The African Learning Institute on
Local and Indigenous Knowledges for Community Resilience
The African Learning Institute on Local and Indigenous Knowledges for Community Resilience will take place in, and around Techiman, Ghana in June 2016. The Learning Institute, co-hosted by Nana Kwaw Adams, a traditional leader of Forikrom, will build on the work of grassroots organizations and stewards of bio-cultural diversity across the African continent. During the two-week workshop delegates from 12 collaborating organizations from 9 African countries will learn together, explore lessons, share indigenous innovations, and strengthen their approaches to enhancing community resilience.
​
African communities, like Forikrom, are endowed with abundant natural resources, rich cultures and indigenous wisdom. They are also challenged by climate change, industrialization of food systems, land and water grabs, ecological deterioration, increasing food insecurity and the breakdown of cultural identity and diversity. Endogenous Development (ED) (development from within, bridging indigenous and appropriate external knowledge) is one approach organizations are experimenting with to address these threats and stresses and build resilience.
The delegates from across the continent will gather for an experiential, field-based workshop, that will include time in Forikrom and other communities, learning about agro-ecology, traditional health initiatives, governance, and cultural and heritage practices that build community resilience. They will also spend time in the classroom sharing what they are doing in their own organizations, understanding advocacy tools such as bio-cultural community protocols and community impact assessments, and putting their learning in the context of what is happening globally around local and indigenous knowledges and community resilience. Following the course delegates will take their learning and renewed motivation to implement and document an activity with their own organization which they’ll share eight months later with other course delegates in a virtual showcase. Our goal is that the overall experience will inspire a strong community of learning and practice, a network of like-minded organizations, and a sense of solidarity that by using an ED approach, people can continue to innovate “African solutions to African problems”.
Guidance Team:
David Fletcher, is the Team Leader - Building Resilient Communities, at the Coady International Institute.
Bernard Y. Guri, Co-ordinator, Compas Africa Network for Endogenous Development and Biocultural Diversity will co-chair the guidance team. Bern is also Chair of the Alliance for Food Soverignegty in Africa (AFSA) and Executive Director of the Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), Ghana.
Alice Ndlovu, Director of Operations, Muonde Trust, Zimbabwe will serve on the guidance team as an indigenous gender specialist. Alice works directly with communities to encourage, document and support indigenous innovations, and is a graduate of the 2015 Local and Indigenous Knowledge for Community Resilience at the Coady Institute.
Portia Bansa, Culture and Heritage Officer, CIKOD, Ghana is the course manager for this initiative.
Collaborating Project Partners:
Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development, Ghana
CIKOD aims to facilitate dialogue on the role of indigenous knowledge and institution in modern day community development and empowerment.
​
Our Vision: CIKOD’s vision is that of a society, where the rural poor, the marginalised and rural women have a voice and contribute pro-actively to equitable and sustainable community development.
Our Mission: CIKOD’s Mission is to strengthen the capacities of communities through traditional authorities (TAs) and local institutions to utilize their local and appropriate external resources for their own development and for future generations.
About Us: The Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD) is a non-profit organization registered in Ghana under the Companies Code in 2003.
​
​
ABOFAP Organic Farmers, Ghana
Abono Organic Farming project (ABOFAP), an Community based Orgabization based in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. ABOFAP works with rural farmers in the region to promote agro-ecological farming. ABOFAP engages and provides training for farmers in green manuring, composting, Famer management Natural regeneration, sack gardening, indigenous pest control measures.
ABOFAp also organizes and coordinates the work of local farmer crop coopertaives such as Mango farmers Associations, Cashew Farmers Associations and women Farmers Associations in the Brong Ahafo Region.
NACOFAG, The Gambia
National Coordinating Organization for Farmers Associations in the Gambia (NACOFAG)
NACOFAG is a network of farmers and forest organizations involved in food security, sovereignty and traditional knowledge on indigenous agricultural practices among other initiatives.The aim and objectives as a farmer-based organization is to promote and defend the values of an efficient and sustainable small-holder agriculture, to promote solidarity between farmers associations in the country and the sub-region, to provide technical, managerial and resources support to farmer association and their members for improved production, processing and marketing of high value crops and livestock, to promote agro-business activities, to establish the basis for an organizational network, to attract financial and technical assistance from multi-lateral donors, charitable and governmental organizations, to promote awareness, good governance, effective leadership and empowerment of member associations, to mobilize community resources for members to develop their undertakings, all conducive to the attainment of the above objectives or any of them.
.
​
JINUKUN, Benin
​
JINUKUN is a national network and a focal point of the Coalition for the protection of African genetic Heritage. The name JINUKUN means seed. JINUKUN is programmatically focused on agro ecology as avenue to biodiversity conservation.
JINUKUN focuses on training and development of research skills among farmer leaders and emerging professionals.
