Indigenous knowledge initially defined as the knowledge held by indigenous communities (people) has been expanded as follows: 'The sum total of the knowledge and skills which people in a particular geographic area possess and which enable them to get the most out of their environment. Most of this knowledge and these skills have been passed from earlier generations but individual men and women in each new generation adapt and add to this body of knowledge in a constant adjustment to changing circumstances and environmental conditions. They in turn pass on the body of knowledge intact to the next generation, in an effort to provide them with survival strategies.IK Monitor 6(2) July 1998.' This dossier brings the issue of the need to integrate farmers? knowledge into the wider knowledge system as the concept of indigenous knowledge evolves in response to the changing conditions including exposure to more formal knowledge systems.