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IDRC WORKSHOP ON "INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND TRADITIONAL COPING STRATEGIES"

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) sponsored a workshop on the "Impact of Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Coping Strategies for the Prevention or Mitigation of Land Degradation and the Desertification Process in Africa." The workshop was held in Cairo from 3-5 January. Thirty participants, including African INCD negotiators, representatives of African NGOs, specialists from African research organizations and representatives from African regional bodies, attended.

The recommendations of the workshop include: the need for government officials to take into account indigenous knowledge in the development and implementation of policies; research should be carried out on how local communities and outside agencies adapt and innovate using traditional and modern knowledge systems; mechanisms should be found for the effective involvement of local representative institutions in higher level decision-making; new mechanisms must be developed to increase the freedom of movement for pastoralists; indigenous knowledge needs to be documented; and curricula that includes indigenous knowledge needs to be developed, applied and funded.