How Local Knowledge Can Boost Scientific Studies

According to author Anil Gupta, "Local communities across the developing world deal with technological or institutional problems... [by] developing successful solutions." He suggests that there is a gap between formal and informal knowledge production systems that prevents these solutions from being incorporated into institutional research programmes.

He then gives a number of examples of simple and effective grassroots solutions developed in India, including samples from the agricultural sector and an energy-saving platform technology that harnesses energy generated by bumps in the road to propel a cycle.

The Honey Bee Network, a network of innovators formed in 1988, has compiled a database of innovators and traditional knowledge holders and offers communication through regional newsletters and websites and protection of intellectual property rights through pioneering prior informed consent and benefit-sharing concepts, now incorporated in the Convention on Biological Diversity and the international agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding between India's National Innovation Foundation (NIF), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Botanical Survey of India has started building the bridge between the informal and formal research sectors.

Yet, despite this source of connection, Gupta states that the gap between these grassroots innovators and formal research remains, in part because scientists have a bias toward chemical-intensive technologies, respond to peer pressure toward high-impact research leading to career development, and are sceptical about traditional knowledge.

Gupta proposes partnership awards and grants to strengthen partnerships between scientists and local innovators;
specific government funds allocated to support innovators wanting to hire scientists to work on their problems and solutions; funds to support research projects that add value to or scale-up local knowledge after blending it with modern scientific technologies; and the creation of a global grassroots innovation foundation.

He suggests a need to increase the dialogue and debate on informal knowledge and its role in informing formal science by, for example, including the topic in sessions at international scientific disciplinary conferences. Also, according to Gupta, examples of successful partnerships should be incorporated into national educational curricula.

In conclusion, with a focus on expanding partnerships between grassroots innovators and scientists, the gap between the world's formal and informal knowledge production systems can begin to be bridged.