Knowledge sovereignty among Beni-Amer herders in the Horn

Beni-Amer cattle herders in the western part of the Horn of Africa (mainly in eastern Sudan) are “knowledge sovereign” in terms of owning productive genes of cattle and the cognitive knowledge base crucial to sustainable development. The strong bonds between the Beni-Amer, their animals and their environment constitute the basis of their ways of knowing. Their knowledge is built on experience and embedded in their cultural practices. The book, Knowledge sovereignty among African cattle herders (2018, 200pp) by Zeremariam Fre, founder of the CELEP member organisation PENHA (Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa), is the first to study Beni-Amer practices. It argues that scientific knowledge about animal husbandry and production could benefit from pastoralist knowledge and technology; there is good potential for hybridising the “modern” and indigenous knowledge systems to increase the resilience of the pastoralists in the Horn of Africa. The book also argues that indigenous knowledge can be viewed as a stand-alone science, and that a community’s rights over knowledge ownership should be defended by government officials, development planners and policymakers.

Posted on 25 June 2018 in Pastoral Research & Innovation, Pastoralism & Culture