The Dynamics of African Indigenous Knowledge Systems

This book discusses the pivotal role and importance of African indigenous knowledge systems (AIKS) in promoting, enhancing and sustaining livelihoods in Africa. The argument of the book is that AIKS are of prime importance in the betterment of sustainable livelihoods of people particularly in the rural communities in Africa. The book analyzes the use of AIKS with the objective of making it more acceptable and applicable to the mainstream educational and developmental agendas and programs in Africa. A significant contribution of this book is the promotion of AIKS to increase their visibility in the mainstream knowledge spaces and sustainable use to improve the quality of life and the betterment of livelihoods in Africa, especially in the communal areas where Eurocentric scientific practices are cost prohibitive. This book is geared towards developmental professionals, academic scholars, students, policy makers, researchers and the public who are interested in the field of AIKS and sustainable development in rural communities. The book is based on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches that incorporate the fields of agriculture, cultural and indigenous studies, development studies, education, geography, political science and sociology. Its multidisciplinary approach is of significance to readers as it encompasses perspectives on the multidimensionality and complexities of indigenous knowledges and sustainable community livelihoods and development.