Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T03:57:07.607Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Valuing Indigenous Knowledge in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea: A Model for Agricultural and Environmental Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2016

Chris Radcliffe ,
Cesidio Parissi  and
Anantanarayanan Raman
Chris Radcliffe*
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia
Cesidio Parissi
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia
Anantanarayanan Raman
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Chris Radcliffe, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Current methods of agricultural and environmental education for indigenous farmers in Papua New Guinea (PNG) fail to provide high level engagement. Indigenous knowledge (IK) forms the basis of natural resource management, agriculture and health of farmers in PNG, yet its value to agricultural and environmental education in PNG is rarely recognised. The argument made in this article is that valuing indigenous knowledge will enhance agricultural and environmental education. The purpose of this empirical study was to assess the application of a knowledge management model in understanding indigenous knowledge to enhance agricultural and environmental education. This article focuses on agricultural and environmental indigenous knowledge and culture in two villages in the Western Highlands of PNG. Participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and apprentice observations were methods to collect data from small-scale indigenous farmers. The study found that as farmers shift to cash crops, IK is devalued against Western knowledge. The study also found that trust, culture, and social barriers limit sharing of knowledge. The article concludes with recommendations for future agricultural and environmental education in the PNG highlands.

Keywords

knowledge managementindigenous knowledgeenvironmental education
Type
Feature Articles
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 32 , Issue 3 , November 2016 , pp. 243 - 259
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afreen, S. (2007). Towards effective conservation and use of natural resources: Learning from indigenous sustainable practices. International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, 3, 9–18.Google Scholar
Allen, B., & Bourke, M. (2009). People, land and environment. In Bourke, M.R. & Harwood, T. (Eds.), Food and agriculture in Papua New Guinea (pp. 27–127). Canberra, Australia: Australian National University E Press.Google Scholar
Amudhavalli, A. (2007). Knowledge a commodity in the new Millenium. In Conference on Recent Advances in Information and Science Technology: Proceedings (pp. 1–7). Madras: Madras Library.Google Scholar
Baldwin, J., Johnson, J., & Benally, C. (2009). Building partnerships between indigenous communities and universities: Lessons learned in HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention research. American Journal of Public Health, 99, 77–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barrera-Bassols, N., & Zinck, J. (2003). Ethnopedology: A worldwide view on the soil knowledge of local people. Geoderma, 111, 171–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barrios, E., & Trejo, M. (2003). Implications of local soil knowledge for integrated soil management in Latin America. Geoderma, 111, 217–231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bissett, S. (2012). Bala ga lili: Meeting Indigenous learners halfway. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 28, 78–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boateng, W. (2006). Knowledge management working tool for agricultural extension practice: The case of Ghana. Knowledge Management for Development Journal, 2, 19–29.Google Scholar
Bode, R. (2007). Knowledge management and communication in smallholder organisations — Lessons learned. GTZ Bulletin: Services for Rural Development, 16, 27–29.Google Scholar
Bollinger, A & Smith, R. (2001). Managing organisational knowledge as a strategic asset. Journal of Knowledge Management, 5, 8–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bourke, M. (2009a). Agriculture in Papua New Guinea: Conditions, future prospects and dispelling some myths. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea: Institute of National Affairs.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bourke, M. (2009b). History of agriculture in Papua New Guinea. In Bourke, M.R. & Harwood, T. (Eds.), Food and agriculture in Papua New Guinea (pp. 10–26). Canberra, Australia: Australian National University E Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Briggs, J. (2005). The use of indigenous knowledge in development: Problems and challenges. Progress in Development Studies, 5, 99–114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bukowitz, W., & Williams, R. (2000). The knowledge management fieldbook. London: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Cobern, W. (1993). Contextual constructivism: The impact of culture on the learning and teaching of science. Scientific Literacy and Cultural Studies, Paper 11. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=science_slcsp Google Scholar
Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council. (2012, May). A critical analysis of agricultural extension services in Papua New Guinea: Past, present and future. Paper presented at the CIMC National Agricultural Conference, Lae, Papua New Guinea.Google Scholar
Cullen-Unsworth, L., Hill, R., Butler, J. & Wallaces, M. (2012). A research process for integrating indigenous and scientific knowledge in cultural landscapes: principles and determinants of success in the wet tropics world heritage area, Australia. The Geographical Journal, 178, 351–365.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dalkir, K. (2011). Knowledge management in theory and practice (2nd ed.). Cambridge: The MIT Press.Google Scholar
Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (2005). Introduction: The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In Denzin, N.K. & Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 1–34). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
DeWalt, B. (1999). Combining indigenous and scientific knowledge to improve agriculture and natural resource management in Latin America. In Pichon, F.J., Uquillas, J.E., & Frechione, J. (Eds.), Traditional and modern natural resource management in Latin America. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.Google Scholar
Driessen, C. (2012). Farmers engaged in deliberative practices; an ethnographic exploration of the mosaic of concerns in livestock agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Environmental Ethics, 25, 163–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durning, A. (1992). Guardians of the land: Indigenous peoples and the health of the earth (WorldWatch Paper 112). WorldWatch Institute.Google Scholar
Falk, J. (2005). Free-choice environmental learning: Framing the discussion. Environmental Education Research, 11, 265–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fox, L. (2013, February 22). PNG farmers see cash in capsicum. ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-22/an-png-farmers-look-to-alternatives/4534550 Google Scholar
Goldsmith, E. (1997). Development as colonialism. The Ecologist, 27, 69+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA19619466&v=2.1&u=csu_au&it=r&p=EAIM&sw=w&asid=d3c512d87b5a2269a26bfe68bf9a14d3 Google Scholar
Guizzardi, R. (2006). Agent oriented constructivist knowledge management. The Netherlands: University of Twente.Google Scholar
Hill, R., & May, S. (2013). Non-indigenous researcher in indigenous language education: Ethical implications. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 219, 47–65.Google Scholar
Hunter, C., Spence, K., McKenna, K., & Iedema, R. (2008). Learning how we learn: An ethnographic study in a neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74, 1297–1304.Google Scholar
Isbell, R. (2002). The Australian soil classification (rev. ed.). Melbourne, Australia: CSIRO Publishing.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kanki, A., & Mphahele, M. (2002). Indigenous knowledge for the benefit of all: can knowledge management principles be used effectively? South African Journal of Library and Information Science, 68, 1–15.Google Scholar
Klimova, B. & Semradova, I. (2012). Barriers to communication. Social and Behavioural Sciences, 31, 207–211.Google Scholar
Kola-Olusanya, A. (2012). Environmental conservation: Espousing indigenous knowledge system as a model for caring for the Earth. Journal of Education and Social Research, 2, 359–367.Google Scholar
Lange, M., Mahoney, J., & vom Hau, M. (2006). Colonialism and development: A comparative analysis of Spanish and British Colonies. American Journal of Sociology, 111, 1412–1462.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral learning. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowan-Trudeau, G. (2012). Methodological métissage: An interpretive indigenous approach to environmental education research. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 17, 113–130.Google Scholar
Lwoga, E., Ngulube, P., & Stilwell, C. (2010). Managing indigenous knowledge for sustainable agricultural development in developing countries: Knowledge management in the social context. The International Information & Library Review, 42, 174–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyer, M., & Zack, M. (1996). The design and implementation of information products. Sloan Management Review, 37, 43–59.Google Scholar
Nonaka, I., & Takeuchi, H. (1995). The knowledge creating company: How Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Odora Hoppers, C. (2001). Indigenous knowledge systems and academic institutions in South Africa. Perspectives in Education, 19, 73–86.Google Scholar
Omot, N. (2011). Snapshot on agriculture in Papua New Guinea. Bogor, Indonesia: Centre for Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Agriculture. Retrieved from, http://www.uncapsa.org/LIBRARYJournal_detail.asp?VJournalKey=887 Google Scholar
Pacific Climate Change Program. (2011). Current and future climate of Papua New Guinea. Retrieved from http://www.pacificclimatechangescience.org/ Google Scholar
