Integrating indigenous knowledge into agricultural research and development: a pathway to landrace preservation and food security

Despite growing recognition of the importance of indigenous landraces for food security amidst climate change, many landraces continue to disappear worldwide. Research notes that integrating indigenous knowledge (IK) into modern science can support landrace preservation. However, progress varies across countries. This study tries to fill this gap in Uganda by examining the state of IK integration into agricultural research and development (AR&D). A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data in all Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes (ZARDIs) across Uganda. Data collection included surveys with 101 agricultural researchers, interviews with nine research directors, eight information officers, and document analysis. The findings reveal that IK integration remains limited, due to weak policies, negative perceptions of IK, and dependence on donor-driven research. Where integration occurs, findings show that it is ad hoc and focused on scientific approaches, often ignoring IK’s cultural aspects. As a result, IK and related landraces are sidelined, raising their extinction risk. To preserve landraces effectively, requires policy realignment to prioritize IK in research agendas and budgets and, a holistic approach that incorporates both scientific and cultural aspects of IK to strengthen IK’s contribution to food security.