Proceedings of the National Seminar on Institutions Working on Gender, Biodiversity and Local Knowledge Systems in Swaziland
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL SEMINAR ON INSTITUTIONS WORKING ON GENDER, BIODIVERSITY AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS IN SWAZILAND Edited by Phonius M. Dlamini Department of Agricultural Economics and Management University of Swaziland. E-Mail : [email protected] and Bruce R. T. Vilane Department of Land Use and Mechanization University of Swaziland. E-Mail : [email protected] April, 2001 LinKS PROJECT WORKING DOCUMENT N0. 3 HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF SWAZILAND – FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE [CONFERENCE ROOM] : 16 – 17 MARCH 2001. COPYRIGHT This document is a collective sharing of ideas and experiences and thus copyright does not reside either with the editors, anyone of the contributors or their parent institutions. However, usage of any material or reproduction, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, as a matter of courtesy, acknowledgement of the source should be given. The views expressed are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the view of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Copyright © FAO, 2001. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Copyright ...................................................................................................………………. iii List of Tables .....................................................................................................…………. v Preface.................................................................................................................…………. vi 1.0 KEYNOTE ADDRESS By The Honourable Minister of Tourism, Environment and Communication (Mrs. Stella Lukhele...................…......... 1 2.0 DAY ONE : PAPER PRESENTATIONS……………………………….…… 3 2.1 Gender Papers :…………………………………………………………………….. 3 2.1.1 Gender, Biodiversity and Local Knowledge Systems : Highlights and Submissions of the Seminar Discussions :………………………… 3 2.1.2 Gender and Food Security by Dr. P.E. Zwane :……………………………………. 13 2.2 Biodiversity Papers :.……………………………………………………………… 26 2.2.1 Biodiversity Management in Swaziland by Mr. J.D. Vilakati :……………….….. 26 2.2.2 Biological Diversity Conservation in Swaziland : Perspectives From The Lubombo Region by Dr. B. S. Nkosi :…………………………………. 33 2.3 Indigenous Knowledge Systems Papers :…………………………………………. 52 2.3.1 Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Swaziland; A benefit or Threat to Biodiversity Conservation by Mr. M. Mlipha for Dr. P. N Fakudze…… 52 2.3.2 A Review of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Technology for Community-Based Resource Management in Swaziland by Dr. A. M. Manyatsi:… 81 2.3.3 Swazi Indigenous Religion and the Swazi World View by Dr. H. N. Ndlovu:…….. 89 3.0 DAY TWO : GROUP DISCUSSIONS OF DOCUMENTS……………………. 98 3.1 Seminar Way Forward:……………………………………………………………… 98 4.0 CONCLUSSIONS:……………………………………………………………….. 102 5.0 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS:……………………………………………………… 103 iii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Communities where interviews were held by physiographic region:……….. 55 2 Perceived causes of land degradation in Swaziland:………………………… 61 3 Recommended technologies to control land degradation :………………….. 63 4 Grazing problems in the selected communities:……………………………… 64 5 Effects of fire on land :………………………………………………………. 65 6 Recommended techniques to maintain soil fertility :………………………… 66 7 Types of plants that can be used to improve soil fertility :………………….. 67 8 Some indigenous trees that are used as woodfuel or for building purposes:… 69 9 Common sources of drinking water used in the selected communities:…….. 70 10 Distance to nearest water sources :…………………………………………… 71 11 Problems with water resources in the selected communities :………………. 72 12 Reasons for the degradation of wetlands :…………………………………… 73 13 Importance of Cyperus plants :………………………………………………. 74 14 rules and regulations to be observed in the restoration of wetlands :………… 76 15 Some examples of indigenous knowledge used for community-based resource management in Swaziland :……………………… 84 iv PREFACE This report consists of five papers prepared for the two days’ LinKS Project Workshop, which was held at the University of Swaziland, Luyengo Campus’s Conference Centre, 16-17 March 2001. The LinKS project, “Gender, Biodiversity and Local knowledge Systems” is a regional effort aimed at raising awareness of the value of rural people’s knowledge related to the use and management of local systems. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN is executing the project. The three major themes of the Workshop were Gender, Biodiversity and Local Knowledge Systems, and the overall purpose was to discuss policy issues surrounding these themes. The workshop was organized at two levels: One level comprised presentations of papers related to the themes by key scholars whose background papers laid a platform for level two on the second day where the Directory and annotated bibliography were thoroughly discussed. The aim in compiling the Directory was to provide development workers, researchers, policy makers and other interested persons with an up-dated information about institutions that are in the fields of gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems in Swaziland. Both the Directory and Annotated Bibliography are based on data collected by a Team of researchers at Luyengo Campus of the University of Swaziland (see Part II and III of this Report). The Seminar began with a keynote address by the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Communications, the Honourable ‘Make’ Stella K. Lukhele who enlightened participants on the Government stand on the issues of gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems. This was followed immediately by the gender papers: The gender dimension does need elaboration since it is the least observed aspect in the culture of the Swazi people. Two papers were presented on the issue of gender: one was a general case study which highlighted a number of serious views on gender, but since no formal paper was available a detailed summary is presented in this Report from notes taken during the v presentation. Other notes and individual submissions from the seminar discussions were found necessary for giving a broader perspective on each of the major issues since they individually carry so much weight in the way communities conduct their day-to-day businesses. The second paper entitled “Gender and Food Security” has been edited and incorporated in this report. The paper addresses the issues of food security and gender analysis through existing disparities related to food security and also poses some challenges that need to be addressed in future. Biodiversity formed the second theme of the seminar under which the third and fourth papers were presented. The third paper by Jameson D. Vilakati analyzed policy, legislative and institutional measures that the country has established to promote the conservation of biodiversity and the utilization of its genetic resources. Dr Bonga S. Nkosi presented the fourth paper, which discussed community biodiversity conservation education programme, which formed part of study undertaken in the Lubombo Region of Swaziland in 1997. The paper focused on building an information base on the local knowledge and it highlights the concerns and observations of communities on the issue of biodiversity. The fifth paper by Dr. Patience N. Fakudze was presented by Mr. Mandla Mlipha focused on a study that was commissioned to document indigenous knowledge systems and techniques in Swaziland. It focused squarely on the assessment of the extent of indigenous knowledge techniques and peoples’ perceptions on land degradation in the country. It further reviewed the history of policy measures that were designed to control land degradation. Dr A.M. Manyatsi presented a paper that reviewed existing local knowledge and technology used in community based resource management in Swaziland. The paper looks at traditional practices meant to protect rare species, use of totems and taboos, use of stories to protect wildlife, farming systems, passing historic information by use of names, naming of plants based on their use and importance, prediction of weather patterns, description of soil fertility, methods of harvesting plants for medicinal purposes and preservation of food. vi The last theme of the workshop, local knowledge systems, saw the presentation and discussions of the fifth, sixth and seventh paper for the workshop. Dr H.L. Ndlovu presented the seventh and last paper, which examined the major beliefs and practices prevalent in Swazi indigenous religion that reflect and embody the underlying philosophy and culture of the Swazi. The author demonstrated the inextricable link and synthesis between Swazi traditional religion and the indigenous world view and knowledge of the Swazi. In summary these papers have been enlightening because they touch all areas of importance in the life of a society. It is, in fact, necessary to protect the biodiversity of plants and animals in Swaziland and to learn and understand more about the issues of gender and local knowledge systems. In fact, the main aim of conducting a research of this nature is to support, build on, and strengthen what groups working on gender, indigenous knowledge and agro-biodiversity issues in Swaziland are already doing. The research promotes collaboration with and between governmental and non-governmental institutions working on these subjects. dr pm dlamini National Coordinator, LinKS – Swaziland. vii KEYNOTE ADDRESS Honourable Mrs. Stella Lukhele Minister of Tourism, Environment and Communications. Master of