Indigenous Knowledge: An Alternative for Food Security and Wellness in Africa

In Indigenous Knowledge: An Alternative for Food Security and Wellness in Africa, Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor argues that Indigenous Knowledge (IK) needs to play a central role in addressing food insecurity because IK methods result in sustainable agricultural practices which improve wellness. The application of IK in global communities demonstrates why it is an invaluable development alternative. For instance, Native Indians in the America’s have survived over several generations using IK for agriculture and wellness purposes. Oristejafor establishes the severity and breadth of food insecurity on the continent of Africa and critiques the western-led development model which has proven to be inadequate in solving Africa's food security needs. In this regard, Oritsejafor suggests that indigenous knowledge(IK) should serve as one of the central models for addressing food security because it takes into account consideration for the specificities of local conditions and relies on the knowledge and the environment of African communities. Contrarily, he posits that the reliance on modern technologies have not been able to halve hunger and poverty in Africa.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Theoretical Issues Chapter 2: Development Strategies Chapter 3: Traditional Food Regimes and Food Security in Africa Chapter 4: Food Security in War Torn Countries: The case of Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Chapter 5: Indigenous Knowledge (IK)and Agro-Eco-systems: The Case of Nigeria and Ghana Chapter 6: Alternative Energy Chapter 7: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Indigenous Knowledge - A Case Study Chapter 8: Land Tenure and the Role of Women in Economic Development in Africa Chapter 9: The Way Forward References

About the Author :
Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor is professor of political science at North Carolina Central University.

Review :
“Finally, we have ‘the’ book that explains why more than sixty years of projects from the World Bank, the IMF, and USAID have failed to overcome global hunger and malnutrition. Emmanuel Oritsejafor doesn’t just show where modern science has failed Africa, he offers a solution by showing how Indigenous Knowledge actually provides many scientific principles that can complement Western technologies that address food security and wellness. Oritsejafor also shows the shortcomings of corporate food management regimes and land tenure systems, as well as how integrating women more fully into the wellness sectors of African economies can help overcome food insecurities. His analysis of Indigenous Knowledge borrows from African sources as well as South Asian, Native American, and the Aboriginals of Australia.” Food insecurity is one of Africa’s major paradoxes. This is because the African continent is endowed with fertile land for agricultural production that could ensure food self-sufficiency for the constituent states. Emmanuel Oritsejafor has done a masterful job in deciphering the various external models of food production that are currently being used in Africa and concluded that they are not adequate frameworks. Alternatively, he proposes the use of indigenous African models of food production as the pathways to food security on the African continent. Thus, this is a major contribution to the debate on food security in Africa. Emmanuel Oritsejafor demonstrates how the international agrotechnology industry has weakened the food production capacity of sub-Saharan Africa, making the continent food insecure and dependent on food import. Drawing expertly on the various indigenous food production systems among farming communities, he illuminates how African Indigenous Knowledge can be useful in addressing the continent’s food insecurity challenge. “This book debunks the ethnocentric views of agricultural development and advocates for the utilization of sustainable Indigenous Knowledge as an alternative approach for food security in Africa. It is a must-read for all development scholars and policymakers with keen interest in finding sustainable solutions to global food insecurity.”