Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) implies the broad autonomy of skills, technology and knowledge which exists as well as developed within specific community conditions which can only be adapted to a specific geographical area. IKS has substantially fostered growth dimensions to both the rural as well as urban centers where a specific technology is developed to explore and economically develop on the available resources within such specific areas. IKS is the broad category of knowledge dispensation which is developed by the people coming from specific areas.
Elsewhere, its development still continues to take place (Paul, Alan, 2002, p. 67). IKS forms the benchmark of support of agricultural portfolios, health care, training as well as community education, food preparation, and conservation of environment above other broad subjects of community resource influence. Generally, this knowledge is build and developed in respect to the practices within a specific community, rituals, institutions and also portfolio relationship. Economically, the basic implication of indigenous knowledge in the provision of basic strategies for use in solving problem within the frontiers of the local communities.
It therefore forms a basic part of the issues in development of knowledge that are within the broad global autonomy. Generally, development in IKS helps to promote a better scope in the basic utilization of this under-utilized developmental resources. Indeed, the underutilization phenomenon for such indigenous knowledge within the global process of development is a factor contributed by inadequacy in the guidelines about resource development through codification, recording as well as in the basic application towards community development.
Broadly therefore, indigenous knowledge plays an important role in understanding the manner with which the resource mobility within a particular community can be provided for. (Semali, Joe, 1999, p. 26) From the economic point of view, indigenous knowledge implies the tool with which perspectives for resource integration within a community can be provided for. Since this is directed towards the authoritative facets of a specific community, such knowledge would therefore include both material autonomy and spiritual relationships of the people.
Elsewhere, it involves the manner with which the complex relationship between the people and the community resources exists. Indigenous knowledge basically explores and understands the basic relationship in the contribution of this knowledge in the society. It aims at exploring the community resources in adaptation to the specific requirements and resource contingency of such a community. Ideally, the basic implication of indigenous knowledge towards both urban and rural community development exists in the broad array of implications in which the community understands itself better in relation to its resources.
(Richard, 2001, p. 33) Conversely, the general global technology and knowledge integrations may not adequately perpetuate standards for the most economical methodologies for resource exploitation. Since the advanced global knowledge and technology is developed to use high conventional and integrated systems of operations, such may however be uneconomical in terms of human resource capitalization, machinery autonomy and rigidities in infrastructure and complex technological integrations which may not economically benefit specific communities.
The conventional system of technology and knowledge is usually developed at macroeconomic efficiency perspective, which may not efficiently apply to small-scale rural and urban resource exploitation requirements. The basic economic implication of indigenous knowledge is the provision of economic efficiency through optimal costing and economies of scale for the highest output in the least cost possible. This is in the adaptation of technology use in relation to the basic parameters and capacities of the resource autonomy in respect to the community.
(Payal, 1998, p. 56) Generally, the failure to initiate and contribute towards the development in indigenous knowledge systems has been a major drawback in the developmental conception within the global communities. This has been due to the basic failure of appropriating the basic advantages and economies that are allied to the IKS. Since the same is developed in correspondence to the basic resource dispensation, failure of development IKS has therefore led to inadequate and un-optimal exploitation of resources within the global communities.
This has implied the use of the conventional knowledge systems which are not adaptable to specific requirements of community autonomies and resources. The next general problem has been community resource inefficiency in the use which couple high cost of their exploitation and lack of full use of such resources. (Patrick, 2002, p. 45) Basically, IKS has been designed to bring preference in the broad aspect of economic resource scarcity which implies how the most fundamental satisfaction of human needs can be enhanced.
Since resources are scarce, the most adequate methods of their exploitation would only be suitable for community development. The global knowledge systems are developed to imply the use of such in an integrated capacity which may not ultimately entail bringing economic validity. Failure to use IKS would therefore imply the irrational perception in the exploitation of the community scarce resources which brings resource inefficiency above the aspect of high cost and therefore lack of optimal resource mobility.
Since specific resource dispensation could only be economically optimal through the use of specific methods of exploitation which provide full resource exploitation, lack of development in IKS would therefore imply the lack of optimality in the broad concept of community resource use. (Mike, 2005, p. 77) Adequacy in exploiting the community resource is synonymous to the preferential level with which such could bring community development both at rural and urban level.
However, specific standards into the autonomy of communities both at cultural, social, religious and the quantitative capacity of the resources is limited to specific technology and knowledge systems which amount to the indigenous knowledge systems. Lack of its application therefore implies development incapacities and inefficiency for the communities. This is because of the general objectivity of the development purpose which is aimed at bringing economic efficiency and therefore community development.
Bibliography
Mike, J.(2005) Development in Indigenous Knowledge. London, Routledge Patrick, T (2002) Indigenous People and Human Rights. Manchester University Press Paul, S & Alan, B (2002) Participating in Development. Approaches to Indigenous Knowledge. London, Routledge. Payal, S (1998) Judgment Protects Indigenous Knowlledge. World Watch, Vol. 11 Richard, H (2001) Rethinking Resource Management: Justice, Sustainability and Indigenous People. London, Routledge. Semali, L & Joe, L (1999) What is Indigenous Knowledge? Voices from the Academy. Falmer Press