book chapter
Integrating big data analytics with Indigenous knowledge systems and Ubuntu philosophy offers a pathway to improve green governance across Africa. While big data analytics provides capabilities to address complex environmental problems such as climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, Ubuntu philosophy ensures that governance models incorporate communal interdependence, equity, and harmony with nature. Blending modern technological tools with traditional ecological knowledge supports sustainable practices while empowering local communities. Real-world applications demonstrate this synergy in critical areas, including drought forecasting, sustainable agriculture, and forest preservation. However, successful deployment requires addressing substantial hurdles, including the digital divide, complex data governance concerns, and the risk of marginalising traditional knowledge. A framework that aligns data initiatives with Ubuntu principles provides a culturally coherent foundation for African sustainable development.
Environmental initiatives often struggle when modern technology disregards local context. By connecting big data with traditional African knowledge systems and the communal ethics of Ubuntu, environmental management becomes both technologically informed and socially inclusive. This balanced approach helps protect critical natural resources like forests and farmlands while ensuring local communities remain empowered and central to conservation decisions.
The work outlines an approach relevant to environmental agencies, agricultural planners, and conservation bodies seeking to integrate community insights into data analytics. Potential application areas include drought forecasting tools, sustainable farming programmes, and forest management platforms. Based on the abstract, this research provides a conceptual governance framework illustrated by examples, indicating it is at an early conceptual stage rather than a deployable commercial technology.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
This chapter explores the integration of big data analytics with Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and Ubuntu philosophy to enhance green governance in Africa. It highlights the transformative potential of big data in addressing complex environmental challenges such as climate change, deforestation and biodiversity loss, while advocating for culturally resonant and inclusive approaches. Ubuntu, rooted in communal interdependence and harmony with nature, complements big data by embedding ethical considerations, inclusivity and equity into governance frameworks. The chapter analyzes the synergy between modern technologies and traditional knowledge, demonstrating how their integration fosters sustainable environmental practices and empowers communities. Key examples illustrate the successful application of this approach, such as in drought prediction, sustainable agriculture and forest conservation. Challenges such as the digital divide, data governance issues and potential marginalization of Indigenous knowledge are critically examined. Aligning big data applications with Ubuntu principles allows the chapter to propose a framework for effective, culturally coherent and ethically grounded governance systems that support sustainable development in Africa.
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DOI: 10.1108/978-1-83742-268-520260014
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