Climate Change Evolution and Indigenous Methods of Flood Control in the Upper Nun Valley of Cameroon

Cordelia Givecheh Kometa

doi:10.11648/j.ajtte.20190402.13

Cordelia Givecheh Kometa

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtte.20190402.13

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Abstract

This study discusses the evolution of climate change and the use of indigenous methods of flood control in the Upper Nun Valley of Cameroon. The local farmers of the Ndop plain have developed and implemented extensive indigenous farming systems as adaptation strategies to reduce the vulnerability of climate variability over the years. However, these indigenous methods of flood control have not been sustainable enough to guard against severe flood incidences in the Ndop Plain as a result of climate change impact. This paper examines climate change evolution in the region and highlights some indigenous adaptation strategies practised in the Upper Nun Valley and the benefits of integrating such indigenous knowledge into formal climate change adaptation strategies. To ensure stability in food production and sustain food sufficiency in areas where local economies entirely depend on farming and the natural state of the environment, it is important to investigate the indigenous strategies put in place and the extent to which they combat floods in the Ndop Plain. Field surveys, focus group discussions, interviews, participant observation methods and secondary sources were used to collect data from selected villages where rice cultivation and market gardening products are on the increase. Based on climatic data for the region, the simple forecasting method using the forecasting line was used to predict future changes in climatic conditions for the region and the extent to which they may cause floods. The data collected were analyzed in both qualitative and quantitative terms to provide information for the discussion. The results reveal that changes in temperature and rainfall have altered the climatic conditions of the region leading to increased flood incidences in the Plain. The paper posited that a sustainable adaptation mechanism should take into consideration the widening of the drains as well as minimizing the cultivation of crops on the drains which serve as gateways to excessive water into the rice fields. The study also recommends the need to incorporate indigenous knowledge into climate change policies that can lead to the development of effective adaptation strategies that are cost-effective, participatory and sustainable.

Highlights

Climate change is perhaps the most serious environmental threat facing mankind world-wide
This study assesses the climatic trends for the Ndop Plain over a period of 25years and predicts flood incidences in the region and their impact on agricultural production
It investigates into the indigenous methods put in place to combat floods in the region

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is perhaps the most serious environmental threat facing mankind world-wide. It affects agriculture in several ways, one of which is its direct impact on food production. As the planet warms up, rainfall patterns shift, and extreme events such as droughts, floods, and forest fires become more frequent [22]. These result in poor and unpredictable yields, thereby making farmers more vulnerable, in Africa. Farmers who constitute the bulk of the poor in Africa, face prospects of tragic crop failures, reduced agricultural productivity, increased hunger, malnutrition and diseases [22]. There is the need for concerted efforts toward tackling this menace

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