CIRAN’s objective is to encourage research that has relevance for developing countries, and to foster international cooperation and capacity-building in this area.
CIRAN offers services, acts as consultant, and facilitates the dissemination and exchange of information on indigenous knowledge and international research through publications, database management and electronic communication.
Its web-based services include:
(1) Management and support of international networksBy network management CIRAN wants to promote and facilitate active international networking among researchers.
(b) Indigenous Knowledge and Development Network (IK Network): Since 1993 CIRAN has been supporting communication within a large network of persons and institutions that actively promote the incorporation of indigenous knowledge (also called local or traditional knowledge) into the planning of sustainable development. CIRAN provides the secretariat for the IK Network, which has nearly 4000 members and some 35 IK Resource Centres around the world.
(v) Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor: This journal publishes articles dealing with IK in relation to sustainable development. The Monitor also features a lively section ‘Communications’: short notices about relevant conferences, publications and research. The first issue appeared in February 1993. The hardcopy-journal is published three times a year, has a circulation of 4000, and is distributed in more than 130 countries
(d) Indigenous Knowledge Pages (IK Pages): This World Wide Web homepage for indigenous knowledge provides access to primary sources of information on indigenous knowledge. The website also makes it possible to search for and retrieve full texts from the Internet. The IK Pages are aimed at encouraging South-South as well as North-South cooperation and communication on the subject of indigenous knowledge and sustainable development.