land. Men were required to do this, and so women could only plant millet with support from men. After that the idea changed - people started growing millet on cultivated land, and so women could do it on their own.

• Access, control and ownership of resources: They also changed, e.g. access to land and to agricultural inputs.


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Group 3: Local / indigenous knowledge � The knowledge that people in a given community have developed over time

basing on their experience, social and cultural practices to ensure food security. � KEY COMPONENTS

- Weather: time of planting and harvesting crops e.g. - groundnuts (plant to time harvest) - Banana planting (after rains) - Environment

- Decision on crop to be grown depends on

– sorghum improved varieties (Mtwara maturity) during rain.

- mesia attacked by birds not preferred: back to their local varieties. - Social/cultural - Restricts growing some caps e.g. bambara nuts (wami/masaini/morogoro) - Consumption of some products e.g. eggs, pigs, chicken. � CHANGES OVER TIME

- Interruption of indigenous knowledge by introducing modern technologies. - Changes in food preparation

� e.g. not using fresh vegetables insitu instead uses dried vegetables likely to have low nutrition value

� milk conservation by Masai using herbs rarely practiced (now boil & put in thermos)

� LOCAL KNOWLEDGE VS COPING STRATEGIES

Coping strategies Coping strategies in drought, etc. Local knowledge broader, for normal times.

Summary of session • Participants found it easy to come up with definitions and components of the three

concepts • However, the manual included elements that were not mentioned by the groups –

they emerged during discussions between the trainer and the participants • There were some overlaps between the presentations of the three groups, which

could be used to show how the three concepts are inter-related.


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Session 3 – Introducing and applying the SL framework

Material used • Powerpoint presentation: “Module 2 SL framework long version.ppt” • Alternatively or additionally: Build up the SL framework on paper (need large paper

sheets on the wall to draw on) • Flipcharts, stand, marker pens, tape

Outputs

Interactive presentation on SL framework See powerpoint presentation for details. The facilitators drew the SL framework on charts, with participants contributing to the components. See the outcome in Figure 1 – the red and green parts emerged from the brainstorming. After the framework had been explained, participants applied it to three different groups of households in the Mali case studies: Those without market gardens, those where the men have the market gardens, and those where the women have market gardens.


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Figure 1 The sustainable rural livelihoods and its relationship to agro-biodiversity, gender and local knowledge

Source: Adapted from Carnay, D., ed. (1998) Sustainable Rural Livelihoods - What contributions can we make? Papers presented at the Department for International Development's Natural Resources Advisors' Conference, July 1998. London: DFID

Key to colours: • LinKS key concepts • Issues related to agro-biodiversity and food security brought up by participants during session

PIPs can influence / mitigate the impact of shocks and

trends (e.g. food relief)

Vulnerability context Shocks: � Droughts � Floods � Disease outbreaks � Fire outbreaks � Wars Trends: � Changes in prices � Political changes � Cultural changes � Environmental

changes � Loss of cultural

identity Seasonality: � Weather changes � Prices � Pests and diseases

Livelihood outcomes

(what people want to achieve)

� Food security � Higher income � More crop yield � More income � Increased soil

fertility � Increased

livelihood � Increased

respect from the community

Livelihood strategies (examples)

(how people use assets) � Commercialisation � Urban livestock

keeping � Diversification � Migration � Tree planting � Use of solar energy � Family planning

PIPs (policies, institutions, processes)

Policies � Pricing policies � Land policies � Agricultural policies

(general) � Energy policies (e.g.

promotion of alternative fuels, such as solar power)

Institutions � Planners � Members of parliament � NGOs / CBOs � Financial institutions � International

institutions � Public / private

research and education institutions

Processes � Gender roles � Festivals and rituals � Cultural dimension � Food preferences � Globalisation

Influence access to capital

assets

Social: Local

knowledge

Financial: Lack of financial resources can force people to use strategies that destroy biodiversity, Loans / income

