People's knowledge for addressing societal needs: Lessons learnt while engaging farming communities as a part of research system

Abstract

Recognizing problems at community level is essential for developing appropriate tools of development. Rural societies understand, comprehend their difficulties and develop innovative solutions for sustenance. Societies try to find local means to experiment and overcome inadequacies. This has been happening since generations, but due to changing context, sharing of these creative or innovative measures has been limited. There are many studies regarding innovations developed at research stations that have been adopted by farming communities. However, experimental studies to showcase success of communities to innovate, accept and improvise their surroundings are inadequate. The review paper is based on lessons learnt while undertaking research with the help of farming communities. There are different forms of innovations maintained and shared by outstanding traditional knowledge holders with specific reference to livestock science. Sharing of such knowledge is vital for ability of future generations to sustain farm animal welfare. Novel medicinal practices (technologies) shared by knowledge holders are becoming part of innovation system(s). Communities acknowledge and make use of these simple, flexible innovations to overcome societal difficulties. This reinforces belief that innovations need not come from formal research and development systems. This review also illustrates necessity to reinforce open source and non-linear innovation system through continuous engagement with farming communities. This necessitates need for involvement of stakeholders, more particularly livestock farmers in program planning. A model for scaling up of livestock innovations involving farming community is proposed for effective implementation.