Paper short abstract:

none

Paper long abstract:

Co-authors: Beatrice Nyamwamu, Esther Bosibori and Patrick Maundu - Kenya Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge

Encouraging the sustainable use of food plants within traditional food systems maintains both environmental and human health, while promoting cultural identity. The drive to ‘modernise’ is continually reducing agro-biodiversity and dietary diversity in rural Africans through the ‘nutrition transition’ and ‘green revolution’. This ‘modernisation’ is also undermining their cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge, both of which are essential for traditional food systems and the use of biodiversity. African Wild Harvest (AWH) aims to help communities maintain their traditional food plant systems.

BIDII and TATRO Women’s groups were identified with the help of project partners in Kenya. Project outputs were defined and Prior Informed Consent (PIC) obtained through participatory focus group discussions. Further work involved developing the data collection framework and collecting of indigenous knowledge in partnership with community collaborators. The code of ethics of the International Society of Ethnobiology was followed at all times.

PIC enabled communities to participate fully and make specific requests of the project. Communities were responsive to conserving their indigenous knowledge as it was being lost. Over 50 different plant species are use by communities for food, and an additional 10 considered ‘lost’. 22 of those in regular use were fully documented. Communities expressed an interest in publishing their indigenous knowledge, and learning how to better manage their seeds.

The experience of AWH shows that PIC and following recognised ethical guidelines is vital if communities are to fully collaborate in any project. AWH identified a higher than expected diversity in food plants used. The need to conserve skills before they are ‘lost’ was highlighted. Future priorities are to increase communities’ ability to manage seed, and to publish their indigenous knowledge.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Members and Leaders of the BIDII and TATRO Women’s Groups for their participation; Staline Kibet (National Museums of Kenya) for his botanical expertise, and staff at the Rural Outreach Project (Nairobi).