Indigenous Knowledge: The National

Recordal System & IKS Research Chairs

Biodiversity Economy Indaba

11 November 2013

Polokwane

Strategic Objective: Promote and develop research, development and innovation

(RDI) for the improved quality of life.

IKS Policy (2004) created the platform to recognise, affirm, develop, promote &

protect IKS.

• Interface Indigenous Knowledge Systems with other Knowledge Systems

- 3 Directorates: Advocacy & Policy Development, Knowledge Development

& Knowledge Management.

• Focus in Department are based -5 principle goals in developing the innovation

capacity of IKS in the NSI

- Enhancing knowledge generation capacity;

- Developing appropriate and unique human capital for IKS related field;

- Build world class infrastructure for recording & documentation of IKS;

- Building IKS laboratories to train the next generation of research;

- Enable technology transfer.

• The strategic objective of the IKS Chairs is to interface IKS with other knowledge systems with a special emphasis in research and development, innovation and knowledge production

• Over the past three years, two IKS Research Chairs: (i) Traditional Medicines at University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and (ii) Knowledge Systems Studies-Walter Sisulu University (WSU).

• The UKZN Chair established an African Traditional Medicines [ATM] Laboratory. Between the two Chairs, the following are key successes:

University Projects Students Publication Products

UKZN

HIV/AIDS 2 Post-Docs 2 Book Chapters 1 Diabetes

Prototype

Tuberculosis 6 PhD 10 Journal Articles 1 Infectious

Diseases

Diabetes Mellitus 5 Masters 7 Conference

Papers

2 HIV Prototypes

Cancer - Kaposi 3 BTech MRC Career Award

2 Assistantships

WSU

IKS Systematisation 4 Honours 4 Journal Articles

Vegetable &

Medicinal Plants

4 Masters 3 Conference

Papers

IKS Audit Report

IKS constitutes a nations patrimony and has massive potential for RDI and

social cohesion for the country.

IKS Audit (2008)

• Constitute a semantic web digital system, comprising of indigenous knowledge

networks, documentation centres and confidential local registers. It record of

unrecorded IK in various multi media formats and aims to promote community IK.

- It proposes both positive and defensive protection of IK and aims to collect grassroots

community experiences in local languages.

-Provides for documented data on indigenous knowledge associated with biological

resources linked to:

• Person

• Community

• Geographical area and

• Biological resources

-

RELEVANCE TO GOVERMENT POLICIES AND

LEGISLATION

• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996

• National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004

• Public Finance Research Act, 2009

• Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000

• Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill

• Copyright Act, 1978

• Patent Act, 1976

• Plant Varieties and Farmers Act of 2001,

• Traditional Leadership Governance Framework

• Traditional Health Practitioners Act

Format of traditional/indigenous knowledge (i.e. documented, books etc) Function(s) of the implemented systems Supported languages Protection (defensive, positive etc)

BENCHMARKING & COMPARING NRS with

WORLDWIDE INITIATIVES

Name Format of original IK Protection Storage Aim/Function

National Recordal System Unrecorded oral Defensive and

positive

Distributive Promotion

Protection (prior art)

Preservation

IK Patent Development

Traditional Knowledge Digital

Library

Documented in books in

4 languages (Ayarveda,

Unani, Siddha and Yoga)

Defensive Centralised Protection (prior art)

Biozulua Documented in local

Venezuela languages

Defensive Decentralised Protection (prior art)

IK Patent Development

Honeybee Published community

newsletters

Defensive Localised Protection (prior art)

Promotion

NNATIONAL RECORDAL SYSTEM

NATIONAL RECORDAL SYSTEM

IKSDC:

LIMPOPO

PROVINCE

Muthale Sintamule Mphephu

Vuwan

i

DAC dti DEA

NIKMAS

PATENT OFFICES

DOH

SANBI CIPC

DAFF

CBD/WIPO/ FAO

DST

NSI

DRDLR

DTA

SABS

Indigenous Knowledge

Documentation Centres

(IKSDC)

Community

NRS Central Operations

supported by the National IK

Management System (NIKMAS)

Community

Pu

blic

acce

ss

Restr

icte

d a

cce

ss

Con

fide

ntial a

cce

ss

Co

mm

unity a

ccess Preservation

Promotion

Protection

Development

•Community members

•IK Holders

•General Public

•Learners

•Teachers

•IP offices

•Registered scientists &

researchers

•Approved and

registered scientists

Catalogue IK Recording Verification Quality Check Classification Scientific

Authentication

NRS Processes

NIKMAS Metadata

• To annotate recorded IK stories for enhanced exploration and discovery

• Standard used: Qualified Dublin Core

• Thematic metadata for specific themes: – African Traditional Medicine

– Food security

• Standardised controlled vocabularies – IPC codes (WIPO) for patent classification and utility

models

– ICD codes (WHO) for ailment classification

NIKMAS Metadata Conceptual Model

Metadata conceptual model

IK Product (IF/ATM)

Ingredients

Object (plants/animals/mineral)

Use

Preparation Method

Additives

Byproducts

Parts

Shelf life

Conservation/Propagation

Habitat

Location

Harvesting/Gathering

Scientific name

Vernacular name(s)

IK recording

• Community identify IK claims to be recorded in detail • IK recorders visit IK holders • Sign legal agreements (Prior Informed Consent, Non-Disclosure,

Information transfer agreement) • IK recording interview (in local language)

– Video of story – Exploration with questionnaire – Photos, videos, GPS locations

• IK Recorder transcribes information into structured format and translates into English

• IK Recorder verifies transcribed report & media with IK holder • Recorded IK replicated to Community laptop • Recorded IK verified by community (if community the owner) • Verified information replicated to IKSDC system and central system

NRS supported processes

Quality Editing and Scientific

verification NRS Processes

IK Holder Cataloging

IK Recording

Quality editing Scientific

verification Community Engagement

Dissemination

Quality editing and scientific verification

• On central system

– Quality editing (Curator)

• Language

• Media editing

• Classification (e.g. IPC and ICD codes)

– Scientific authentication (SANBI)

• Botanical classification

• Public domain information search

• Confirm access level (open or confidential)

NRS supported processes

Dissemination

NRS Processes

IK Holder Cataloging

IK Recording

Quality editing

Scientific verification

Community Engagement

Dissemination

Dissemination: Access levels

Open access IK

Confidential IK

Dissemination: General public

Open access IK

Confidential IK

General public /

Unauthenticate

d user

All open access information

Dissemination: General public

Open access IK

Confidential IK

Communit

y member

All open access information

All open access IK submitted by

community

Dissemination: General public

Open access IK

Confidential IK

Authenticate

d

IK Holder

All open access information

All open access IK submitted by

community

All confidential IK submitted by him/her

Dissemination: General public

Open access IK

Confidential IK

Authenticate

d community

coordinator

All open access information

All open access IK submitted by

community

All confidential IK submitted by the

community

Dissemination: Scientists

Open access IK

Confidential IK

Scientist /

Researcher

All open access information

All open access IK submitted by

community

Restricted info on

confidential IK

Restricted access

application process

Confidential info

on selected IK

entries

Confidential access

application process

Restricted

detail

Confidential detail

Confidential

detail

Dissemination

• Scientific searches • IP searches • Theme based views • Intelligent, semantic based querying • others.....

Thank You

https://nrs.dst.gov.za/nikmas/