MMUST Institute of Indigenous Knowledge, Cultural Studies and Climate Change Challenged to Pioneer Africa’s First Indigenous Knowledge Bank!

The Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology’s Institute of Indigenous Knowledge, Cultural Studies, and Climate Change (IIKCSCC) has been tasked with establishing an Indigenous Knowledge Bank (IKB) in Africa. The IBK aims to systematically harvest, process, and re-package both published research and the ‘tacit’ (experiential) knowledge held by local communities. This challenge was issued by the Founder and CEO of Melecki Scientific Cafe, Dr. Meleckidzedek Khayesi, during his keynote address, ‘Where are Active and Engaged Indigenous Knowledge Banks in Africa? A Methodological Perspective.’ The session was part of the ongoing AFRIAK Fellows Research Workshop, held at the Golf Hotel, Kakamega.

A section of participants keenly follow the presentations.

Speaking in an interview with the Directorate of Corporate Communications and Marketing team, Dr. Khayesi revealed that while Africa possesses various research repositories, it lacks structured IKBs capable of processing and re-packaging published research as well as the lived experiences into usable tools.

“By establishing the Indigenous Knowledge Bank, MMUST will certainly lead the way in harvesting, processing, and re-packaging both contemporary and experiential knowledge into adaptable solutions for modern-day needs. I envision the platform not as a static digital archive, but as a one-stop shop for actionable methods and techniques,” said Dr. Khayesi.

One of the Knowledge holders, Mr. Johns Wambetsa, address the fellows.

Beyond documenting the medicinal herbs, Dr. Khayesi further revealed that the bank will archive diverse life sciences and unlock the economic potential of indigenous wisdom. He warned that without immediate intervention, vital heritage is at risk of being lost. “We all possess information that will vanish if not collected. We must harvest and process this information now to preserve our vital experiential history,” he advised.

Dr. Khayesi further observed that modern technology and the internet have democratized information, shifting power away from traditional ‘expert-dominated’ models. To capitalize this, he argued that institutions must process and re-package their data or risk holding valuable information that offers no practical advantage to society.

One of the fellows make her contributions during the discussions.

As the AFRIAK fellows transition into their field research, they carry a mandate that goes beyond mere documentation. Their challenge is to bridge the gap between harvested information and usable heritage. In an era of universal digital access, the true value of their work lies in how they will transform undocumented wisdom into tools that serve the modern world, ensuring that Africa’s rich heritage remains a living resource.