ABSTRACT

Purpose

To explore the challenges and strengths of employing an extension approach, which entwines indigenous knowledge and science, for the purpose of enhancing sustainable agricultural practices.

Design/methodology/approach

We assessed an agricultural extension approach which entwined indigenous knowledge and science. Data for this paper were qualitative and quantitative in nature as gathered from semi-structured interviews, farmer observations, surveys and the researcher’s field notes.

Findings

Indigenous knowledge has enormous potential to contribute to sustainable agriculture, yet it is rarely included in agricultural extension. There are many inhibiting factors which may contribute to the lack of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in extension programmes, including: perceived value of indigenous knowledge; knowledge protocols; cultural constraints; access to indigenous knowledge; and, misrepresentation of indigenous knowledge, but also strengths such as enhanced sustainable agricultural practices.

Practical Implications

Understanding the strengths and challenges of entwining indigenous knowledge and science may support extension policies which further value indigenous knowledge and recognise accessibility and property rights, thus maximising the strengths and limiting the challenges.

Theoretical implications

Whilst the present study further supports theories which recognise the challenges (accessibility; perceived value; intellectual property rights; cultural embeddedness) and strengths (contribution to sustainable agriculture) of including indigenous knowledge in agricultural extension, this study also offers an alternative approach to agricultural extension.

Originality

Much has been written regarding the value of indigenous knowledge and its potential in sustainable agriculture. This paper explicitly reports on the strengths and challenges of entwining indigenous knowledge and science in an alternative agricultural extension approach.

中文翻译：

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融合土著知识和科学知识以实现可持续农业扩展：探索优势和挑战

摘要

目的

探索采用扩展方法的挑战和优势，这种方法与土著知识和科学交织在一起，目的是加强可持续农业实践。

设计/方法/方法

我们评估了一种农业推广方法，该方法与土著知识和科学交织在一起。从半结构化访谈，农民观察，调查和研究人员的田野笔记中收集的数据，本文的数据本质上是定性和定量的。

发现

土著知识具有促进可持续农业的巨大潜力，但很少被包括在农业推广中。有许多抑制因素可能导致缺乏将土著知识纳入扩展方案，包括：土著知识的感知价值；知识协议；文化限制；获得土著知识；以及对当地知识的错误陈述，还有诸如加强可持续农业实践等优势。

实际影响

了解与土著知识和科学融合的优势和挑战可能会支持扩展政策，这些政策会进一步珍视土著知识并承认可及性和财产权，从而最大程度地发挥优势并限制挑战。

理论意义

尽管本研究进一步支持了认识到将土著知识纳入农业推广中的挑战（可及性；感知的价值；知识产权；文化嵌入）和优势（对可持续农业的贡献）的理论，但本研究还为农业推广提供了另一种方法。

独创性

关于土著知识的价值及其在可持续农业中的潜力，已经写了很多文章。本文明确报告了在替代性农业推广方法中融合土著知识和科学的优势和挑战。