Aligning Indigenous Knowledge with Digital Technology for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

This study juxtaposes the weaving of Indigenous Knowledge Systems with digital technologies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study also reveals how digital technologies such as mobile apps, software, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and cloud-based platforms can help the documentation, conservation, preservation, and sharing of indigenous knowledge to promote sustainability. Indigenous peoples have long been stewards of the natural environment with deep-rooted knowledge systems that support biodiversity conservation, climate action, and sustainable agriculture and other emerging fields. However, these communities sometimes face challenges in the digital era, such as limited access to digital technologies and concerns about the misuse of sacred knowledge. This study emphasizes the potential for indigenous people to enhance flexibility, preserve cultural rituals and traditions, and achieve Sustainable Development Goals such as ‘climate action’, ‘health’, ‘quality education’ and ‘life on land’ by aligning traditional knowledge with digital technologies. This study also highlights the importance of ethical frameworks, community-based digitization efforts, and inclusive regulations to ensure the use of digital technologies in a responsible way. Here, the important thing lies in the fact that digital technology has become of utmost importance for preserving, promoting, and sustaining the indigenous knowledge system, which is rapidly disappearing from the indigenous society. This paper concludes that bridging the digital gap and promoting partnerships between indigenous peoples and technological experts can provide the best solutions for achieving sustainable development goals and also respecting cultural integrity. Ultimately, this integration can empower indigenous communities to preserve, protect, and apply their knowledge systems in their day-to-day life. It helps to achieve the developmental goals commonly known as global sustainability.