Environment

Using IK to develop a Seed Bank and Combat Desertification

Summary: The Douentza land improvement project is a project designed to cope with desertification in Douentza, Mali. This area suffers from poor rainfall, and consequently cereal production needs are not met even in years of good rainfall. When rainfall does occur, fierce storms can lead to severe soil erosion. In a project to combat desertification and improve food production for the Douentza region of Mali, USC (Unitarian Service Committee of Canada), in conjunction with the local population, has developed a seed bank to improve the reserves of the communities. Plants that have been chosen for the area were selected by using local knowledge. The local people are in charge of the bank, and through the development of an arboretum, they can pass along their knowledge to future generations.

Lesson: By providing the tools to pass along indigenous knowledge, development organizations allow IK to be retained and used.

Source: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and the Unitarian Service Committee of Canada (USC): Douentza Land Improvement Project

Education

Literacy Initiative Supports Business Association

Summary: A local youth association started a literacy education initiative in their community in support of an enterprise creation program. Bambara, the local language is being used in the education program. A business association was formed, to join which candidates must first undergo a written examination in Bambara, and only those who pass are allowed to put themselves on the ballot for leader positions in the association. Income and expense accounts, drawn up in Bambara, are presented to all members. About half of the personnel is made up of primary school graduates or people who left classes with between three and eight years of schooling, all of whom have in addition taken local literacy courses to learn to write in Bambara and to brush up on their arithmetic. The youth association is managing a series of local businesses with the help of people trained in the program, and the group was able to obtain (and recently to repay) a credit of 32 million CFA francs from a commercial bank.

Lesson: Local language instruction creates group cohesion for a business association and provides the formal requirements to operate the association economically.

Source: University of Florida, IK-Notes (to be published)

Health

Contraceptive Plants and Family Planning

Summary: The Dogon of Mali from the village of Guinoubanou (district of Kani Gogouno in the Bandiagara region) use a plant-based contraceptive method dating from ancient times. The Dogon are sensitive to the issue of unwed-mothers who would tarnish the family image, and are also concerned by women’s health. Women are considered an essential pillar in the family structure. For these reasons, girls are pushed by their parents into practicing a traditional form of birth control. They are given an herbal preparation to take on their first menstruation day each month. This plant-based medicine is also used by women who have just given birth to aid their recovery and for the practice of child-spacing. The Tapily family in the village of Guinoubanou has been the keepers of this knowledge for generations.

Lesson: Traditional family planning methods, when they exist and are safe, should be acknowledged, improved and promoted by development organizations

Source: Association Malienne pour les Connaissances Traditionnelles (AMACOTRA) BPE 2666, ACI 2000 Avenue Cheikh Zayed, Bamako, Mali, Tel:(223) 29 1504

Traditional Medicine Promotes Social Cohesion

Summary: The village of Diomana in the district of Niéna (Sikasso region), is the only one in Mali to be in possession of the secret of an antivenom powder. This antivenom is recognized as an efficient treatment of snake bites by the inhabitants of 80 neighboring villages, the regional capital city, Sikasso, as well as by local medical doctors and patients alike. This medicinal powder is obtained by processing tree barks, during a two-day annual ceremony attended by people from all over the region, and neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire. During these two days, the tree barks are collected by a small group of initiated men from the village and are pounded in mortars by another group of initiated men.

Lesson: In addition to providing a treatment to snake bites, the ritual accompanying the preparation of this traditional medicine, constitutes a means to insure social cohesion.

