The present global problems of poverty, ecological destruction and loss of cultural diversity call for innovative solutions. Experiences indicate that the cultural identity and initiatives of local people can provide important keys to sustainable rural development. This book describes the processes whereby the present-day diversity of knowledges and cultures has emerged. It presents a number of field experiences of endogenous development, or development from within, in sub-saharan Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. By building on local needs and resources, innovative methodologies have been developed to understand and experiment with indigenous practices, and to find synergy with modern knowledge systems. The activities include identifying development niches, retaining benefits within local areas, maximising local control, and making selective use of external resources. With a good balance of theory and practice, this book can be immensely useful to development practitioners, researchers and policy makers, especially in the fields of rural development, agriculture, natural resource management and health. Published in 2003 by ETC/Compas in association with Zed Books Ltd. ISBN 1 84277 334 8 cased; ISBN 1 84277 335 6 limp

Titlepages, poem and contents

1 Introduction

2 Cultures, knowledges and developments, a historical perspective

3 The Compas approach to support endogenous development

4 Knowledge and belief systems in the Indian subcontinent

4.1 Endogenous development through experimenting farmers, KPP

4.2 Revitalising local health traditions, FRLHT

4.3 Empowerment of Tharu indigenous knowledge, ECOS

4.4 Modern dilemmas and traditional insights, CIKS

4.5 Supporting endogenous development of the Atoni, TIRD

4.6 The path of rediscovery, GREEN

4.7 Revitalising traditional agriculture, ECO and Compas Network Sri Lanka

4.8 Building on tribal resources, IDEA

5 Knowledge and belief systems in sub-Saharan Africa

5.1 Improving farming with ancestral support, CECIK

5.2 Developing centres of excellence on endogenous development, AZTREC

6 Knowledge and belief systems in Latin America

6.1 Endogenous development and university education, AGRUCO

6.2 Cosmovision as a basis for development, ADICI and OXLAJUJAJPOP

7 Knowledge and belief systems in Europe

7.1 Biodynamic farming and farmers’ realities, BD-UNION

7.2 Environmental co-operatives reconnect farming, ecology and society, WUR

8 Results and Conclusions

9 Creating an enabling environment for endogenous development

Colour photo pages  

Definitions

References

Addresses

Colophon