Re-centring and recovering knowledge about climate-friendly agriculture: Learning from a woman African indigenous knowledge holder

abstract

Patriarchal capitalist colonisation has bestowed on the world civilisational crises, including climate change and the spread of virulent pandemics. The agri-food model, which has been moulded by the contours of the modern capitalist enterprise, is a key source of chemical pollution from artificial fertilisers, and air pollution from greenhouse gases. The consequent killing of soil and water biomes, and the warming of the planet from these pollutants, increases vulnerability of those who bear the brunt of socio-economic, gender and cultural inequity.

We departed from the focus on vulnerable populations in climate change disasters, and adopted a feminist critical approach, by casting our gaze towards geo-epistemic Southern regions. In our qualitative research project, we sought intersectional solutions to climate change in the form of educational interventions. We tapped into the knowledge repository of one purposively selected woman African indigenous knowledge holder, who taught fifteen practising science teachers who were enrolled in an Honours degree about climate friendly agriculture. Bringing the voice of a woman African indigenous knowledge holder to the centre repositioned the locus of enunciation and generated a fertile Southern feminist context for collaboration. Teachers experienced hands-on learning under the guidance of the indigenous knowledge holder. Among other practices they used animal waste, which they worked into the soil, and hoes to manually turn soil, thereby limiting disturbance to the soil ecosystem. Teachers documented their learning in portfolios of evidence, and written reflections, which were subjected to content analysis. The careful use of manure from animals and limiting the use of fossil fuels in creating food gardens, were insights gained by the teachers. Hegemonic rules about who qualifies as a legitimate teacher in higher education and what can be admitted as legitimate scientific knowledge, were blurred. The woman who taught about how African indigenous knowledge can inform sustainable food production, contributed towards the building of epistemic justice within the broader social justice context. Through this intercultural dialogue teachers learned to teach about African medicinal plants, the advantages of crop rotation, as well as preparing soil for garden beds. Teachers embraced knowledge from the South and transcended curriculum boundaries.

keywords:

• climate-friendly agriculture
• Southern feminism
• indigenous knowledge
• teacher education

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to National Research Foundation (NRF) for funding this research (Grant number 121283). We acknowledge the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Reference No. MND210614611111) for funding this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sebastian Sanjigadu

SEBASTIAN SANJIGADU is a PhD candidate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His research focuses on the decolonisation of science education, with a specific focus on the use of indigenous knowledge and sustainability from African and more specifically South African contexts. Email: [email protected]

Ronicka Mudaly

RONICKA MUDALY is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. A quest for a science education that is socially just and more relevant, informs her pedagogy. Her current interests include humanist approaches in science education from a Freirean perspective, indigenising education, environmental education, and gender studies. Email: [email protected]