Question :What are the most effective ways to use education and awareness to promote the importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in decision-making on environmental policy and sustainable development?

Reflection: This statement is very close to any real-life field research since it points out that making TEK a technical matter, is not only a technical problem, but a social and political one. The Indigenous people in most of the field settings are consulted on the basis of their understanding, but they are seldom considered as equal decision-makers. In the eyes of the field researcher, this poses a disconnect between the process of knowledge extraction and actual cooperation. As an illustration, in the course of undertaking environmental or agricultural projects, researchers usually consult the local communities on seasonal variations, species behavior or land-use methods, yet project results are regulated by external institutions. This is indicative of the difficulty that was noted in the passage: unless historical marginalization is tackled and Indigenous rights and empowerment secured, TEK will not be treated like a living knowledge system, but as an instrument.

This line makes the argument that Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) cannot be regarded merely as a consequence of poverty or lack of choice, but is rather a highly complex and advanced body of environmental knowledge relying on long-term observation, ecological balance and conservation ethics. TEK is not just a survival strategy but rather it reveals conscious and knowledgeable sustainable practices. As an example, controlled burning is practiced in my community to control forests. Such controlled fires minimize the chances of a catastrophic wild fire, enhance the fertility of the soil and promote biodiversity. This is done not because of absence of technology, but rather a demonstration of the successful and long-standing ecological knowledge that is passed form generation to generation.

Question for discussion : How transdisciplinary and resilience concept are applied to challenges in different field like healthcare, food security, disaster risk reduction and environmental management?

Defination : Transdisciplinary approach is the method in which specialists in other fields and non-academic people such as communities, policymakers, non governmental organization and industries collaborate in developing practical solutions to complex problems.