This document discusses perspectives on the role and use of indigenous knowledge in rural and agricultural development. It defines indigenous knowledge as knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. Indigenous knowledge is complementary to scientific knowledge and permeates every aspect of rural people's lives. Case studies show how traditional ecological knowledge has been used for fisheries management in East Africa and how indigenous tribes in India conserve forest resources through traditional practices and sacred sites. The document concludes that indigenous people manage local resources well without external influence and that indigenous knowledge needs formal recognition as a valid knowledge system.