Natural: Agro-

biodiversity

Physical: Land, livestock, machines

Capital assets

Human: Local knowledge Labour, experience

Influence how people use capital assets

Livelihood outcomes determine asset base in the

future


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GROUP 1: APPLICATION OF THE SL FRAMEWORK TO THE 19 MEN GARDEN LEADERS ASSETS � Human � Natural � Physical

- land - livestock - infrastructures

� Financial capital To purchase fertilizers

� Social assets Buy from neighbours

VULNERABILITY Shocks � Depend on rain-fed agriculture Trends � Pests and diseases � Health hazards/risks (not aware) � Unreliable market � Ppn pressure � Cultural changes Seasonality � Weather changes � Prices PIPs � Land tenure Institutions � Public/private institutions � Traditional institutions (local elders) � Traders � International organization e.g. seed from France. LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES � Commercialization � Diversification

Men change from building to crop cultivation � Opening up new land � Cleaning of forest/bush so as to get more land to be used for commercial � The use of/adopt improved varieties


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LIVELIHOOD OUTCOMES � Food insecurity

Vegetables were sent to town for selling � High earning/income � Change in gender

e.g. women were deprived from the vegetable production � Social instability

Women complained. OUTCOMES � Male dominance � Women became middle persons in vegetable business � Women expanded off farm activities

e.g. commercial production of charcoal, shea nut and butter and tooth brushes made from plants.

Discussion:

• Food insecurity is the outcome – changes in diversity and quality • Not reclamation of land, but using land in a different way (the land along the

rivers was already used by the women, so not unused land!)

*********************** GROUP 2: APPLICATION OF THE SL FRAMEWORK TO THE 3 WOMEN GARDEN LEADERS ASSETS � Human capital – i.e. labour � Natural capital – land/streams (minor) � Social capital – had a command over other wives � Financial capital � Physical capital (garden leaders) VULNERABILITY Trend: - Entered unreliable market (uncertain) �Production due to minor streams �Price (produce mainly during rain season) Change in eating habits Shock: - Theft - Livestock damage Seasonality: - Poor production during dry spell �diversification - Prone to seasonal price fluctuations �price

Prone to pests and diseases.


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PIPs Policies: Land policy, Pricing policy Institutions: LG Leaders NGOs/CBOs Financial institutions Extension and Researchers PROCESS Gender roles Cultural dimension Preference – Targeting town market LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES

- Commercialization - Diversification (limited as compared to men)

OUTCOMES Food security �Income –sales Displacement Diseases outbreak/malnutrition and food poisoning – use deteriorated produce Loss of genetic diversity.

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GROUP 3: HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT GARDENS Assets � Less productive land (upland) (P) � Labour (H) � Knowledge (H/S) � Farm implements (P) � Crop varieties (N) Vulnerability Shocks � Drought � Bush fire � Disease/pests � Deprived access to lowland � Demoralization Trends � Changes in productivity (yields low) � Low income � Increasing poverty � Loss of cultural identity


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Seasonality � Weather changes � Pests/Diseases PIPs Policies � Pricing policy � Land policy � Agricultural policies biased towards hort. crops Institutions � No financial institutions � Public/private research/extension Processes � Gender roles � Food preferences � Non agricultural activities � Migration Livelihood strategies � Migration � Off-farm activities � Crop/livestock diversification � Selling chicken manure (?) � Vegetable trading (?) Livelihood outcome � Income � Sustainable food security � Labour market created.

Summary of session • Participants used the SL framework confidently. This was followed by a

discussion on reasons for differences between households – e.g. why certain households might have been unable to acquire a garden, etc.


