LEVERAGING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS IN THE BEVERAGES SUBSECTOR

For eons, there has been debate between scientific knowledge systems and indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), as to which is more effective and applicable in the manufacturing sector. With the recent increased contributions that IKS’ have had on manufacturing and agriculture sectors, including cross cutting issues like climate change, it can be said that IKS are effective in enhancing production in those sectors, despite lacking research and in most cases scientific underpinnings. According to UNESCO, “Local and indigenous knowledge refers to the understandings, skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings. For rural and indigenous peoples, local knowledge informs decision-making about fundamental aspects of day-to-day life.” Today, it can be seen that scientific methods continue to recognise indigenous systems in their practices and even methods of research, especially in pharmaceuticals, food and beverages. The use of IKS’ in scientific methods and research has been successful due to an emphasis on Research and Development (R&D). Embedding IKS’ into modern science, creates a platform to incorporate diversity, culture and sustainable practices that can be applied in various products in the manufacturing sector. The beverages subsector in developed countries has seen continuous use of IKS’ in their production, with big manufacturers starting to commercialise products made using IKS. One popular example is the beverage known as Kombucha. Transformed by different yeasts and acetic acid bacteria, Kombucha is basically a beverage that is made from sweetened tea. While its specific origins remain unknown, the beverage is known to have originated in Asia. Kombucha has in recent years drawn the attention of big companies like Pepsi Co, which acquired a company that produces kombucha beverages despite it being a beverage which was made on a small scale by households in the United States of America (USA). According to Fortune Business Insights, the Kombucha market in the USA alone was worth almost 2 billions of dollars in 2020. Transforming from a home brewed tea, this indigenous drink is gradually becoming commercialised to a health drink which anyone can access on a supermarket shelf. However, limited R&D especially amongst Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSME’s), has limited control over the production process and affected the quality of Kombucha. Zambia boasts of very rich IKS especially with regards to beverages. Beverages which were commonly brewed on a small scale have started gaining prominence and are now being produced at a commercial scale because manufacturers identified a gap in the market. Local beverages such as ‘Munkoyo’ and ‘Chibwantu’, that are made using IKS, are a good representation of local content utilisation in the beverage’s subsector and a perfect illustration of products that are Proudly Zambian. These beverages made using IKS not only have local demand but have the potential to penetrate the regional market and contribute to non-traditional exports. Similar to the case of Kombucha in the USA, limited R&D, especially amongst MSME’s, has hindered the use of IKS to make beverages in Zambia. This means there is no control over the production process which MSME’s use, and this increases the possibility of using incorrect production processes. Furthermore, setting up a plant specifically to produce beverages made using IKS is expensive, because the machinery has to be tailor made to suite the beverage being produced. Additionally, there are currently no quality standards, for beverages made using IKS, which manufacturers can abide by. IKS, just as with any body of knowledge, have limitations and perhaps these are criticized more than scientific knowledge. However, the historical value that is possessed in these systems should be leveraged on and thoroughly researched by manufacturers, in order to commercialise beverages made using IKS. Partnership between academia, research institutions and manufacturers is required, in order to strengthen R&D in production processes and improve the shelf life, outlook and quality of beverages made from IKS. Furthermore, the lack of standards in these indigenous drinks entails that the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) needs to quickly set clear quality standards for beverages made using IKS, because the possibility of exporting these beverages into the region will only be strengthened when quality standards have been in place.