The challenges of collaboration between Indigenous Knowledge System and scientific Knowledge System on biodiversity conservation in West Africa: a semi-systematic narrative review

This study investigates collaborative opportunities and challenges between Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and Scientific Knowledge Systems (SKS) in biodiversity conservation and environmental management in West Africa, using a semi-systematic narrative review. Literature searches across Scopus, AJOL, and Google Scholar yielded 47 peer-reviewed studies from Scopus that directly addressed barriers to collaboration, while AJOL (16 papers) and Google Scholar (23 papers) provided complementary insights into opportunities for partnership. The 47 Scopus studies were subjected to qualitative thematic analysis, with AJOL and Google Scholar papers enriching the discussion of collaborative possibilities. To enhance transparency and rigor, the coding and synthesis process was supported by Microsoft Copilot as a research assistant, facilitating structured navigation and dissection of the selected studies. Findings reveal that collaboration between IKS and SKS remains hindered by institutional constraints, unstable funding, communication gaps, epistemological divergences, and the continued marginalization of Indigenous voices in formal research. Despite these obstacles, the review highlights promising areas for joint knowledge production such as climate-compatible agriculture (farming aligned with resilience and low emissions), sustainable forest management, aquatic and marine resource governance, ethno-scientific approaches, and community-based climate adaptation. Therefore, integrating IKS with SKS can provide richer, context-specific insights for biodiversity conservation while strengthening social inclusivity and environmental governance. We recommend adopting epistemological pluralism, fostering reflexive communication strategies, and designing participatory frameworks that give Indigenous communities’ equitable roles as co-producers of knowledge. These measures can create robust synergy between IKS and SKS, enhancing biodiversity conservation and advancing sustainability goals.