Respecting the Roots: Conventional Ecological Data and Natural Agriculture

Conventional Ecological Data (TEK) is an idea that has been gaining consideration in non-native communities lately, and ceaselessly developing in dialog at OFRF. It’s exhausting to supply one all-encompassing definition of TEK, however typically TEK references ecological data that’s place-based and in addition inherently tied to a tradition. It isn’t solely a system of data that has been handed down generationally, however a holistic strategy to view all residing issues in relationship to the panorama; which means not seeing ourselves as separate from it, however as embedded throughout the ecological system. To some, TEK represents a wholly-separate data system than Western scientific data, or Western Science, which prioritizes reductionism and transportability. As a substitute, TEK acknowledges that there are items of data, particularly within the agroecological context, which can be too advanced to be diminished to their particular constituent components, and that can not be replicated elsewhere as a result of the ecological and social components should not the identical. 

We acknowledge that a number of the concentrate on TEK contains examples of white people and white-led organizations claiming ancestral and cultural data that belongs to the Indigenous peoples of what’s now referred to as North America. As a white-led group within the agricultural sector, we at OFRF are actively working to correctly acknowledge the significance of TEK to natural practices in a method that honors the cultures that maintain this deep data and understanding. There are some establishments and communities which can be actively making an attempt to facilitate interactions with Western Science and TEK, and combine this information system and indigenous perspective. Establishments like Cal Poly Humboldt, who’re growing and utilizing programming on Place-based Studying Communities. Outdoors of the agricultural area, arctic researchers are working with tribal nations to realize a greater understanding of how the arctic is altering. 

There are a lot of that declare the data and ideas related to TEK is an important piece of assembly the stacking challenges of our time, particularly local weather change, even the White Home has introduced steerage on using TEK. That’s one motive why we’re working with Senators in Washington D.C. to make sure that TEK shouldn’t be co-opted by academia, however facilitated by it. However, we acknowledge that these are simply small steps when giant leaps are wanted.

As a corporation, we’re dedicated to studying and rising by listening to the wants of communities we purpose to serve. We’re exploring methods to interact on this path meaningfully whereas additionally being conscious of the area we occupy. We all know we now have quite a bit to study, and we hope you’ll be a part of us on this work.