Traditional knowledge has been used by generations of indigenous peoples and local communities to monitor their communities’ wellbeing and the state of their territories and natural resources. More recently, these skills have been used alongside new technologies to keep track of external pressures on their lands and the potential threats these represent.
In Peru, indigenous Amazonian peoples including the Achuar and Wampis are using different tools, including participatory video, community radio, smartphones and tablets, to monitor the damage caused by oil exploitation on their territories, as well as pollution and its effects on their health. The evidence gathered through community-based monitoring is used to hold authorities and companies to account and to advocate against further pollution.