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Day two – Vulnerability, PIPs, and application of LinKS concepts in participants’ work

Overall learning objectives and plan for the day • Participants are able to identify shocks, trends and seasonality issues and how they

affect agro-biodiversity • Participants can identify policies, institutions and processes that affect agro-

biodiversity • Participants reflect on how LinKS concepts can be applied in their own research

and development work

Session 4 – Vulnerability context

Material used • LinKS videos • Flipcharts, stand, marker pens, tape After a brief introductory session, participants watched the two LinKS videos. They were asked to pay attention to shocks, trends and seasonality in the videos and discuss these in three groups afterwards. They were also asked to note down any policies, institutions and processes that affect agro-biodiversity, food security and gendered local knowledge.

Outputs

Shocks – group 1 Knowledge sharing, farmers, animal and environment Shocks: (1) Diseases – (outbreak) – for humans Endemic - livestock (2) Drought - leads to shortage of water - leads to shortage of grass (3) shortage of pastures (grass) – animals deaths - migration - conflicts Local experiences (1) Current country-wide food shortage (2) Prolonged drought – 2002-2003 (3) Conflicts between farmers and pastoralists - Kilosa - Rukwa? - Hai


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(4) Outbreak – CBPP – (countrywide expect Kilimanjaro) - ASF - Dar & Coast – quarantine for animal movements - Cholera in Dar, Moro, Mwanza & Zanzibar (5) HIV/AIDS – (trend?) (cut across all assets) (6) El Nino weather (97-98) (7) Influx of Refugees – Kagera/Kigoma (8) War with Idi Amin Technical faults: (i) Spoilage of imported rice – Dar es Salaam Port (ii) Failure of cotton seeds to germinate. Discussion

• Refugees/ migration can also be good – can enrich local knowledge (e.g. migrants to the UK bringing their food with them.

Trends – group 2 Discussion

• Sharing of knowledge (e.g. on indigenous medicinal plants with multinational pharmaceutical companies): Can lead to people buying Western medicines and not appreciating their own, traditional medicines, even if the ingredients are the same

• But sharing can also be beneficial (more people can benefit), provided earnings are shared equally.

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Seasonality – group 3 Video Show Weather changes affect:- - grazing patterns (moving their animals) - water availability - selection of animals for breeding

.(drought resistant animals are selected) . type of breeds (sanga Vs brahaman) - selling animals to get money in order to get food - disease & disease outbreak (ticks & new castle disease) Crops Selections of crops/varieties to suit the weather patterns e.g. sorghum and millets are drought resistant in dry areas.


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Prices of animals and crops - Fluctuate with season (high rain , low dry season) animal - Farm inputs – demand high rainy season (low rain high dry season) crops Labour Demand High – peak period (land preparation and planting and harvesting) Social aspects - labour migration - theft - gathering - movement High during dry season - ceremony and rituals - Marriages & divorces increase - HIV

Session 5 – Policies, institutions and processes

Material used • Flipcharts, stand, marker pens, tape, post-it notes • Powerpoint presentation After a brief introductory session, the facilitators asked participants to brainstorm in groups of 3 participants about policies, institutions and processes that affect agro-biodiversity, gender and local knowledge. Participants were encouraged to use the information from the videos, but also to draw on their own experiences. This was followed by a ppt presentation on PIPs and discussions.

Outputs Policies:

• Regional policy o Regional cooperation

• Land policies o Land policies x 3

• Agricultural policies o Agricultural policy x4 o Seed policy o Food policies o Livestock policy (cross-breeding) o Animal improvement

• Other national policies

o Local indigenous knowledge protection act


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o Human rights policy o Health policies and traditional medicine o Health policy o Education: Awareness of biodiversity should start at lower schools o Gender and diversity o Plant development (? Not clear what is meant by that)

• Environment o Natural resources management policy o Water policy o Environmental conservation x 2 o Environmental policies: National, regional and international

• Trade o Trade liberalisation on vegetable seed o Privatisation polices o Trade liberalisation o Crop pricing policy

Institutions

• International institutions o FAO x 2 o WTO o WHO o Habitat o Amnesty International o UNDP

