Notes on Traditional Knowledge, Modern Knowledge and Rural Development

SUMMARY The body of knowledge, science and techniques used by rural people is well developed and can make an important contribution to development, but there is a conflict between it and modern knowledge. Modern knowledge is an instrument of power belonging to the technician. By emphasising the government agent's knowledge, development projects devalue traditional rural peoples' knowledge, and deny them creativity. We need new institutional ways of releasing the creative abilities of rural people in order to achieve a synthesis of traditional and modern knowledge. RESUME Notes sur les connaissances traditionnelles, les connaissances modernes et le développement rural L'ensemble des connaissances, des sciences et des techniques utilisées par les ruraux est loin d'être négligeable et peut apporter une aide importante au développement, mais il entre en conflit avec les connaissances modernes. Les connaissances modernes sont un instrument de pouvoir appartenant au technicien. En mettant en avant les connaissances de l'agent du gouvernement les projets de développement dévalorisent les connaissances rurales traditionnelles et leur refusent toute créactivité. il faut instituer de nouvelles démarches pour libérer les aptitudes créatives des ruraux, afin de parvenir à une synthèse des connaissances traditionnelles et modernes. RESUMEN Notas sobre el conocimiento tradicional, el conocimiento moderno y el desarrollo rural El cuerpo del conocimiento, la ciencia y las técnicas utilizadas por la población rural está bien desarrollado y puede hacer una importante aportación al desarrollo, pero existe un conflicto entre ellos y el conocimiento moderno. El conocimiento moderno es un instrumento de poder que pertenece al técnico. Al poner de relieve el conocimiento del agente del gobierno, los proyectos de desarrollo devalúan el conocimiento tradicional de la población rural, negándoles sus posibilidades creativas. Necesitamos nuevas maneras institucionales de liberar las habilidades creativas de la población rural, con objeto de conseguir una síntesis del conocimiento tradicional y el moderno

Local Customary Institutions as the Basis for Natural Resource Management Among Boran Pastoralists in Northern Kenya

This paper argues, ors the basis of a specific case of a pastoral economy in northern Kenya, that customary natural resource management rules and institutions may provide a better starting point for development policies and programmes than the more familiar technocratic/bureaucratic model hitherto adopted in African drylands.European Research Council (ERC

Development of web browsing techniques to capture responses in the context of English language skills assessment

The assessment of speaking skills in English as a foreign language presents pedagogical and logistical challenges, which are being exacerbated by the increasing demand for British qualifications from students based overseas. To address these challenges, and to reduce the time lapse between taking the test and issuing the results, we have developed an on-line version of a traditional high-stakes Speaking test, using Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP)

Is Food Security Targeting Possible in Sub?Saharan Africa? Evidence from North Sudan

Summary Targeting food security interventions in sub?Saharan Africa presents special difficulties and has rarely been successful. A case study of Darfur in Western Sudan shows that targeting can be improved. The key is to focus not just on safeguarding current income and food consumption, but also on long term livelihood interventions that reduce vulnerability; and to do this with programmes which are geographically specific, self?targeting in administrative terms and designed inter alia to support traditional community food security arrangements. Consistency in food policy at macro and micro levels is also important

Why are Rural People Vulnerable to Famine?

It is now generally accepted by researchers (although not by governments) that famines are caused as much by act of man as by act of god. But our understanding of famine is still quite rudimentary, and what little we know is rarely translated into policies to prevent or control famine. Few people would argue that we clearly understand what makes people vulnerable to famine, or that we can predict that one group will be vulnerable while another will not.European Research Council (ERC

