Local Knowledge is a term that is used in the field of development, mainly when people are talking about the participation of stakeholders and partner communities. But what does this term actually mean? It sounds a little bit like people are talking about local gossip, but that cannot be it, right? Right! In this article, we will explain what local knowledge is and how you can use it to make your proposal stronger. It is also a good way to show the donor that you know and respect your target communities.
Local Knowledge is basically the knowledge of people that live in a certain place have developed over time. Sometimes it is also referred to as indigenous knowledge or traditional knowledge. I prefer the term local knowledge, though. The other two terms imply this knowledge necessarily needs to be old – but that is not the case. Local knowledge is a compilation of old knowledge and new knowledge that people acquire by interacting with their surroundings – people, landscape, culture etc. Basically, it is the knowledge that the local people have and outsiders do not.
Some examples of local knowledge are:
For many years, the knowledge of the local people has been belittled and often times not been taken into account when planning or implementing a project. When agencies and donors started realizing that participation of partner communities is paramount for project success, they also started realizing that local knowledge is important. Local people know their homes way better than any outsiders, project officers, or researchers ever will. It would be neglectful to not use this knowledge to make a project better.
Incorporating local knowledge makes sure resources are used much more efficiently. Furthermore, it shows that you really respect your partners and their expertise, making for a much better relationship with them.
For a donor, these aspects are very important. Taking into account local knowledge makes sure that the project is adjusted to the local conditions, and has higher chances of being adopted. It is efficient, and it ensures a better relationship with the target communities. Showing in your proposal that you are going to identify and use local knowledge in your project will make it stronger and give the donor one more reason to look at it positively.
Eva is based in Germany and has worked for nearly a decade with NGOs on the grassroots level in Nepal in the field of capacity development and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. Before that, she worked in South America and Europe with different organizations. She holds a Ph.D. in geography and her field of research was sustainability and inclusion in development projects.