Source: Association Malienne pour les Connaissances Traditionnelles (AMACOTRA) BPE 2666, ACI 2000 Avenue Cheikh Zayed, Bamako, Mali, Tel:(223) 29 1504

Enterprise Development

Key to Development: Literacy

Summary: In 1991 a donor supported program aimed at upgrading the skills of small industry owners and craftsmen of the informal sector in the capital. As a result, craftsmen’s associations were formed, cooperative savings and credit schemes were established, managed by the association, training in management, book keeping and approaches to technology innovation were held. Loans were pro-vided for investment. The program has enabled numerous informal sector craftsmen to acquire new technical skills and to affiliate in the effort to improve working conditions and obtain needed credit. In addition, the associations have managed to win several contracts that the craftsmen would never have been able to obtain individually, and thus broaden the market for their products. However, the literacy component of the program has made little progress. Very few of the participants acquired the skills necessary to take full charge of managing the new associations, or the confidence required to deal with commercial banking institutions and compete in the market for manufacturing contracts. The activities began to plateau after the ILO withdrew, and the future, according to the most recent reports, remains uncertain

Lessons: Lack of education and access to information due to illiteracy, can spoil otherwise successful self-help organizations.

Source: University of Florida, IK-Note 25

Village Associations Promote Collective Bargaining

Summary: Village associations (associations villageoises, or AV) represent cotton producers against the Malian Textile Company (Compagnie Malienne des Textiles, CMDT) in the Koutiala region of southern Mali. In 1989 representatives of the different regional associations had jointly succeeded to reject an unfavorable policy adopted by the CMDT regarding the financial responsibility of producers’ associations. Based on this success the village associations united again to oppose a decision of CMDT to raise payment of staff from proceeds made on cotton without increasing payments to producers. The AV elected a delegation, but CMDT management, worried by the unstable political conditions in Mali at that time, refused any negotiation with the peasant movement. As a consequence, the AVs called for a strike by cotton producers. For two months the associations re-fused to deliver their cotton to the CMDT. Eventually, CMDT accepted the principle of collective bargaining by an NGO representing producers. In this manner SYCOV (Syndicat des Producteurs du Coton et du Vivrier or Union of Cotton and Food Crops Producers) was born. The Union, which operates bilingually (Bambara-French), has continued to grow, is now a part of the institutional and political landscape of Mali, establishing at a national level the legally-established right of peasants to participate in all decisions which concern them. SYCOV is also organizing training courses in oral and written French for Bambara-literate representatives of the AVs and has required bilingualism in all documents it uses and all sessions in which it takes part.

Lesson: Political environment, pressing needs and local organizational competence transform a farmers’ union into a national political player.

Source: University of Florida, IK-Note 9

Financial Independence through Local Ownership

Summary: To strengthen their management performance, the village associations of southern Mali, created in 1993 an institution charged with auditing their accounts and providing technical assistance to local leaders in financial matters. This structure became the “Koutiala Management Center”; a new branch has just been established in the Office du Niger region. The center is staffed by personnel recruited from the village associations and responsible for providing third-party audit of their ac-counts. The staff are trained and supported in turn by external technical assistance, which is de-signed to play a diminishing role. Policy oversight of the Center is carried out by an Administrative Council, which is linked in turn to the Federation of Village Associations of southern Mali. The center is supposed to operate entirely on a budget funded by the revenues generated from sale of its services to the village associations. It is thus half way between being a “wholly owned subsidiary” of the Federation and operating as a private auditing firm. At this stage, the Center is still partially dependent, on external funding. But it has survived a first phase of establishment, operation and preliminary institutionalization and is in fact providing needed services and generating revenues. The Center thus demonstrates the ability of local associations to move up a substantial notch in the sequence of activities required to become financially independent.

Lesson: The management centers demonstrate the ability of local associations to become financially independent based on ownership.

Source: University of Florida, IK-Note 9

 Rural Finance

Summary: The Compagnie Malienne des Textiles (CMDT), a parastatal enterprise of southern Mali involved in the promotion and marketing of cotton, started a program helping traditional village blacksmiths to upgrade their technical and accounting skills. This should assist to meet growing demands for better farm equipment and equipment repair in rural areas. Participants were assisted in learning new metalworking methods, in developing their ability both to build and to repair essential farm equipment, in improving literate skills, and in obtaining the seed capital necessary to expand their enterprises and begin serving a multi-community clientele. The services of these "forgerons modernisés" have been an essential element in the economic development that southern Mali has experienced over the last decade.

Lessons: Building on traditional artisans and existing knowledge facilitates the introduction of new technologies and helps to make agricultural mechanization sustainable.

