Externe Publikationen

Indigenous knowledge for sustainable food security in Turiani Division, Tanzania

in: Cogent Social Sciences 11 (1), article 2493319

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2025.2493319
Open Access

Smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa faces many problems. The adoption of modern innovations has been low. Indigenous alternatives may constitute alternatives; however, they have received less attention. This study contributes to filling this gap in the case study of Turiani, Tanzania. A mixed-method research design was used to understand farmers’ use and assessment of indigenous technologies. The quantitative survey covered 280 households, with 16 qualitative in-depth expert interviews. Almost all farmers were aware of indigenous technologies. Well over one-third applied indigenous practices to a high degree, just over a third to a moderate degree. The assessments varied substantially by technology; most methods of harvesting, crop storage, and indigenous water management were very positively assessed, while indigenous seed practices, irrigation, and granaries received less but still positive appreciation. Farmers were divided with regard to indigenous land management and crop rotation. A few indigenous technologies have been widely considered with skepticism, particularly pest control. Overall, the results indicate that farmers merged indigenous and modern knowledge. This is highly specific, we call this ‘local’ knowledge, in explicit difference to purely ‘indigenous and traditional’ knowledge. We conclude that it would seem worthwhile to maintain, scientifically validate, possibly further refine, and disseminate selected indigenous technologies.

Über die IDOS-Autor*innen

Brüntrup, Michael

Agrarökonomie

Hornidge, Anna-Katharina

Entwicklungs- und Wissenssoziologie

Kativu, Saymore Ngonidzashe

Geographie

Weitere IDOS-Expert*innen zu diesem Thema

Christ, Simone

Sozialanthropologie 

Dang, Vy

Politikwissenschaft 

Dippel, Beatrice

Komparatistik 

Donnelly, Aiveen

Politikwissenschaft 

Flaig, Merlin

Sozialwissenschaft 

Gehrke, Charlotte

Sozialwissenschaften 

Gubbini, Emily

Sozialwissenschaft 

Hernandez, Ariel

Ökonomie 

Kornher, Lukas

Ökonomie 

Kötter, Elizabeth Chepkemboi

 

Lynders, Eva-Maria

Politikwissenschaft 

Morare, Ditebogo Modiegi

Politikwissenschaften 

Mudimu, George Tonderai

Agrarpolitische Ökonomie 

Reiber, Tatjana

Politikwissenschaft 

Reich, Charlotte

Ökonomie 

Reiners, Wulf

Politikwissenschaft 

Rukundo, Emmanuel Nshakira

Entwicklungsökonomie 

Sakketa, Tekalign Gutu

Agrarökonomie 

Schwachula, Anna

Soziologie 

Stamm, Andreas

Geograph 

Vogel, Johanna

Kulturwirtschaft 

Wagner, Niklas

Klima- und Wissenssoziologie