Where do we go from here?

Understanding traditional agricultural knowledge and its effect on technology adoption

By Wairimu (Nimo) Muthike

I love stories. The drama of them, the emotions they evoke, but—more importantly—the lessons they carry. From one generation to the next, communities around the world have made a point of sharing stories that help to preserve and transfer indegenous knowledge on any given topic. For me, stories came alive in my grandparents’ farm in Kianjanga, a town located right on the boundary of central and eastern Kenya. I was taught everything from when to prepare the land for planting, to how rain can make or break the season. All planting had to be done by mid-March, just in time for the short rains. This practice didn’t quite have a name back then, but I have since learned that it is referred to as dry planting .

When agricultural development and sustainability in the Global South are discussed, it is usually with the cycle of innovation-uptake-adoption in mind; researchers develop new technologies for increased farm productivity, and farmers are persuaded to take them up. Granted, innovation does help mitigate some risks—for instance zero tillage and other conservation agriculture practices improve soil health—but there is arguably a place for traditional knowledge, and agricultural practices to thrive as well. Planting traditional seed varieties , for example, may guard against climate shocks as they are already tolerant to a particular environment. Traditional farming practices are considered primitive, low-yielding, and prone to pests and diseases, whereas modern technologies are deemed expensive, environmentally harmful, and sometimes ignorant to culture and social norms. Either approach seems like a threat to the other, but it need not be the case. Combining traditional knowledge with modern technologies not only helps to reduce adoption barriers, but it also allows for sustainable food production through integration of context specific knowledge and practices.?

However, before we can get to a happy medium of the two approaches, it is beneficial to first describe traditional agricultural knowledge—or indigenous knowledge (IK)—and its contribution to food security in resource-poor countries. Doing so may bring some understanding of why farmers pick and choose specific technologies to adopt, or ignore them altogether. The end goal, at least for Busara, is to possibly undertake behavioral research around which aspects of IK are most impactful on the decision to adopt and retain new agricultural technologies.

First things first, what is IK? According to Wahyudi et al. (2012) , indigenous knowledge is “a product of the adaptation of farming practices to the local environment, creating unique indigenous farming practices”. Going by this definition, we can infer that traditional knowledge offers the potential to solve two of the biggest problems in agricultural development; resilience and adaptation to climate change. As to how this ties into adoption decisions, we would need to outline the characteristics of traditional knowledge, and the opportunities they offer for new technologies.?

For one, indigenous knowledge is premised on little to no dependence on inputs. Traditional practices like intercropping (usually maize and a legume) have at least a two-fold effect; maintaining or improving soil fertility, and providing food variety. These have further implications on livelihood and diet, and even more outcomes after that. On the contrary, intensive farming practices require heavy investments in inputs and machinery, to get the most out of a small acreage. In the long-run, these inputs and technologies become a burden for resource-constrained smallholders, therefore affecting adoption. If the stability of food production is disrupted by new technologies, then farmers are unlikely to consider—much less adopt—them.

Another distinguishing quality of traditional knowledge and practice is in reusability of resources. A typical rural farm features both farming and animal husbandry. Reusability in this scenario is usually crop waste being used as animal fodder, and animal waste being used as manure. Unfarmed tracts of land serve as pasture, and help keep soils nourished for future farming needs. As simple as this system may seem, the interdependence between all elements keeps food production stable, and farm productivity at a sustainable level. This, compared to heavy reliance on farm inputs and improved feed for animals in more modern agricultural setups, directly affects technology adoption. This is not to mention the cost implications of such an undertaking. Where seed is concerned, traditional varieties remain popular not only for their affordability, but also for their reusability. After each harvest, farmers preserve a portion of the crop to be used as seed for the next planting season. Modern improved seeds are hybrids, meaning they can only be planted once, thus requiring farmers to spend money every season if they hope to harvest anything.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the preservation of contextual knowledge. Traditional farming practices are passed down from one generation to the next, and do more for resilience than application of commercial “quick fixes”. Over hundreds—if not thousands—of years, traditional farmers have meticulously curated which crops or animals thrive in specific conditions, and even alternative uses such as for medicine or trade. Innovations such as index insurance, although promising, are sometimes met with suspicion from traditional farmers. For example, if the promise of improved seed is that it does better in drought conditions, why is the additional expense of insurance necessary? Why not stick with tried and tested “old” varieties??

For every feature of traditional agricultural knowledge, is an opportunity to plug in new technologies. The hurdle here is getting to the root of farmers’ perceptions, and finding a compromise, rather than undermining or trying to completely replace IK. By nature, indigenous knowledge is contextual. It is unlikely that actors in the public or private spaces have properly mapped out IK within the communities or contexts that they plan to operate in. Therefore, as part of its research agenda, Busara aims to map out the ways in which traditional knowledge can have the most impact for development. If you or your organization would be interested in participating, please reach out through the email [email protected].