Building on indigenous resource management systems: Key to finding solutions

Abstract

It is evident that comprehensive ecological knowledge is involved in the construct of khazan ecosystem. Wide-ranging knowledge of land topography, contours, hydro-geography, hydrochemistry, tidal cycles, etc. is incorporated in designing khazan ecosystem. Meticulous observations of local ecology, weather, flora and fauna and their interaction with each other by indigenous communities allowed for selection of the resources that best suit the ecosystem conditions. Similarly, role of indigenous institutions in successful resource management cannot be undermined. Indigenous ecological knowledge also manifests in crafting of khazan resource management institutions. This chapter discusses various traditional and indigenous institutions of resource management, benefits of using indigenous ecological knowledge in environmental management and issues related to indigenous ecological knowledge. It concludes with some remedial suggestions as key to finding solutions to cope with global environmental change.