JINUKUN promotes collaboration and information exchange between rural organizations and researchers, NGOs, and professional in Africa
​
​
​
Kivulini Trust, Kenya
Kivulini Trust draws on the wisdom inherent in our communities’ traditional cultural systems and practices, and believe in their power to shape their own destiny - in order to create sustainable livelihoods and inspire the protection and celebration of their rich cultural and natural heritage.
Our vision: A progressive society that cherishes and celebrates its culture, respects its natural environment and enjoys social harmony and prosperity. The Trust holds very strongly that rapid and enduring change is possible when communities are able to harness and grow their own resources and initiate their own solutions on development issues affecting them.
Our mission: To support pastoralist, fishing and other minority communities in the northern rangelands of Kenya to sustain their cultural and natural heritage, and to realize their socio-economic aspirations
Our purpose: To promote and support the perpetuation of cultural knowledge and practices and to facilitate positive change by building on the existing cultural strengths, indigenous knowledge and natural resources management know-how for the realization of holistic and sustainable development.
​
​
Institute for Culture and Ecology, Kenya
The Institute for Culture and Ecology (ICE) was founded in 2006 out of a visible need to promote the inherent and natural role of culture in environmental and resource management in Kenya. ICE's vision is one of empowered communities harnessing indigenous knowledge for healthy people and ecosystems.
ICE promotes traditional knowledge in environmental rehabilitation, conservation, and resource management. ICE is committed to buttressing traditional knowledge in community-based environmental and resource management initiatives and facilitating culture-based learning that would lead to the social and ecological well-being of the earth community. Their mission is to promote indigenous knowledge for environmental conservation and to enhance the livelihoods of local communities with regard to sustainable development.
ICE is well linked with like-minded organizations in Kenya, Africa and beyond who are pioneering innovative culture-based strategies and policy advocacy for recuperation, recognition and promotion of indigenous knowledge and practices relevant to environmental rehabilitation and management. Their strategies are informed by the current changes in climate and food scenarios on the ground, constant reflection on viable strategies to alleviate the deteriorating environmental situation and learning from current on-going work and the strengths of the organization.
A distinctive strategy for ICE is the recognition and promotion of traditional governance structures as vital elements in resource and environmental governance initiatives. To achieve their aim, strategic objectives include:
-
Strengthening conservation of bio-cultural diversity and food security initiatives
-
Promoting community reconstruction through alternative knowledge transfer
-
Supporting research and advocacy initiatives
-
Promoting community level climate change adaptation and mitigation
-
Strengthening institutional development
PROMETRA, Uganda;
https://www.facebook.com/www.prometra.org
PROMETRA Uganda was founded in 2000 as a response to poor health conditions in the country and inadequate modern health services. Its focus is on traditional health care, a form of medicine that is comparatively accessible and affordable. The mission of PROMETRA is to promote traditional medical knowledge and practices for the improved health of the people. It welcomes collaboration from other health care traditions. The philosophy of PROMETRA is to harness nature and promote good health, with the vision of a healthy, well informed and productive population.
Water-Aid, Ghana
http://www.wateraid.org/where-we-work/page/ghana
WaterAid has been present in Ghana since 1985, working with policy makers and eight local development partners.
Water, sanitation and hygiene education projects are carried out in six out of ten of the country's regions, helping to improve access to water and sanitation for some of Ghana's poorest people.
Community-led solutions and systems are put in place to help empower local communities and people so that they can help themselves to take the first steps out of poverty.
MELCA, Ethiopia
​
MELCA works for healthy ecosystem, vibrant culture and improved lives of communities through developing and spreading innovative methods. This work is in four main program areas.
​
Environmental Governance
The program works on registering and improving the governance of Man and Biosphere Reserves and Community Conserved Areas. It also works on supporting the revival of traditional ecological governance systems, education on environmental laws and policies.
Children & Youth Empowerment
The program aims to create children and youth who are rooted in their sustainable cultural practices but contribute positively to their environment. They will be facilitated to connect with nature, culture and themselves and to get quality education.
Agro-Ecology
The program works towards thriving living soil, increasing biodiversity, strengthening farmer innovation, knowledge development and sharing and higher levels of nutrition security.
Income Generating Activities (IGAs)
This program works to improve the life of disadvantaged local communities through provision of alternative livelihood options but in a way that does not harm both the culture and the environment
Women for Change, Zambia
http://www.wfczambia.org/index.php/en/
​
Women for Change is a gender-focused NGO that builds capacities of rural communities, especially women and girls, to achieve sustainable human development and the eradication of all forms of poverty. The organisation operates on the principle of non-partisan collaboration with civic, political and other organisations on matters concerning development of rural communities
​
​
​
​
​
Muonde Trust, Zimbabawe
Supporting indigenous innovation in Mazvihwa, Zimbabwe
The Muonde Trust (a registered charitable body in Zimbabwe) is a community-based organisation dedicated to fomenting locally-driven creativity and development in the Mazvihwa and neighbouring areas of south central Zimbabwe (Zvishavane District). Through locally-driven educational, agricultural and community extension programs, and a healthy dose of action research, we back indigenous development efforts that maintain the connections between spirit, community and ecology.
