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Preserving Medicinal Indigenous Knowledge Among Zimbabwean Communities Through Digitization

Preserving Medicinal Indigenous Knowledge Among Zimbabwean Communities Through Digitization
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Author(s): Stephen Tsekea (Zimbabwe Open University, Harare, Zimbabwe)and Alfred Mapolisa (Zimbabwe Open University, Harare, Zimbabwe)
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 28
Source title: Indigenous Knowledge Management in the Open Science Framework
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Josiline Chigwada (University of South Africa, South Africa)and Patrick Ngulube (University of South Africa, South Africa)
DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3373-0204-1.ch006

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Abstract

Traditional knowledge has always played a critical role in the health fraternity of most African countries. However, indigenous communities in Zimbabwe continue to lose their valuable knowledge through such factors as globalization, climate change and death or memory loss of the elders. The threats of extinction of this knowledge particularly medicinal IKS such as herbal medicine and indigenous healing have been facilitated by lack of recordings since most of it relies on oral and memory transmission, too much preference for western health systems and lack of intellectual property protection from pirates. The loss of such critical knowledge has led to continued community diseases and ultimately loss of life in some circumstances. Culture is also threatened whenever there is a loss of its essential system of knowledge. This chapter details how traditional medicine such as the use of herbs is a key player in the health of indigenous communities. It also unpacks what efforts can be made to preserve such knowledge systems.

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