Home> Archive> 2018> Volume 8 Number 3 (Mar. 2018)
IJSSH 2018 Vol.8(3): 82-85 ISSN: 2010-3646
doi: 10.18178/ijssh.2018.V8.939

An Assessment of Community’s Perceptions of IK Based Handicrafts in Amathole District Municipality, South Africa

Raphael Mudemba, Amon Taruvinga, and L. Zhou

Abstract—The use of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) based skills and technologies in the rural livelihood activities have been practiced for ages. However, there are fears that rapid modernization is driving deprecation of such retro technologies in society. Thus, studying communities’ perceptions of IK based technologies in off-farm livelihoods activities could be conducive to further development and poverty alleviation in rural communities. The use of Indigenous Knowledge-based technologies and skills in crafts activities is a major livelihood contributor to rural households in South Africa. The present study employed a cross-sectional survey of 300 households in Amathole District Municipality of South Africa to assess communities’ perceptions of the use of IK based technologies in handicrafts making. Results indicate a strong regard for Indigenous Knowledge-based technologies and skills in off-farm livelihood strategies and environmental management. We, therefore, urge for a policy framework that recognizes and promote the use of such tacit knowledge in alleviating poverty and food insecurities in rural areas.

Index Terms—Indigenous Knowledge, technologies, rural livelihoods, handicrafts, food security.

Raphael Mudemba and Amon Taruvinga are with University of Fort Hare/Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension, Alice, South Africa (e-mail: mudembar@gmail.com, ataruvinga@ufh.ac.za).
L. Zhou is with the University of Fort Hare, Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre, Alice, South Africa (e-mail: lzhou@ufh.ac.za).

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Cite: Raphael Mudemba, Amon Taruvinga, and L. Zhou, "An Assessment of Community’s Perceptions of IK Based Handicrafts in Amathole District Municipality, South Africa," International Journal of Social Science and Humanity vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 82-85, 2018.

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