A university lecturer has stated that developmental projects will fail to achieve sustainable solutions unless they incorporate local and indigenous knowledge. Sion Iileka, dean of the environmental management faculty at the International University of Management, explained that this knowledge forms the foundation of self-sufficiency. He shared these views at the Youth Climate Change Conference Namibia 2025 in Ondangwa.
Iileka described indigenous knowledge as a unique system developed over generations, providing innovative techniques tailored to local environments. He noted its role in ensuring social justice and community well-being, adding that it is transmitted through stories and long-term observation. This knowledge, he said, is vital for ecological protection and adapting to climate change impacts.
The lecturer also pointed out several challenges, including a lack of proper documentation and limited influence in formal decision-making. He recommended digitizing this knowledge and integrating it into educational curricula to ensure its preservation and contemporary relevance. The conference aimed to engage Namibian youth in finding tangible solutions for climate change.
Iileka described indigenous knowledge as a unique system developed over generations, providing innovative techniques tailored to local environments. He noted its role in ensuring social justice and community well-being, adding that it is transmitted through stories and long-term observation. This knowledge, he said, is vital for ecological protection and adapting to climate change impacts.
The lecturer also pointed out several challenges, including a lack of proper documentation and limited influence in formal decision-making. He recommended digitizing this knowledge and integrating it into educational curricula to ensure its preservation and contemporary relevance. The conference aimed to engage Namibian youth in finding tangible solutions for climate change.
