Land Evaluation Based On Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous knowledge (IK) is the knowledge used by local people to make a living in a particular environment. IK is also the important section of human knowledge hierarchy. Compared with scientific knowledge, the local knowledge system which has local and environmental limitations plays an irreplaceable role in the maintenance of community living and improve quality of living.With the help of Participatory Rural Appraisal technology (PRA) and Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS), this research collects the results and the methods of land evaluation based on IK in Shaping village on the basis of respecting IK. Research shows that the land in this village is divided into six levels according to certain principles and land quality. The level is distinguished by the output, soil fertility, soil texture and land use.The research shows:comparative studies between land evaluation IK-based land evaluation is fitter the local natural and social economic condition than scientific knowledge based land evaluation. The results play a more important role in land use and land management in a village community. Compared with scientific knowledge, community-based indigenous knowledge is more effective, more sustainable than alien "scientific knowledge" in the development of rural communities.