Polanyi, M. (1966). The tacit dimension. Gloucester: Peter Smith. Retrieved from, www.sjsu.edu%2Fpeople%2Fjohn.estill%2Fcourses%2F27600%2Fs1%2FThe_Tacit_Dimension%2C_Polanyi%5B1%5D.pdf Google Scholar
Radcliffe, C. (2012). Linking community knowledge and the triple bottom line (unpublished masters thesis). Charles Sturt University, Orange, Australia.Google Scholar
Rao, S. (2006). Indigenous knowledge organisation: An Indian scenario. International Journal of Information Management, 26, 224–233.Google Scholar
Ray, T. (2008). Tacit knowledge. In Clegg, S.R. & Bailey, J.R. (Eds.), International encyclopaedia of organisational studies (pp. 1503–1507). Los Angeles: Sage Publishing.Google Scholar
Reynar, R. (1999). Indigenous people's knowledge and education: A tool for development? In Semali, L.M. & Kincheloe, J.L. (Eds.), What is indigenous knowledge? Voices from the Academy (pp. 285–304). New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Rollett, H. (2003). Knowledge management: Processes and technologies. Boston: Kwuler Academic Publishers.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roling, N.N., & Pretty, J. (1998). Extensions role in sustainable agricultural development. In Swanson, B., Bentz, R., & Sofranko, R. (Eds.). Improving agricultural extension: A reference manual. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.Google Scholar
Roling, N.N., & Wagemakers, A. (Eds). (1998). Facilitating sustainable agriculture: participatory learning and adaptive management in times of environmental uncertainty. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Saito, K., Linquist, B., Keobualapha, B., Shiraiwa, T., & Horie, T. (2006). Farmers’ knowledge of soil in relation to cropping practices: A case study of farmers in upland rice based slash-and-burn systems of northern Laos. Geoderma, 136, 64–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sitapai, E. (2012, May). A critical analysis of agriculture extension services in Papua New Guinea: Past, present and future. Paper presented at the CIMC National Agriculture Conference, Lae, Papua New Guinea.Google Scholar
Smith, L. (1999). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples. New York: Zed Books.Google Scholar
Sowei, J. (2000). Sustainable resource management and food security. Paper presented at the Papua New Guinea Food and Nutrition 2000 Conference, PNG University of Technology.Google Scholar
Stadler, R., Reid, S., & Fullagar, S. (2013). An ethnographic exploration of knowledge practices within the Queensland music festival. International Journal or Event and Festival Management, 4, 90–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Swartley, L. (2002). Inventing indigenous knowledge: Archeology, rural development, and the raised field rehabilitation project in Bolivia. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Tarakan, I., & Ratsch, R. (2009). Sweet potato cultivation on composted mounds in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. In Kirchhoff, G. (Ed.), Soil fertility in sweet-potato based cropping systems in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (ACIAR Technical Reports No. 71). Canberra, Australia: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.Google Scholar
Thompson, M., & Walsham, G. (2004). Placing knowledge management in context. Journal of Management Studies, 41, 725–747.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turcsanyi-Szabo, M. (1998). Designing logo-based microworlds for effective learning — A road to improving teacher learning. In Marshall, G. & Ruohonen, M. (Eds.), Capacity building for IT in education in developing countries (pp. 163–171). New York: Springer Science & Business Media.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Von Krogh, G., Ichijo, K., & Nonaka, I. (2000). Enabling knowledge creation. New York: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Von Krogh, G., & Roos, J. (1995). Organizational epistemology. New York: St Martins Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wiig, K. (1993). Knowledge management foundations: Thinking about thinking. How people and organizations create, represent and use knowledge. Arlington, TX: Schema Press.Google Scholar
Williams, D., & Muchena, O. (1991). Utilizing indigenous knowledge systems in agricultural education to promote sustainable agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Education, 32, 52–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wu, M., Lin, H., & Lin, Y. (2013). A study of tacit knowledge of university faculty: A case study in Taiwan. Asia Pacific Education Review, 14, 171–188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wyatt, J. (2001). Management of explicit and tacit knowledge, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 94, 6–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Von Krogh, G., Ichijo, K., & Nonaka, I. (2000). Enabling knowledge creation. New York: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Verlinden, A., & Daycot, B. (2005). A comparison between indigenous environmental knowledge and a conventional vegetation analysis in north central Namibia. Journal of Arid Environments, 62, 143–175.CrossRefGoogle Scholar