Source: University of Florida, IK-Notes (to be published)

Local IK Sources

Dr. Abou Diarra

Directeur National

Centre National de l'Education

Ministère de l'Education

B.P. 1583 Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-75-48-26/23-37-60/22-42-62

M. Salif Kanouté

Sécrétaire Général

Sécrétariat Permanent du Cadre Institutionel de la Gestion des Questions Environnementales

(STP/CIGQE)

B.P. 2357

Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-10-74

Fax : 223-23-58-67

Email : stp@cefib.com

M. Djiriba Traoré

Chef du Bureau Communication, Formation et Recherche

Sécrétariat Permanent du Cadre Institutionel de la Gestion des Questions Environnementales

(STP/CIGQE)

B.P. 2357

Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-10-74

Fax : 223-23-58-67

Email : stp@cefib.com

Dr. Ababacar Ibrahim Maiga

Maître-Assistant en Toxicologie

Chef Section Sciences Pharmaceutiques

Direction Médecine Traditionnelle/INRST

B.P. 1746

Bamako, MALI

Tel.: 223-22-46-20

Fax: 223-21-19-99

Email: inrsp@spider.toolnet.org

Dr. Rokia Sanogo

Docteur en Pharmacie

Aide au Développement de la Médecine Traditionnelle au Mali

B.P. 2174

Bamako, MALI

Tel.: 223-24-17-33 (D)

        223-24-99-29 (B)

Email: rosanogo@yahoo.com

Cheick Bougadary Bathily

Chargé de Programmme National

Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'Alimentation et l'Agriculture (FAO)

B.P. 1820

Bamako, MALI

Tel: 223-22-37-13

       223-22-65-76

Fax: 223-22-36-46

Email: FAO-MLI@fieldfao.org.

Dr. Traoré Niagalé

Directrice Adjointe

Cellule de la Planification et de Statistique

Ministère de la Santé, des Personnes Agées et de la Solidarité

B.P. 232

Bamako, MALI

Tel.: 223-23-27-25

Fax: 223-23-27-26

Email: niagaletraoré@hotmail.com

M. Amidou Maiga

Chef de Cabinet du Sécrétaire Général

Ministère de la Culture

B.P. E. 2123

Korofina North Bamako, Mali

Tel.:223-24-66-63; 223-24-66-78

    (H)223-24-66-30

Fax: 223-24-66-16

Email: ziikra@yahoo.com

Amadou DAO

Directeur

Programme Cadre PNUD/MLI

Observatoire du Développement Humaine Durable et de la Lutte contre la Pauvreté au Mali

(ODHD/LCPM

B.P. 120 Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-85-53

Fax: 223-23-85-52

Email: adao@datatech.toolnet.org

Mahamadou Tangara, Ph.D.

Rural Development Sociology

Programme Cadre PNUD/MLI

Observatoire du Développement Humaine Durable et de la Lutte contre la Pauvreté au Mali

(ODHD/LCPM

MALI/PNUD- Banque Mondiale

B.P. 120 Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-85-53

Fax: 223-23-85-52

Home: 223-23-28-32

Email: mtangara@datatech.toolnet.org

M. Adama Samassekou

Chef de Mission

Mission pour l'Académie Africaines des Langues

Présidence de la Rápublique

B.P. 10 Koulouba-Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-84-47

Fax: 223-23-84-50

Home: 223-23-16-63

Email: macalan@malinet.ml

M. Emmanuel Sagara

Chargé de Mission

Mission pour l'Académie Africaines des Langues

Présidence de la République

B.P. 10 Koulouba-Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-84-47

Fax: 223-23-84-50

Email: emmanuelml@yahoo.fr

M. Gaoussou Haïdara

Chargé de Communication

Mission pour l'Académie Africaines des Langues

Présidence de la République

B.P. 10 Koulouba-Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-84-47

Fax: 223-23-84-50

Cel: 223-74-15-29

Email: macalan@malinet.ml

M. Salia Malé

Coordinateur

Programme d’Appui à laPolitique Culturelle du Mali

(Programme de Soutien aux Initiatives culturelles Décentralisées- PSIC)

