Gedeo agroforestry system is a form of sustainable land use system that simultaneously or sequentially combines trees with crop or animal production. The system was proved to be self- sustaining and self-regulating, hosting large number of population in small plots of land. This is mainly due to diligent efforts of the local people who harness the resource in sustainable manner,
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keeping the system relatively sustainable. However, recent trend indicates that the system is gradually losing its resilience. Evidently, majority of IK related to practical aspects (production, management and harvesting of crops) are still practiced with some changes made to them. Significant loss is observed with regard to IK related to normative aspect (Cultural values and norms).
Acquisition of IK and its transmission among successive generation is a key to continuity of the system. Not only acquisition and transmission, but also the retention of the acquired knowledge through hand on practices is a vital to its continuity. Thus, the likelihood of continuity of IK system depends on individual’s ability, interest and commitment in acquiring the knowledge and scaling it up through regular practices. The capacity of the system to absorb the perturbation that occurs with respect to biophysical, socio-economic and institutional factors is also a determinant factor in the continuity of IK.
Recent trend in IK transmission among the people indicates that the rate of transmission among successive generations is found to be relatively low. Moreover, the comparison made to investigate the knowledge differences between different generational groups reveals a clear knowledge gap. One may question why the knowledge gap exists between young people and their elders. Is it because of maturity level between the younger and the elders or due to lack of IK transmission and interest to acquire IK? Can we attribute to apparent shift in everyday life of the younger generation or to the disruption of some of indigenous practices? What causes the gap?
Apparently, maturity level is not found to be the potential causes of the knowledge gap, as there are young people who are in the same age category, and whose performance is almost comparable to their elders. There is a tradition among the people that young people above 12 years old are considered to be fit to conduct any farm activities without assistance from the family or peer. Therefore, young people above 12 years old are not said to be illiterate about their locality.
The knowledge gap is rather attributed to slow rate of IK acquisition and transmission, which in turn is attributed to shift in everyday life of the younger generation. This in turn is principally attributed to modernization. Significant proportion of the younger population has been moving to urban centers on daily basis for schooling, labor work, and other purposes. Given that the participation of young people in any local activities is limited, the likelihood of acquiring indigenous knowledge and practices, and valuing their culture is certainly low. Undoubtedly, such disparity between elders and
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young people is likely to create a knowledge gap. Similar findings reported that lack of transmission between and among successive generation is resulting in loss of IK (Reyes-Garcia, et al., 2005). Parents take the first blame, as they are responsible to impart their knowledge and skills to their children and also encourage them to give value to their culture. As revealed in previous chapter, majority of the agroforestry practices (above 80%) are transmitted via parent to child interaction (vertical transmission). Obviously, vertical transmission of IK will not be effective in the absence of one partner or if one partner shows less interest. Both parties must have interest and be willing to participate in the process of knowledge transmission. What is actually observed in recent time is lack of interest and commitment from the side of the younger generation to acquire IK from their parent and lack of courage from the elders as well. The elders claim that their acceptance among the younger generation is becoming low and therefore, they are not committed to teach them.
Not only parents, but also community elders take the blame of not transferring cultural norms and values to the successive generations. Young people can only learn about their culture if they come in contact with elders and attend cultural practices. This is not happening in Gedeo. If this is the reality, how could the young people of Gedeo be able to acquire knowledge about their culture having only very limited contact with elders who are the legitimate holders of the knowledge? Do we expect them to acquire the knowledge without participation in some of the cultural practices? Perhaps not.
The decline in interest is not only from the side of the youngsters; the elders are also lacking the courage to orient and teach the younger population about the cultural values and norms. For instance, there used to be an indigenous forum held by community elders and the younger population in the evening time. The forum is a kind of entertainment forum whereby the community elders tell folktales, local proverbs, and local histories. Since recent time this forum is non-functional mainly because of modernization The younger population have now several options to spend time after school like playing games, watching movies, or chatting among themselves.
Moreover, the discontinuity and dysfunctional nature of some of the socio-cultural practices is one potential factor for the gap. In fact, the majority of indigenous knowledge related to practical aspects is retained. The majority of the younger generation did not get the opportunity to observe and attend some of the socio-cultural practices, because some of the practices are already abandoned while others are less often practiced.
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To put is concisely, IK of agroforestry system of Gedeo is gradually eroding due to lack of transmission of the knowledge and practices and disruption in cultural system. This is further exacerbated by the changes in biophysical, socio-economic, demographic and institutional aspects. Contrasting results have been reported by scholars regarding the changes and continuities of IK among different societies (see Lozada et al., 2006).