Muonde works in ways that build upon local assets and require as little external funding as possible. However, it also benefits greatly from the generous contributions of individuals and funding agencies locally and overseas that enable it to meet cash needs and employ our entirely local staff. Funds can be received either directly or through the like-minded non-profit “Friends of Muonde” a project of Earth Island Institute (501c3), based in the San Francisco Bay area in California.
​
​
​
SAEDP, South Africa
SAEDP is an alliance of Spirit-mediums, Chiefs, Elders, and their Rural Communities and Universities fostering rural development cooperation through promoting and propagating the African traditional values, cultural heritage, and identity of the indigenous people of Southern Africa. It was founded in 2004 and registered in 2006 as a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) by the Government of South Africa. It is owned by the Traditional Institutions (Spirit Mediums, Chiefs and their Communities) who are the authentic custodians of IKS, culture, spirituality and cosmo-vision. The vision of SAEDP is “Enhancing Endogenous Development in Southern Africa.” As implied in the name of the Organisation, SAEDP applies an integrated participatory approach in its wide-ranging bio-cultural diversity management operations that include natural resources conservation; organic agriculture; appropriate technology; traditional health delivery; local languages and IKS, culture, spirituality and cosmo-vision cutting across all development activities.
​
​
​
Coady International Institute, Canada
Established by St. Francis Xavier University in 1959, the Coady International Institute is a world class leader in community-based, citizen-driven development education. In collaboration with partners in Canada and the global south, the Institute is committed to reducing poverty and transforming societies by strengthening local economies, by building resilient communities, and by promoting accountable democracies. We are committed to breaking down and transforming the North/South divide by bringing Canadians and people from the global South together to exchange best practices and learn from each other. Through innovative and relevant adult education programs, effective partnerships, and applicable research, the Institute equips community leaders and their organizations with the knowledge and practical tools needed to bring about the change they want for themselves.
The Coady Institute recognizes the tremendous potential of all citizens to contribute towards development and the need to ensure the most marginalized groups are also heard. By developing the leadership of women, youth and Indigenous peoples, the Coady Institute helps ensure that communities can reach their full potential and benefit from the strengths of all their people.
The Coady’s Research for Action work is focused on participatory research processes that include communities in understanding their own realities and options. Work involves field-based research, case study development, production of field manuals and community development tools as well as "lessons-learned" briefs, multimedia tools and conference presentations. The Coady also engages in more intensive training and advisory support to build the core competencies, leadership, and program capacity of innovative development organizations that have high potential to bring about systematic change.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS FOR THE COMPAS-AFRICAN LEARNING INSTITUTE ON IK 4 COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
No.
Name /Organization
Country
Participants
1.
ABOFAP
GHANA
-
Naa Kwaw Adams
-
Esther Boakye
2.
SAEDP
SOUTH AFRICA
-
Raymond Tivafire
-
Abraham Mwadiwa
3.
NACOFAG
Gambia
-
Mr. Alieu Sowe
-
Haddy Kebbeh
4.
MELCA
ETHIOPIA
-
Bereket Weldegiorgis
5.
WOMEN 4 CHANGE
ZAMBIA
-
Alfred Simaye
-
Harriet Namonje
6.
KIVULINI TRUST
KENYA
-
Mr. Ali Gufu Ibrae
-
Mohammed Halake
7.
ICE
KENYA
-
Martin Muriuki
-
George Gathuru Mburu
8.
PROMETRA
UGANDA
-
Dr Sekegya Yahaya
-
Birugi Elizabeth
9.
MOUNDE TRUST
ZIMBABWE
-
Abraham Changarara
-
Memory Mhizia
10.
COADY INT. INSTITUTE
CANADA
-
David Fletcher
-
Clifford Paul
11.
ALICE NDOLUVU
ZIMBABWE
-
Alice Ndoluvu
12.
Benin
Benin
-
Demagbo Gbehounou Alide Brice
13.
CIKOD/ COMPAS- Ghana
GHANA
-
Bernard Guri
-
Portia Bansa
-
William Asamoah
-
Clement Zobazie
14.
Water AID
Ghana
-
Afia Zakiya
-
Perpetual Diabene
-
Issah Bello Sulleyman
15.
Empower Group
UDS
WOM
SWOPA
RUWFAG / CIKOD
Ghana
29. Laurence Atuna
-
Felicia Anambire
-
Bridget Akasise
-
Elham Mumuni
16.
Christensen Fund
Ethiopia/ USA
-
Nathaniel Wolde
17.
Millar Open University
Ghana
-
Professor David Millar