Application of African indigenous knowledge systems and practices for climate change and disaster risk management for policy formulation

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management have been used to respond to climate and disaster risk since antiquity. These indigenous practices have continuously been evolving with the change in human societies and their environment. In Africa, dominance of contemporary science, sometimes refer to as the ‘Western version of science’ or global science, has greatly led to the abandoning of the African Indigenous Knowledge (AIK) systems in formal decision-making process. However, recent years have witnessed increasing references to indigenous knowledge systems in policy documents.This paper assessed the application of the African indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management by African governments in policy formulation and implementation. Whereas references to the need to apply the indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management are abound in academic documents and policy instruments, this research has found that the application of the African indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management remains elusive. The research identified key barriers that hinder the application of the AIK for climate change and disaster risk management in decision making, and suggested some policy recommendations that would contribute to the utilisation of indigenous knowledge systems in policy formulation and implementation.The study was undertaken in seven African countries. These include Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, and Mozambique. The seven countries represents the six climate zones on the African continent.