TEK success hinges on the facilitator’s mindset

 
BY STEVE EPHRAEM 

The success of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) dialogue depends greatly on how facilitators shall present themselves within their communities. 

This insight came from Earthlore Foundation in response to a concern from one participant that, “Will communities not view TEK dialogue as taking them backwards?”

The foundation stressed that facilitators must first shift their own perspectives before engaging with local groups. 

“We have gathered here to equip you with the skills needed to foster meaningful dialogues in your areas. Any negative views you may have held about traditional knowledge systems must transform into positive ones. That can make you successfully guide your community through these conversations,” the foundation explained. 

EarthLore Foundation also highlighted how industrial agriculture disrupted indigenous ways of life, creating chaos and imbalance. Reviving traditional farming methods is not regression but rather a restoration of the sustainable practices that past generations hoped to pass down to their children.

From July 7-11, PELUM Zimbabwe in collaboration with EarthLore Foundation held a capacity-building dialogue to strengthen the facilitation skills of member organisations in designing and leading community dialogues that integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Holistic Land and Livestock Management (HLLM), and agroecological practices.

This work forms part of a broader effort to restore degraded landscapes, seed sovereignty, and community resilience through participatory and culturally rooted approaches.