Sustainability of Africa through technological innovations and indigenous knowledge systems: a discussion of key factors and way forward

Abstract

Contemporary African development is imposed through globally (internationally) benchmarked educational, technological and economic systems principally steered by the Industrial Revolutions (IR). IR prepares Africans to predominantly serve sustainability of foreign economic and therefore educational interests. Africa is thus academically detached from the local developmental challenges, this leading to the current psyche of negative narratives about Africa as a third world continent of charity deficient of own knowledge systems. It is argued that Africa’s ability to develop sustainably is linked with its ability to secure its environment whilst adding value to its resources and this will be enhanced by the adoption and inclusion of African values including some of its philosophical fundamentals such as Obuntubulamu (Ubuntu). A hybrid of Obuntubulamu as a philosophical fundamental among Bantu in Africa and the contemporary global development models could be an alternative pathway to salvaging African development. This follows on the observation that valid African discourses and paradigms such as Obuntubulamu enhance the research capacity and knowledge to develop Bantu communities as well as their Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) (Muwanga-Zake, 2017). In trying to bridge the gap between IKS and international development models, the authors use a perspective lens to propose frameworks that are appropriate to capture IKS and technological epistemic knowledge practices and provide highlights on the perceived paradoxes. The authors simultaneously discuss how these can be managed to improve sustainable development in African societies. The proposed paradigm deliberately shifts participation towards Higher Education Institutions (HEI).

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Muwanga-Zake, J. W. F. & Kibukamusoke, M. (2024). Sustainability of Africa through technological innovations and indigenous knowledge systems: a discussion of key factors and way forward. African Journal of Social Work, 14(2), 59-69. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v14i2.2

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