Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge in Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals: A Literature Review

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge is the traditional knowledge that is unique to a society. Traditional knowledge is also called: ‘local knowledge’, ‘folk knowledge’, ‘people’s knowledge’, ‘traditional wisdom’. This knowledge is passed from generation to generation, usually by word of mouth and cultural customs. It has been the basis for agriculture, health care, food preparation, education, conservation and the other many activities that sustain societies in all over the world. Sustainable development means establishing a balance between socioeconomic development and environmental protection, with traditional knowledge local communities. In 2015, the United Nations agreed on 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a set of targets for improving lives while protecting natural resources by the year 2030 and they included indigenous peoples, and acknowledged that there can be no sustainable development without protecting the traditional knowledge. Indigenous knowledge plays an important role in achieving global sustainable development goals through various traditional practices. Therefore, in this study, contribution of various researchers is explored regarding role of indigenous knowledge in achieving sustainable development goals. On the basis of previous studies we found various areas in which indigenous knowledge is used. These areas include; agriculture, health, education, climate change, cultural identity, environmental justice, fisheries, forests and wildlife, natural resources. The use of indigenous knowledge in these sectors helps in achieving of sustainable development goals.