Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge to Agricultural Growth in South Africa: A Case of Disaneng Community in the Ratlou Local Municipality

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge is the cornerstone of the society’s agricultural growth; however, its documentation and dissemination remain big challenges. This paper explores the contribution of indigenous knowledge to agricultural growth in the Disaneng community. A qualitative research approach was employed in the study. Twenty participants took part in the study and semi-structured and unstructured interview guides were utilized to collect data from participants. The thematic approach was used to analyze results and five themes emerged during the study. Key themes that emerged include weather patterns, land preparation, seed selection, soil fertility, and stockpiling. The findings revealed that locals are endowed with indigenous knowledge (IK) on land preparation, seed selection, stockpiling, and soil fertility, and this promotes agricultural growth. The study concludes that IK acts as a vehicle for enhancing agricultural growth. However, challenges such as disregard of IK by some religious beliefs continue to hinder the application of IK for the growth of agriculture. Hence, for IK to continue influencing agricultural growth positively, effective measures should be introduced to mitigate the hindrances.