TRADITIONAL OROMO ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT: AN ARGUMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND DEVELOPMENT
Workineh Kelbessa
Abstract: This paper explores traditional Oromo attitudes towards the environment and their impact on rural development, environmental protection and modern environmental ethics. Its major findings are that environment has always been the fundamental concern of the rural people. The Oromo people possess accumulated practical knowledge of their environment through experience and productive activity. They have developed complex systems of agriculture and intensive soil, water, vegetation and wildlife management that have survived the test of time and the vagaries of environment. They have used various sustainable methods which enable them to secure food, income, employment, and social welfare, diversification of crops and preservation of animals and crops species. Moreover, the Oromo people believe that the natural environment and human beings are linked together in a web of relationships. The samples of Oromo indigenous environmental knowledge indicate that although it has limitations, the dialogue between indigenous and modern knowledge may serve as the basis of constructive borrowing to promote environmentally and socially sound development. The ethics of truly sustainable development may benefit from the wealth of biological and ecological insights and sustainable resource management systems developed by the Oromo people and other cultural groups. Peasants and modern environmental scientists and technicians can learn from one another. The study indicates that the kind of ethic embodied in indigenous beliefs and values does not completely contradict the kind of ethic found in modern beliefs and values. But these kinds of ethic complement each other, and in some instances one is superior to the other. The study suggests that the government and donors should support peasants to pursue environmentally, economically and socially sustainable development. Institutions, which recognize the rights of the local communities to share benefits arising from local knowledge should be established. The principles of intellectual property rights should be revised and include local knowledge entitlements.