The African Institute in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIIKS) is a consortium of more than 20 Higher Education Institutions-based and Autonomous Research Institutions within and outside Africa. The participating member institutions are responsible for systematization of African Indigenous Science, Technology and Innovation in the global knowledge economy for the localization of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the attainment of aspirations of African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 (The Africa We Want). The current members of the consortium are from the following countries: South Africa (Hub), Cote d’Ivoire, Germany, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The holistic, cultural, multilingual, ecological and multi-transdisciplinary nature of AIKS is in line with all the UNESCO’s Approved Programme and Budget (C/5), including global strategies and sectoral programme priorities, especially in the context of localization of UN SDGs in Africa. This is articulated in the Institute’s Concept Note (see Annexure C) in terms of Vision and Mission, multi-transdisciplinary Signature Projects, Focus and Cross-cutting areas.
AIIKS Focus Areas:
(i) IKS and Traditional Healthcare and Wellness
(ii) Climate Change Resilience and Environment
(iii) Food Security and Agriculture
(iv)Renewable Energy, Natural Resources and Climate Change Management
(v) Culture, Indigenous Languages and Home-Grown Philosophies
(vi) Democracy, Governance and Leadership
(vii) Justice, Peace and Security
AIIKS Cross-cutting Areas:
(i) Gender Mainstreaming
(ii) Social Transformation
(iii) Sustainability
(iv)Research, Innovation and Knowledge Creation
(v) Human Capital Development
(vi) Community Engagement
The AIIKS is systematizing African Indigenous Science, Technology and Innovation in the global knowledge economy through advancing a Theory of Change (see Annexure D) involving the following pillars:
- Research, Innovation and Knowledge Creation
- Human Capital Development
- Community Engagement
- Communication and Marketing
- Sustainability
These are meant to:
- Produce and develop a new generation of scientists and researchers, conversant with AIKS worldviews, ways of knowing, value systems and research methodology, for paradigm shift in Africa’s research, innovation and community engagement
- Develop a new generation of IKS communities of practice (CoPs), especially among African youth, women, postgraduate students, IK-holders and practitioners, who can gather, analyse, apply and convert AIKS into marketable goods and services for sustainable community livelihood and development
- Build an active citizenry in mitigating the triple challenges of inequality, poverty and unemployment through mobilization of community-based knowledge systems
- Promote complementarity and democracy of knowledge systems in the global knowledge economy and enable Africa to enter and contribute to the global knowledge economy on its own merit rather than those dictated by others
- Increase the use of African indigenous languages and home-grown philosophies in communicating African indigenous science, technology and innovation within and outside Africa, across social groups and cultures
In order to achieve its vision and mission, the Institute has developed a strategic multi-transdisciplinary Sustainability Action Plan with strategic goals; strategic targets and key performance indicators. This includes a Strategic Postgraduate Training and Support Programme. Furthermore, the AIIKS strategically intends to facilitate Africa’s active participation in the 4th Industrial Revolution on its own terms through advancing IKS-Based Digitalization for the Revisioning of the Knowledge Lifecycle. This will incorporate a paradigm shift of promoting the rich diversity of African indigenous languages and home-grown philosophies as repositories of scientific, innovation, technological, socio-economic and political thought for the attainment and localization of UN SDGs and AU Agenda 2063 (Building The Africa We Want).