• National institutions

o Ministry of agriculture & food security (x3) o Ministry of water and livestock development x 2 o Ministry of Industry and Trade o Ministry of natural resources and tourism o Ministry of lands and human settlement o Ministry of health o Ministry of community development o Prime minister’s office x 2 (emergency relief unit, SGR unit o Vice-president’s office x 2 o Local government Authority (LGA) x2 o Members of Parliament x2

• National semi-public organisations o TFNC o TFDA o Universities and research institutes o NEMC o SUA o NIMR o UCLAS o NARS (including SUA, ORD etc.) x 2


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• Regional organisations

o SADC o EAC o AU / BAR

• Private sector and markets o E.g. private seed companies o Markets o Financial institutions (e.g. loans for livestock) o Consultant hospitals / registered hospitals

• NGOs / CBOs

o Cultural groups o NGOs x2 o CBOs x2 o Civil society o Farmer organisation, e.g. TFA o Youth groups o TAWLAE o TAMWA o Traditional healers o Traditional birth attendants o Traditional leaders o Families / households

• CGIAR etc

o Global environmental facilitator o ICRISAT o IITA o ICRAF o AVRDC o IPGRI

Processes

• Globalisation / commercialisation o Globalisation x 2 o Globalisation (Western medicine) o Patenting o Commercialisation of agriculture affects gender roles o Legislation o By-laws o International protocol


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• Giving value to local knowledge o Genetic conservation o Museum for local seeds / breeds o Putting an inventory of knowledge o Opening traditional hospitals o Recognising local knowledge

• Gender

o Gender o Gender roles o Gender division of roles o Gender mainstreaming

• Food preferences

o Food preference x 4 Discussion

• Laws are there, but they are not translated into action • Many laws are in English and have not been translated into Swahili • It is not just a problem of language, but of interpretation => there is a need for

translating these laws into common language and provide dissemination materials

Presentation on PIPs (if you are interested in obtaining this presentation, please contact [email protected]).

All influenced by cultural dimension and economic dimension


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Session 6 The way forward

Material used • Flipcharts, stand, marker pens, tape Participants were asked to work in three groups and answer questions related to the application of the LinKS concepts in their work: Group work in four groups:

(1) Sokoine University of Agriculture (2) Ministry of Water and Livestock (3) Ministry of Agriculture and Food security (4) Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre

Three questions for each group:

(1) How do you think the LinKS concepts fit in with your current work? (2) How do you plan to incorporate them (give specific examples, if possible) (3) What external support would you require to do that (e.g. technical

backstopping, capacity building)

Outputs

Group 1: Sokoine University of Agriculture 1. Teaching 2. Research 3. Outreach/extension 4. Consultancy How it fits: to our current work 1. (T): LinKS concepts can be incorporated in our teaching programmes 2. (R): LC’s will strengthen our research approaches – adaptable research. 3. (O): LC’s emphasize the need not to neglect what the farmers know.

- Considering gender and agro-biodiversity in projects should always form part and parcel of Project Planning.

4. (c): LinKS – should consider the team has expanded – Again we will apply LC’s


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HOW TO INCORPORATE? 1. Propose curriculum review to accommodate LC’s. 2. Streamline our research approaches taking LC’s on B. 3. Sensitizing other researchers on LC’s 4. Try to retrieve and document available local knowledge in our research areas

(coverage). Need on external support

1. Task on Sensitization of researchers/trainers/extensionists need external support

- Materials (leaflets) - Mobility - Facilitation

2. Retrieving and documenting Local Knowledge would require funding for:

(i) Materials (ii) Facilitation (researchers & benefactors) (iii) Mobility (iv) Final documentation

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Group 2: Ministry of Water and Livestock A: HOW THE CONCEPTS OF LinKS FITS 1. Training – Concepts are included in most syllabi (a) (Long courses) - Gender – Ext. I - Natural resources management - Local Knowledge – Ext. papers.

(b) (Short courses) – Farmers training - Topics on gender, natural resources management (environment conservation) and indigenous techn. are included. Therefore, knowledge obtained = Improve out curriculum.