Seasonality and poverty: implications for policy and research

SUMMARY There is great diversity in the way different groups of people are affected by seasonality and cope with it. Greater understanding of this diversity is required if policy and project interventions are to strengthen the position of poor rural people. The damaging periods of time can sometimes be very short, regularly crippling families in their efforts to accumulate resources and protect their health. In sub?Saharan Africa seasonality is clearly a major dimension of adverse economic change, of declining food availability and increasing instability in food supply. As a result seasonality has become a more significant point of entry for analysis and action. Policies are needed which strengthen seasonal coping mechanisms, and reflect a decentralised and differentiated approach in timing and targetting on the most vulnerable groups. RESUME Variations Saisonnières et Pauvreté: Conséquences pour la Recherde et la Politique à suivre Il y a une grande diversité dans la manière dont différents groupes sont affectés par les variations saisonnières et la manière à laquelle ils y font face. Il nous faut atteindre un plus haut degré de compréhension de la nature de cette diversité si l'on veut que des mesures et projets d'intervention renforcent la position des populations rurales pauvres. Les périodes néfastes peuvent quelquefois être de très courte durée, mais endommagent régulièrement les efforts portés par les familles à l'accumulation de biens et la protection de leur santé. En Afrique sub?saharienne, il est évident que les variations saisonnières sont une dimension majeure d'un changement économique défavorable, d'un déclin de la disponibilité de la nourriture et d'une augmentation dans l'instabilité de l'approvisionnement. En conséquence, les variations saisonnières sont devenues un point de départ plus significatif pour une analyse et une ligne d'action. Il faut donc prendre des mesures qui renforcent les mécanismes saisonniers de défense et reflètent une approche décentralisée et différenciée dans le temps ayant pour but les groupes les plus vulnérables. RESUMEN Estacionalidad y pobreza: implicaciones para la política y la investigación Hay una gran diversidad en la forma en que diferentes grupos de personas son afectadas y enfrentan la estacionalidad. Se requiere un mayor entendimiento de esta diversidad para que la intervención de políticas y proyectos fortalezcan la posición de las personas pobres del campo. A veces, los períodos dañinos pueden ser muy cortos, menoscabando generalmente los esfuerzos de las familias para acumular recursos y proteger su salud. En el subsahara africano, la estacionalidad adquiere claramente una mayor dimensión en el cambio económico adverso, la declinación en la disponiblidad de alimentos y la creciente inestablidad en la oferta de alimentos. Como resultado de ello, la estacionalidad se ha constituído en un punto de entrada más significativo para el análisis y la acción. Se requieren políticas que tengan a los grupos más vulnerables como objetivo, que refuercen los mecanismos para enfrentar la estacionalidad y que reflejen un enfoque descentralizado y diferenciado cronológicamente

Analyzing Math-to-Mastery through Brief Experimental Analysis

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of individualized math-to-mastery (MTM) interventions, selected though brief experimental analysis (BEA), at increasing math fluency skills for 3 elementary-aged females. As MTM has only been investigated as a multicomponent intervention, the present study utilized BEA to identify those specific components which led to math skills gains in the most efficient manner possible. BEA results indicated that for 2 of 3 participants only a partial MTM intervention was necessary to prompt fluency gains, while the entire intervention was the most effective for the third. During extended analysis all 3 participants displayed math skills gains above those seen during repeated baseline assessments. Results are discussed in terms of further refining MTM through BEA procedures so as to individually target math skill deficits by considering both intervention effectiveness and efficiency

Pastoralism and Development: Fifty Years of Dynamic Change

This archive IDS Bulletin reflects on 50 years of research on pastoralism at IDS. Thirteen articles are introduced around six themes that have characterised IDS-linked research over this period. These are: pastoral livelihoods; institutions and common property resource management; climate change and ecological dynamics; food security, early warning, and livelihood vulnerability; pastoral marketing; and conflict and governance. Across these themes, IDS research has challenged mainstream development thinking and practice, highlighting the importance of mobility and living with uncertainty. This introductory article concludes with some reflections on research gaps and new challenges, including: the effects of climate change; new forms of pastoral mobility and livelihood; increasing patterns of commoditisation and social differentiation; and changing conflict dynamics. Although massively changed over 50 years, and despite repeated proclamations of crisis and collapse, pastoralism remains, we argue, an important, resilient source of livelihood in marginal rangeland areas across the world, from which others can learn.European Research Council (ERC