Validity of the Fisher Community Knowledge-Based Economic Valuation of the Local Ecosystem for Oyster Farming: A Case Study in Japan

The importance of local knowledge as a relevant information resource for ecosystem conditions has recently been the focus of sustainable ecosystem management. However, the accuracy of economic evaluation based on local knowledge regarding ecosystems has not yet been discussed, despite most activities in human society, including ecological conservation, being monetarily mediated. This study reports the correspondence between the economic value estimated by the fisher community and the analyzed environmental factors in the marine areas sectioned for oyster farming in Japan. At the study site, community-agreed usage fees for the area sections showed a gradient from the inner to the outer part of the bay. Our numerical modeling showed that the gradient of the economic value correlated with oyster feeding efficiency, indicating that a better location for feeding was empirically evaluated at a high price by the local fisher community. This suggests that the economic evaluation based on the local knowledge was biologically reasonable and could be a reliable information source for the aim of the area use in the study site.

Implications of Female Farmer Knowledge and Participation in Bangladesh: Entrepreneurial Propensity and Income Enhancement

The study hypothesizes that female farmer participation in the local knowledge training provides corn farmers an advantage over non-participants. We planned on determining the amount of influence market participation had on female corn farmers along with entrepreneurial propensity among them and whether there was any change in income or standard of living among them. 600 female corn farmers were sampled in Bangladesh through a multi-stage sampling technique. Mean, standard deviation, and independent-sample t-test were used for data analysis. The findings showed that female participation in training classes gave them an advantage, entrepreneurial propensity (p<0.01), and improved standard of living/income enhancement (p<0.01). There is a continual need to strengthen female farmer participation through improved training for better outcome and economic growth.

Strategies to Manage and Preserve Indigenous Knowledge

The knowledge society globally has made us realize that knowledge is an important resource in gaining not only a competitive advantage but also for social and economic development. Each society and country possesses some inherent information and knowledge, which is unique to its growth and development trajectory. This is ‘indigenous knowledge' or ‘local knowledge'. However, the method and approaches to preserve this ‘indigenous knowledge' or ‘local knowledge' is less known and neither understood by many, especially in the emerging economies. Hence, adopting a systematic literature review method and in-depth literature review, the aim of this chapter is to provide strategies to preserve and manage indigenous knowledge systems. Further, the chapter also provides a holistic approach to preserve and manage indigenous knowledge.

Science for Social Licence to Arrest an Ecosystem-Transforming Invasion

The primary role for science in addressing complex environmental problems, such as biological invasions, is generally assumed to be as a guide for management decisions. However, science often plays a minor role in decision-making, with practitioners instead relying on professional experience and local knowledge. We explore alternative pathways by which science could help reduce the spread and impacts of invasive species. Our study centred on attempts to understand the science needs of three local governance bodies responsible for the management of invasive (wilding) conifer species in the southern South Island of New Zealand. We used a combination of workshop discussions, questionnaire responses and visits to field sites to elicit feedback from study participants. We applied a mixed inductive-deductive thematic analysis approach to derive themes from the feedback received. The three main themes identified were: 1) Impacts of wilding conifers and goals for wilding conifer control; 2) barriers to achieving medium- and long-term goals; and 3) science needed to support wilding conifer control.Participants identified both instrumental (e.g. reduced water availability for agriculture) and intrinsic (e.g. loss of biodiversity and landscape values) impacts of wilding conifer invasions, with long-term goals focussed on avoiding or reversing these impacts. Barriers to achieving goals were overwhelmingly social, relating either to unwillingness of landowners to participate or poorly designed regulatory frameworks. Consequently, science needs related primarily to gaining social licence to remove wilding conifers from private land and for more appropriate regulations. Participants did not perceive any need for additional scientific information to guide management decisions, relying instead on professional experience and local knowledge. International experience suggests that invasive species control programmes often face significant external social barriers. Thus, for many biological invasions the primary role for science might be to achieve social licence and regulatory support for the long-term goals of invasive species control programmes and the management interventions required to achieve those goals.

Exploration of Medicinal Plants: Tinuktuk Concoction in Simalungunese, Indonesia

Plant species have been applied in the traditional treatment of certain diseases since ancient history. The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of medicinal plants, specifically tinuktuk, in Simalungunese, North Sumatra, Indonesia. This effort shows the potentials of local knowledge in preparing herbal mixtures, based on geographical existence. The sample concoction was analyzed qualitatively for its health properties, using a pragmatic approach. Subsequent data were obtained from focus group discussions and field demonstrations to determine the plant types, processing mechanisms and efficacy. The results showed that the leaves, stems, fruits, seeds, tubers, and rhizomes of 18 herbal plant varieties were utilized, alongside the evaluation of 8 medicinal properties. Among the species, Zingiberaceae, Arecaceae, and Euphorbiaceae belonged to genera, while Areacaceae, Poaceae, Rutaceae, and Zingiberaceae families were predominantly applied. Therefore, the efficacy determination of tinuktuk concoction appears significant in terms of facilitating lactation during childbirth and subsequently eliminating the unclean blood, enhancing immunity, maintaining stamina and increasing the appetite. In summary, the sample is suitable as a herbal medicine and a product of local knowledge in the treating various ailments across generations.

Local Knowledge and Use of Medicinal Plants in a Rural Community in the Agreste of Paraíba, Northeast Brazil

The use of medicinal plants is an important source of therapeutic resources in rural communities and the wide versatility of some species may attract interest for prospecting studies. The aim of this study was to record and analyze local knowledge and the use of medicinal plants in the rural community of Malícia, municipality of Araçagi, Paraíba State, Northeastern Brazil, applying quantitative methods to calculate the Relative Importance (RI) and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 46 heads of households. The interviews addressed questions about the used parts of the plants, therapeutic indications, and form of use. Therapeutic indications were classified into categories of body systems. The Relative Importance Index (RI) was calculated to verify the species versatility, and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated to verify the consensus of use among informants regarding the body systems. A total of 111 plant species were recorded, inside 101 genera and 47 families. Fabaceae (16 spp.), Lamiaceae, and Myrtaceae (each one with 7 spp.) were the most representative families. Mentha arvensis, Aloe vera, and Myracrodruon urundeuva had the highest RI. A high consensus of use was observed among the informants for neoplasms, nervous system diseases, and infectious and parasitic diseases. Leaves were the part most cited for medicinal use. Regarding the method of preparation, the decoction and the oral administration route stood out. Neoplasms and respiratory system diseases had the highest ICF values. The results indicate a diversified knowledge of the local pharmacopeia and the need for in-depth studies to corroborate the effectiveness of medicinal plants and to understand the dynamics of local knowledge.