PROMETRA, Uganda introduced the concept

of Endogenous Development (ED) for Community

Resilience (CR) to the leaders of three communities

on Bunjako island. Bunjako island is a fishing and

farming area, however all the forests have been

cleared for upland rice growing or the introduction

of hybrid species of banana and coffee which has

worked against the indigenous crops and soil

fertility.  People were not valuing indigenous and

local knowledges. Community members only looked at modernity to solve their challenges as regards health, environmental

management and conservation, and safe foods.

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IMPACT AND CHALLENGES

One hundred and sixty-seven (f=112; m=55)

traditional health practitioners were introduced

to the ED concept to strengthen their indigenous

knowledge while utilizing external knowledge for

improved livelihood. Emphasis was put on involving

communities and using local available knowledge

s to improve farming practices.  The introduction

of Ecological Organic Farming (EOF) and using the

local indigenous knowledges was a blessing to this community and was highly embraced. As a result of this intervention many people, including the youth, have enrolled to PROMETRA’s forest school to get comprehensive knowledge and skills in traditional medicine, ecological organic farming and other conservational methods. Community members were also assisted in setting up of gardens. While the gardens were being established, several integrated messages relating to organic agriculture, public health, use of traditional knowledge and environmental conservation were generated within the communities, closely discussed by the community members, and shared out to others.

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A conference to review the traditional medicine policy and a retreat for spiritual mediums were also organized.  The conference was an effort to orient newly elected members of parliament of the role and contribution of traditional medicine to the national development and improved health of the citizens. The cultural spiritual retreat for spiritual mediums from across the country had the aim to seek guidance from the invisible Almighty, through silence and prayers, for revelations and solutions to the challenges that are affecting the country and the world as a whole. PROMETRA has also been given free airtime on TV to educate the masses on integrated approach using indigenous knowledge for community development.

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FUTURE

The communities have developed a willingness to reconsider original ecological organic farming practices.  Unfortunately, there is still high use of herbicides, increasing deforestation and land grabbing and eviction of the population so efforts will need to continue in the future.

Contributed by PROMETRA Staff