Strengthening Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Livelihoods, Resource and

Social Change

XU Jianchu, PhD & Executive Director

Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge (CBIK)

Http://www.cbik.org/ or http://cbik.ac.cn/

Outline

Introduction Why IK Matters? The roles of IK Constraints Creating space for IK

Why IK?

Cultural Diversity

Human Rights

Social Capital

What is CBIK?

CBIK is Chinese NGO, registered in 1995 with more than 25 staff

CBIK is dedicated to Applying IK and technical innovations for

resource governance Access to biodiversity for sustainable

livelihood Intercultural dialogue and communication

CBIK Structure

IAB + Local board Executive directors

Watershed governance program Community livelihood program IK and education program

Capacity building Communication Institutional development

Yunnan: the Roof of MMSEAFTA: China + ASEAN

Elevation ZonesElevation ZonesElevation ZonesElevation Zones

Yunnan: the Poor in the Paradise

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Introduction of Issues

Know-How: Dynamics, diversity and complexity as human-ecology

processes Indigenous people: objects or citizens in mountain regions? Social justice: common earth but uneven ground

CBIK: What roles are there for NGOs and civil society?

CBIK as a learning institution growing with civil society

What is IK? Comovision (world views)– indigenous ways

of understanding the universe Linguistic knowledge and technical practices Knowledge transfer and adaptation

mechanisms Customary institutions

Hani’s comovision about ‘community’ CBIK Issue: How to understand other ways of seeing and doing?CBIK Action: Small Grants Program for indigenous researchers

Why IK Matters (1): Adaptation

IK: Complexity of upland resource dynamics and

livelihoods Importance of subjective understandings in

explaining why people do, what they do, how they do

Different ways of knowing relate to different ecological and social niches

CBIK concerned Issue: What other options for promoting sustainable livelihoods can we see?

CBIK Action: Promoting organic farming in upland communities

Why IK Matters (2):

Social and Environmental Justice

IK is largely collective IK is culturally embedded Dialogue with IK systems can help to avoid socially

undesirable outcomes, toward socially desirable outcomes (local sanction, equitable access, etc.)CBIK Issue: How can we promote social inclusion?CBIK Action: Developing community-led eco-tourism models

Workshop on Dams and Sustainable Development, Oct.9-10, 2003

Why IK Matters (3): Efficiency

Sustainable Livelihoods depend on: 

•Biodiversity (natural capital)•Indigenous Knowledge (social capital) •Technical innovations (re-adaptation)•Knowledge transfer mechanisms (learning process)•Values and Consent, and (local governance)•Enabling environment (policies and markets)CBIK Issue: What is the contemporary relevance

of IK?CBIK Action: Participatory technology development with indigenous community members, e.g. rattan cultivation

Globalization is not new Local: upland vs. lowland Regional: the “Southern Silk Road” in 122 B.C. International: Zhen He, Voyages in 1405-1433 A.D.

Trade, Migration (e.g.: MMSEA), Expedition

What is new? Global scale of interactions and their impacts The prospect of irreversible changes Global governance systems (unfair trade & partnership)

Why IK Matters (4):

Linking local and global

CBIK Action: •Training program on International Trade Law, Environment and Sustainable Development (IISD, IUCN, CBIK in collaboration with SEPA)

•Translating IDRC Book “Beyond Property Rights”

•Traditional Resource Rights Network (China, MMSEA)

The Roles of IK: local level

Customary Authorities Indigenous experts>> (usually old)

actor>>power>>decision-making for local accountability Statutory Authorities (state nomination or local

election) “Educated” >>(young) actor>>power>> decision-making

for outside accountability Can they work together?

CBIK Issue:

How does knowledge link to power structures & decision-makings?CBIK Action: Research on village elections and resource governance

The Roles of IK: Local - Outside interaction

Competing knowledge systems or conflicting objectives? People’s actions are driven by their objectives Knowledge is brought to bear on the implementation of those

objectives

CBIK Issue: How to facilitate effective dialogues?

CBIK Action: Providing training in participatory methods for dialogue, e.g. Xishuangbanna Vocation Training School

What prevents IKfrom being exercised?

IK linked to local objectives Local objectives conflict with outside objectives

Conservation vs development Capacity of the state (state lacks of knowledge, skills and interest)

Spatial scale conflicts (small v.s big) Fine scale of knowledge in mosaic landscapes and mountain

ecosystems Temporal scale conflicts of interests

Profit maximization versus sustainable livelihoods (e.g. “Upland Conversion Program” in China)

CBIK Action: Official and Vernacular Identifications in the Making of the Modern World

Uneven Playing Field

Who make the laws? Who has powers? Who make the decisions? Whose agenda accounted? Nationality “Autonomy” Law in China: rhetoric or

practice?

CBIK Issue: How can NGOs help address macro-level constraints?CBIK Action: Policy research, e.g. YEDP-PRICA

Creating Space for IK

Representation: powers, capacities, accountability relations Resilience, re-adaptation and ‘invisible hand’ mechanisms Leveling the playing field

IPRs of indigenous knowledge Traditional resource rights Eco-and-fair trade

CBNRM>>>Community-based education

CBIK Action: Agro-Pastoralist Livelihoods Project

Agro-pastoralist Livelihoods

Improving understanding of agro-pastoralist livelihoods

Participatory Technology Development Institutional innovation, and Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation

Major Events by CBIK

“Yunnan Initiative”: Version and actions for enhancing cultural and biological diversity, from Culture and Biodiversity Congress 2000

III MMSEA Conference: Mountain festival with more 150 indigenous peoplesFor policy document: Yunnan Initiative and III MMSEA

proceedings, please download from website:

http://www.cbik.ac.cn/resources

Shangri-La: The Way Ahead

Thanks!