Rue 96, Porte 538

KOROFINA-SUD

Bamako, Mali

Tel/Fax : 223-24-36-00

Email : papcm-psic@spider.toolnet.org

Mme Keita Maria Diarra

Institut pour l'Education Populaire

B.P. 42A

Tel.: 223-27-21-93; 223-27-21-66

Cel.: 223-74-42-55

Email: iep@datatech.toolnet.org

Mme Traoré Oumoutouré

Sécrétaire Exécutive de la Coordination des Associations et ONG Féminines du Mali

(CAFO)

BP E 2774

Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-23-74-74

Fax: 223-20-06-51

M. Bakary Doumbia

Président du SECO (Coordinateur de Programme, Association Kilabo)

B.P. 2246

Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-29-30-41

Tel/Fax: 223-22-36-52

Email: Kilabo@spider.toolnet.org

M. Mahamadou Bambo Sissoko

Directeur Technique

BGP/AIB

Programme d'Appui aux Initatives de Base dans la Lutte contre la faim et la Pauvreté

(P.A.I.B)

B.P. E 2599

Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-22-15-89; 23-35-95

Fax: 223-22-15-90

Email: paib@cefib.com

Professeur Mamadou Diawara

Directeur

Centre de Recherche sur le Savoir Local

Point Sud - Muscler le Savoir Local

B.P. 3266

Bamako, Mali

Tel.: 223-28-52-29

Email: pointsud@afribone.net.ml

http://www.uni-bayreuth.de/departements/etnologie/Malioof.html

Bank Projects

Bank Sources

Indigenous Knowledge for Development Link to the Homepage of the Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program of the Africa Region

Database of Indigenous Knowledge and Practices Link to the Database of Practices of the Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program of the Africa Region

IK Notes Newsletter Link to the IK Notes of the Indigenous Knowledge for Development Program of the Africa Region

An Introduction to the Microfinance Institutions Contact List

External Sources

Register for Best Practices in Indigenous Knowledge Link to the database of Best Practices of UNESCO

Nuffic/CIRAN IK Development Monitor and Addresses of Other IK Centers Link to the Addresses of Other IK Centers and CIRAN's IK-Pages

Please send feedback or comments to mailto:%20rwoytek@worldbank.org

Should you know of other indigenous knowledge practices that have helped or may help to improve Bank programs, please share them with us. We will enter your contribution into the IK-Database.

 IK Contribution Format

1. Country:

Where is the practice applied (country and location)?

2. Domain:

In which sector is the practice applied (agriculture, health, social development etc.)?

3. Technology:

What technology (e.g. soil erosion control, childcare, institutional development etc.)?

4. Bearers of Knowledge:

By whom is the practice applied (e.g. Washambaa, local healers, women's group of a given village etc.)?

5. Source:

Where can we inquire further?

Primary provider information (probably yourself or your institution)

Secondary providers of information

Add references to literature, web sites, names of individuals or organizations that can corroborate the practice.

Include addresses of primary and secondary providers of information.

6. Descriptive headline of practice:

One to two lines capturing the main features of a practice.

7. Summary:

Describe the main features of the practice and explain (not more than 200 words).

8. Lessons:

Answer three key questions related to efficacy and impact of the practice.

- Why it is important for the local community?

- Why might it be beneficial to other communities?

- Why should development organizations learn more about this practice?

9. Methods used to capture information:

How was the practice identified, recorded and documented?

NB:

The IK database is an open, on-line resource for information on indigenous knowledge practices. The database acts as a referral system and does not disclose the technical details of practices or applications. Most practices in the database have been reported elsewhere in publicly accessible information sources. As is the principle of a referral database the provider of information could be asked by users of the database to provide further information or pointers as regards details of the practice. It is to the discretion of the provider of information and the inquirer to negotiate the terms of the exchange of knowledge. No information provided will be made public without the consent of the provider.

Should you know of other indigenous knowledge practices that have helped or may help to improve Bank programs, please share them with us. We will enter your contribution into the IK-Database.