Cover -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Dedication -- List of Contributors -- Contents -- Chapter 1 - Rethinking African Indigenous Knowledges and World Civilisations: Pasts, presents and the Futures -- Introduction -- Background to Africa, world civilisations, and knowledge development -- A guide through the book -- References -- Chapter 2 - Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Management in Africa: Some showcases from Zimbabwe -- Introduction -- Objectives and methodological issues: A brief overview -- Understanding indigenous knowledge -- The use of indigenous knowledge in Zimbabwe -- Showcases of indigenous knowledge for disaster risk prediction and mitigation -- Why the hour hand is ticking towards modern science? -- Recommendations -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 3 - An Evaluation of African Traditional Scientific Knowledge and Technological Devices -- Introduction -- The Backwardness of Traditional Africa -- A brief history of Africa's backwardness -- African science and technology in the pre-colonial era -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 4 - Indigenous Knowledge, Conflation and Post-colonial Translation: Lessons from Fieldwork in Contemporary Rural Zimbabwe -- Introduction -- Overview on Indigenous knowledge, animism and translation -- The worlds, entities and knowledge practices related to droughts and rains -- Meteorological Sciences and Connections in the Indigenous Knowledge Systems: A Brief Note -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 5 - Traditional Healers and Medicine in South Africa: A Quest for Legal and Scientific Recognition -- Introduction -- Background to the use of Traditional Medicine in South Africa -- Challenges to the use of Traditional Medicine in South Africa -- Traditional Medicine in post-Apartheid South Africa -- Critique of the Act No. 22 of 2007.

The prospects of traditional medicine and its practitioners in South Africa -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 6 - A History of Pre-colonial and Colonial Wildlife Conservation in Ghana -- Introduction -- Conservation -- Wildlife Conservation in Pre-Colonial Times -- Wildlife Preservation Laws and the creation of Game Reserves during the colonial era -- The Appointment of a Game Warden and Establishment of a Wildlife Department -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 7 - 'Sheep in Sheep's Clothing or Wolves in Sheep's Clothing?' Interventions by Non-state Actors in a Changing Climatic Environment in Rural Zimbabwe -- Introduction -- Understanding Non-State Actors (NSAs) -- NSAs interventions in Zimbabwe's rural communities: A case of Zvishavane Rural -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 8 - Religion and the Restoration of Health in Africa: A Case Study of the Traditional Akan People of Ghana -- Introduction -- Methodology -- Who are the Akan? -- Medicine among the Akan -- Who is a traditional medical practitioner? -- The nexus between Religion and Medicine -- The Akan etiology of illness -- The Akan medical practitioner and the 'Germ Theory' -- The prospects of indigenous/traditional medicine in Ghana today -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 9 - Indigenous Knowledge and the Management of Ecological Resources for Africa's Development -- Introduction -- For the continent to rise above its developmental challenges, African leaders may reconsider their development objectives to include the following -- The potency of indigenous knowledge -- Findings, suggestions and recommendations -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 10 - The Role of Indigenous Shona Cultural Beliefs and Practices in the Conservation of the Environment -- Introduction -- The environmental problems -- The Western concept of the environment.

African concept of the environment: A focus on the indigenous Shona of Zimbabwe -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 11 - Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Dispute Resolutions: The Yoruba Example -- Introduction -- Indigenous Knowledge Systems -- Conflict and Conflict Resolution -- Preservation of Peace among the Yoruba -- Theoretical Framework for this study -- Methodology and Presentation of Data -- Analysis of the selected Proverbs in conflict resolution among the Yoruba -- Discussion and Recommendations -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 12 - The Role and Efficacy of Indigenous Knowledge in Fostering Sustainable Development in Africa: A Case Study of Zimbabwe -- Introduction -- Indigenous knowledge and sustainability -- Application of indigenous knowledge in resource utilisation: A conceptual framework -- Variations of indigenous knowledge -- Indigenous knowledge and land reform in Zimbabwe -- Research methodologies and findings -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 13 - Promoting Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Development in Africa: A Case Study of Ghana -- Introduction -- Definition of Indigenous Knowledge -- What is Sustainable Development? -- The Study Site -- Challenges to the Promotion of IK for Sustainable Development -- Colonialism -- Effect of Colonial Economy on Ghanaian IK Systems -- Destruction of Ghana's Natural Environment -- Impact of Western-Generated Social Change on IK in Ghana -- Impact of Western Formal Education on IK in Ghana -- Western Technology and Mass Media -- Urbanisation -- Why the neglect of IK in Ghana? -- Lack of Vision and Leadership Qualities of Government Leaders -- Attitude(s) of Ghanaian elite to IK -- Over Dependence on Foreign Aid -- The Way forward -- Conclusion -- References -- Back cover.