Briefing Paper

Indigenous Forest Conservation Methods: The Case of the Pygmy Forest Conservation Techniques

“This policy brief examines local pygmy knowledge and situates it within the wider context of forest conservation in the Congo Basin. The policy brief applies the term indigenous knowledge from a generic standpoint relating to knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society, in this
regard, the pygmies. Pygmy local knowledge on medicine, sustainable farming methods, forest conservation and ecosystem preservation are legendary and have been the subject of living debate amongst natural and social scientists. The onus is on the government and international community to harness such local knowledge to compliment conventional forest conservation methods. The fact that the present pygmy generation is being rapidly integrated into the mainstream economic systems begs for an urgent need to document such local treasures.”