Publication: Developing Indigenous Knowledge in Francophone Africa : A Four Nation Overview
Loading...
Date
2002-03
ISSN
Published
2002-03
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
The note looks at the results of a Bank mission for the development of indigenous knowledge (IK) in Francophone Africa, namely in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon, which was based on consultations with private-public counterparts involved in promoting its development. Although there is an abundance of initiatives, and activities occurring to develop IK - in health, agriculture, education, natural resource management, and cultural affairs - it is nonetheless, unevenly distributed throughout the four countries: seldom is IK promotion, part of public policy; there is a marked divergence among sectors of development; most IK initiatives have been undertaken in social sectors, much fewer in agriculture, and far lesser initiatives in technology, finance, and engineering; and, practices in the use of African languages are mostly conditioned by a host of other policy concerns. On recognizing the value of IK, suggestions indicate variants, such as taking IK as a heritage of accumulated wisdom, as an embodiment of specific African modes of thought, and, as a means of articulating local know-how. On building the challenge for increased IK, the note recommends the inclusion of IK in development projects, by explicitly involving local actors in the design of intervention methods; by disseminating the methodology for a participatory local development; by identifying centers to become the collective focus of IK; and, by designing pre- and in-service methods for professional training of development.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Easton, Peter; Nikiema, Emmanuel; Essama, Suzanne. 2002. Developing Indigenous Knowledge in Francophone Africa : A Four Nation Overview. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) Notes; No. 42. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/10796 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Community Foundations : A Tool for Preservation of Cultural Heritage(Washington, DC, 2007-04)This note emphasizes that Community Foundations present a practical instrument to supplement larger cultural heritage projects and to support the preservation and use of cultural heritage applying community driven development (CDD) approaches. This is relevant especially since while existing World Bank instruments have proven suitable for financing infrastructure projects, including projects that preserve material culture such as historical buildings, structures and landscapes, it is often much more difficult to support preservation and use of small and intangible cultural heritage.Publication Poor People's Knowledge : Promoting Intellectual Property in Developing Countries(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2003)This book aims to expand the international discourse by: Calling attention to a broader range of knowledge that has commercial potential in developing countries. Bringing an economic dimension into the discussion of traditional knowledge, where legal analysis has thus far been at the forefront. Bringing out the incentives for and concerns of poor people-which may be different from those of corporate research, Northern nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), or already successful entertainment stars. Demonstrating that the best answer is sometimes a commercial one, for example, providing musicians basic training in small business management or reform of regulations that burden small businesses, rather than obtaining formal patent or copyright protection. Calling attention to the many income-earning (rather than the income-using) dimensions of culture-to dispel the notion that culture and commerce are necessarily in opposition. Bringing out instances in which more or less standard legal approaches have been effective as an antidote to the general sense of conflict between traditional knowledge and normal legal conceptions so as to identify the problems in which legal innovation-beyond diligent application-is really needed. Imbuing into the discourse a sense of the legal and commercial tasks needed to solve a developmental problem-away from "knowledge" as an isolated legal issue.Publication Guizhou Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection and Development Project : Cultural Heritage Tourism Strategic Overview(Washington, DC, 2006-08-29)In June 2006, the Guizhou Tourism Administration's Guizhou Provincial Rural Tourism Development Plan was approved by the National Tourism Administration of The People's Republic of China (CNTA). This plan provides official strategic guidance for the development of the rural tourism sector and identifies around 160 villages for development. The proposals for Bank finance are primarily located within rural villages. Based on an assessment of their tourism appeal and location, 60 of the 160 sites identified in the Guizhou Provincial Rural Tourism Development Plan have been prioritized for development over the next five years under the loan being sought from the World Bank. The proposal provides a conceptual development plan for 60 sites, including development and financial models, products to be marketed, and involvement of a range of stakeholders including private investors, NGOs and rural tourism associations. The consultants are encouraged by the proposals that provide for participation of local communities, however these proposals will need to be integrated with the infrastructure development plans in the next steps of project preparation.Publication Sahelian Languages, Indigenous Knowledge and Self-Management(World Bank, Washington, DC, 1999-10)While many of the languages in Africa may be related, and inter-comprehensible, it is also a multilingual continent, where a relatively high proportion of the population