Challenges of documenting and disseminating agricultural indigenous knowledge for sustainable food security in Soroti District

Abstract: 
The aim of the study was to investigate how Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge (AIK) is documented and disseminated and identified challenges faced in its management for sustainable food security in Soroti District. The objectives included: to ascertain the forms of Agricultural Indigenous Knowledge used in Soroti; to establish the existing methods of documenting and disseminating AIK, investigate the constraints of documenting and disseminating AIK in Soroti and determine the best strategies for documenting and disseminating of AIK in Soroti. An ethnographic study approach was used to collect qualitative data from a sample of 351 informants who were selected using random, purposeful and snow-ball sampling techniques. The data sources included; audio and video recordings (Interviews, discussions, conversations), pictures, structured personal Interviews, group discussions and participant observations. Field-test questionnaire was also used to collect information from farmers through the use of interpreters in Ateso and Kuman Languages. Findings reveal that despite the advent of modern farming methods, many small scale farmers in the Soroti district continue to embrace indigenous knowledge in farming such as in managing soil fertility, controlling pests and diseases, controlling weeds, soil preparation, planting materials, harvesting and storage of indigenous root crops and animals. The study concludes that indigenous knowledge is still widely used but most of it is not documented nor fully understood by some members of the community; and that the Iteso and Kumam cultures have some restrictions on who acquires the knowledge. The researcher recommends that : AIKs be recorded for future generations, AIK should be researched and be thoroughly documented and made freely available to anyone who needs it, AIK in Soroti district requires attitudinal, behavioral, and methodological changes to give it a scientific touch, Small scale farmers should be involved in agricultural extension services rather than leaving the work to formally trained officers who may have little attachment to specific cultural practices in areas they operate.
Language: 
English
Date of publication: 
2015
Country: 
Region Focus: 
East Africa
Author/Editor(s): 
University/affiliation: 
Collection: 
RUFORUM Theses and Dissertations
Licence conditions: 
Open Access
Access restriction: 
Project sponsor: 
Agshare
Form: 
Web resource
ISSN: 
E_ISSN: 
Edition: 
Extent: 
xi, 100