Pastoral Development In Sub-Saharan Africa: An Integration Of Modern And Indigenous Technical Knowledge

Abstract

There is an antagonism between the wide range of indigenous adaptations and knowledge, and scientific knowledge and technology, perpetuated by development institutions, academics and modern society in general. On the one hand, modern technical knowledge dismisses traditional knowledge as retrogressive and inconsequential and has imposed its authority in matters pertaining to pastoral development. It essentially perceives the process of African pastoral development as one of order out of chaos. On the other hand, pastoralists have interacted and, at times, accepted with suspicion, this approach to survival and development that often operates contrary to tradition and culture. The consequences of this state of affairs translate into the numerous failures characteristic of development interventions in pastoral Africa. This paper discusses the major constraints to pastoral development in the light of these failures. It then suggests ways and modalities of integrating modern technical and indigenous technical knowledge in future development efforts, an attempt to fit traditional adaptive strategies with scientific information so as to achieve complementarity. Priority areas for future research and investments are also discussed in relation to the new approach to pastoral development.