speaks, or understands more than one language. However, the distribution of languages is not uniform. The reasons are both topographical, and political: dense forests, numerous, rivers, thus hampering both transport, and communications. The note identifies the work of a local nongovernmental organization, established by community members to prod literacy instruction centers in West Africa. Primary education completion exams - which must be taken in French, and govern admission to secondary schooling, reveal that children who started education in their mother tongue, performed on average, significantly better than graduates of standard primary schools. The note further examines case studies in different countries, revealing this change is most pronounced in Francophone countries, where little recognition was given to African languages, exemplifying the literacy gains of multilingualism, as well as an increased articulation of indigenous knowledge. Multilingualism for one, provides a sense of local ownership, enhancing cultural and political assets, and, this "indigenous" effort at knowledge construction, will seemingly survive, because it is owned by local actors, founded on local economic, and social necessity.Publication Cultural Heritage and Development : A Framework for Action in the Middle East and North Africa(Washington, DC, 2001-06)The countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are blessed with an extraordinary cultural patrimony, secular and religious, of huge importance for each country and for humankind at large. The region is home to 48 sites already inscribed on the world heritage list maintained by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and has an enormous nonmaterial heritage as well. The Middle East is also the cradle of the world's major monotheistic religions. This cultural patrimony is a cornerstone of many people's existence and nourishes their daily lives. It must continue to flourish. This report analyzes the cultural heritage sector in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, and the World Bank's policy and operational experiences in this sector over the past six years, 1996-2001. It has three objectives: 1) to explore the characteristics, capacities, needs, and constraints of the region's cultural sector and their relevance to overall country development; 2) to take stock, describe, and analyze the World Bank's past and current support for preservation and management of the region's cultural heritage; and 3) to extract the lessons of experience and define the strategy framework for future Bank assistance for preserving and managing the MENA region's patrimony.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication The Journey Ahead(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-31)The Journey Ahead: Supporting Successful Migration in Europe and Central Asia provides an in-depth analysis of international migration in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and the implications for policy making. By identifying challenges and opportunities associated with migration in the region, it aims to inform a more nuanced, evidencebased debate on the costs and benefits of cross-border mobility. Using data-driven insights and new analysis, the report shows that migration has been an engine of prosperity and has helped address some of ECA’s demographic and socioeconomic disparities. Yet, migration’s full economic potential remains untapped. The report identifies multiple barriers keeping migration from achieving its full potential. Crucially, it argues that policies in both origin and destination countries can help maximize the development impacts of migration and effectively manage the economic, social, and political costs. Drawing from a wide range of literature, country experiences, and novel analysis, The Journey Ahead presents actionable policy options to enhance the benefits of migration for destination and origin countries and migrants themselves. Some measures can be taken unilaterally by countries, whereas others require close bilateral or regional coordination. The recommendations are tailored to different types of migration— forced displacement as well as high-skilled and low-skilled economic migration—and from the perspectives of both sending and receiving countries. This report serves as a comprehensive resource for governments, development partners, and other stakeholders throughout Europe and Central Asia, where the richness and diversity of migration experiences provide valuable insights for policy makers in other regions of the world.Publication Lebanon Economic Monitor, Fall 2022(Washington, DC, 2022-11)The economy continues to contract, albeit at a somewhat slower pace. Public finances improved in 2021, but only because spending collapsed faster than revenue generation. Testament to the continued atrophy of Lebanon’s economy, the Lebanese Pound continues to depreciate sharply. The sharp deterioration in the currency continues to drive surging inflation, in triple digits since July 2020, impacting the poor and vulnerable the most. An unprecedented institutional vacuum will likely further delay any agreement on crisis resolution and much needed reforms; this includes prior actions as part of the April 2022 International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-level agreement (SLA). Divergent views among key stakeholders on how to distribute the financial losses remains the main bottleneck for reaching an agreement on a comprehensive reform agenda. Lebanon needs to urgently adopt a domestic, equitable, and comprehensive solution that is predicated on: (i) addressing upfront the balance sheet impairments, (ii) restoring liquidity, and (iii) adhering to sound global practices of bail-in solutions based on a hierarchy of creditors (starting with banks’ shareholders) that protects small depositors.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.