2. Research

- Project proposals should address elements of gender, environment protection (Impact on environment).

- Animal Genetic Conservation (FAnGR) Farm An. Gen. Res. Regional - On farm research considers gender, genetic diversity, environment impact

and local knowledge.


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3. Extension - Most extension programmes/projects addresses gender issues environmental

impact and some local knowledge e.g. the use of medicinal plants. B: INCORPORATION OF LinKS CONCEPTS

(a) Training: Already incorporated, but the knowledge will improve the training effectiveness.

(b) Research:

Already in place but more research needed on local knowledge.

(c) Extension: Part of their day to day activities.

C: EXTERNAL SUPPORT NEEDED - Capacity building Researchers Trainers Ext. officers . (Training) . (Funding for research and Training) . Facilities e.g. transport means, computers etc. - Technical backstopping.

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Group 3: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security 1. Crop breeding/seed system - Hybridization between local and exotics - Valuable local knowledge/seed to be incorporated in formal seed system. 2. Crop protection – IPM - use of botanicals - protect the environment 3. Soil and water conservation - Matengo pits – to Usambaras and Ulugurus - Green manuring - Crop rotation HOW 1. Sensitize, planners, policy and decision makers at all levels. 2. Sensitize researchers, extension trainers and farmers 3. Establish rural technology fairs to increase awareness 4. Review training curricula to incorporate local knowledge and agrobiodiversity

concepts


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5. document and verify all existing local technologies 6. incorporate local indigenous knowledge in breeding programs. EXTERNAL SUPPORT 1. Establishment of community gene banks 2. Financial and technical assistance to document, verify the local knowledge,

capacity building of researchers, trainers, extension and farmers and policy and decision makers.

3. Technical backstopping.

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Group 4: Tanzanian Food and Nutrition Centre LinKS CONCEPTS IN OUR CURRENT WORK

(b) Research - To answer basic food and nutrition questions - Identify gaps in our research

(c) Interventions

- How to approach communities in solving nutrition problems

(d) Training - To design/develop curriculum of nutrition students/workers - To disseminate nutrition education/information to

communities/public 2. INCORPORATING LinKS CONCEPTS

- Already LinKS concepts are being used in TFNC activities - Causes of malnutrition

- Immediate - Underlying Use LinKS concepts to strengthen the - Basic interventions How: - To create awareness on LinKS concepts - To sensitize communities on LinKS concepts especially on

Agrobiodiversity and Local Knowledge. - To make sure that all sectors play their roles in the implementation

of the forthcoming Food and Nutrition Policy. 3. EXTERNAL SUPORT

- Capacity building in LinKS – all levels of staff - Sensitize stakeholders – workshops, seminars.


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Annex 1 Further resources

Videos: “Sharing the knowledge”. 12 minutes video produced by the LinKS project (FAO 2001). Highlights some examples of the use of local knowledge, including the use of medicinal plants for human and animal health care, selection and breeding of livestock to suit the local environment, and the development and preservation of local seed varieties. Filmed in Zimbabwe and Tanzania. “Farmers, their animals and the environment”. 16 minutes video produced by UNDP (FAO 2000). Shows the link between the area’s farmers, their animals and the environment. Filmed in Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania) Some relevant web sites: LinKS http://www.fao.org/sd/LINKS/home/prima.html NRI http://www.nri.org DFID livelihoods: http://www.livelihoods.org DDS India http://www.ddsindia.com/ GTZ http://www.gtz.de/agrobiodiv/pub/pub.htm#6

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LinKS Project

Gender, biodiversity and local knowledge

systems for food security

LinKS project Gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems for food security Contact details: Gender and Development Service Sustainable Development Department Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, Italy Fax: (+39) 06 570 52004 email: [email protected] website: www.fao.org/sd/links

Documents

LinKS project - Food and Agriculture Organization · LinKS project gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems for food security Biodiversity• Gender• Knowledge May 2004