Knowledge Of Local Communities Research Articles

On mapping urban community resilience: Land use vulnerability, coping and adaptive strategies in Ghana

Cities across the globe are prioritizing resilience in the wake of increasing climate change-related disasters. About 44% of these disasters are floods and their manifestation in cities is more pronounced, threatening urban social, ecological, and economic systems. This study draws on community resilience and participatory GIS, to examine land use vulnerability to flooding and local coping and adaptive strategies to achieve resilience. Using Ghana as a case study, the results show that participatory mapping offers community resilience benefits by providing context to community resilience challenges and potentials, enabling a deeper understanding of socio-environmental coupling that contributes to flood vulnerability and builds on community adaptive strategies through harnessing local community knowledge. We identified that topography, poor drainage and road network, rainfall variability, residents’ land use practices, and land use planning conundrum drive disparities in land use vulnerability to flooding. Participants underscored the necessity of critical urban infrastructure in facilitating community adaptability to floods. The findings indicate that socio-spatial inequities threaten urban community resilience, especially in increasingly cosmopolitan urban contexts, by putting the marginalized urban population in a more vulnerable position. We recommend the prioritization of recognitional equity in community resilience planning efforts to allow for the targeting of resilient interventions that reflect and respect social differentiation in the urban environment so that outcomes will not exacerbate or generate new urban socio-spatial inequalities.

Analysis of Local Knowledge of Community in Protecting the Environment: Case Study Kampung Salo Sub-district, Kendari City

Environmental damage is a problem that is always faced in urban areas including Kendari city, including the physical, social, and biological environment. Areas with crowded settlements are always a concern for the level of environmental damage. This research aims to determine the local knowledge of the community of Kampung Salo in protecting the environment. This type of research is qualitative research using interactive analysis. The data analysis technique uses interactive analysis which consists of four stages of the analysis model, namely data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The research results show that only 21.9% of the community of Kampung Salo understands the importance of protecting the environment. The main factor in the lack of understanding of the Kampung Salo community in protecting the environment is the lack of education and lack of public awareness. Thus, intensive action from the government is necessary to help sensitize the community in protecting the environment.

Qualitative Study of the Role of Fathers in Stunting Incidence in South Central Timor Regency

Stunting is a condition of chronic malnutrition accompanied by disease complications, which has negative impacts, both short and long term. In the short term, children will be at risk and susceptible to infectious diseases, while in the long term, in adulthood they will be at risk of suffering from chronic diseases. Low income affects household nutrition. The incidence of stunting cannot be separated from habits, cultural beliefs, knowledge and perceptions of local communities regarding fulfilling family nutrition. These beliefs have an influence on child care. The aim of this research is to identify the role of fathers in the incidence of stunting in South Central Timor Regency. This type of qualitative research uses focus group discussion (FGD) methods and in-depth interviews. The respondents involved for the qualitative approach were government figures (village heads and sub-district heads), religious leaders, traditional leaders, health services, community health centers and fathers with toddlers totaling 7 people from each village. The results obtained on average are that fathers know the direct causes of stunting, not because of their knowledge but because fathers are less aware of their child's parenting patterns. Parenting patterns regarding monitoring children's meal times, personal hygiene and providing diverse and nutritious food are lacking. On average, a father is busy earning a living, many even work outside the city so their children are entrusted to their grandparents, there is a lack of control in the family so there are many early marriages under the age of 20, the family economy is weak so people have less purchasing power to earn money. nutritious food ingredients. The conclusion from this research is that the role of fathers is one of the causes of stunting in South Central Timor Regency.

Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Change on the Environment and Livelihood of Local Communities in Kgalagadi District of Botswana

Extreme climate change causes an immeasurable threat to the livelihood security and prosperity of rural communities, including the natural environment and resources managed by the local people in the Kgalagadi District of Botswana. The study aims to understand the indigenous ecological knowledge of local communities about climate change, its impacts on the environment, and their livelihoods across five villages in the Kgalagadi District of Botswana. The present study used a semi-structured questionnaire survey at the household level who were randomly selected using the village register book. The results indicated that all the respondents in Kang village and some from Lehututu and Tshane villages perceived that the causes of climate change were unknown. However, some respondents across the other four villages believed that climate change is caused by various factors including wildfires, pollution from industries, impacts from livestock, and vehicles, as well as a curse from God. Indigenous knowledge must be well incorporated with scientific methods and up-to-date climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies to envisage more concrete results. This helps to integrate the insight of local people into policies and strategies to make an effort for solutions that are crucial for sustainable development. We suggest that all stakeholders should harmonise the use of indigenous knowledge with climate change strategies, to make the best use of its contribution to the successful execution of climate change policies.

Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Change on the Environment and Livelihood of Local Communities in Kgalagadi District of Botswana

Extreme climate change causes an immeasurable threat to the livelihood security and prosperity of rural communities, including the natural environment and resources managed by the local people in the Kgalagadi District of Botswana. The study aims to understand the indigenous ecological knowledge of local communities about climate change, its impacts on the environment, and their livelihoods across five villages in the Kgalagadi District of Botswana. The present study used a semi-structured questionnaire survey at the household level who were randomly selected using the village register book. The results indicated that all the respondents in Kang village and some from Lehututu and Tshane villages perceived that the causes of climate change were unknown. However, some respondents across the other four villages believed that climate change is caused by various factors including wildfires, pollution from industries, impacts from livestock, and vehicles, as well as a curse from God. Indigenous knowledge must be well incorporated with scientific methods and up-to-date climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies to envisage more concrete results. This helps to integrate the insight of local people into policies and strategies to make an effort for solutions that are crucial for sustainable development. We suggest that all stakeholders should harmonise the use of indigenous knowledge with climate change strategies, to make the best use of its contribution to the successful execution of climate change policies.

Perceptions and knowledge of local people toward an endangered armadillo from the Buenos Aires coast, Argentina

ABSTRACT In a large area used for livestock production in the north east of the Pampas region of Buenos Aires, central Argentina, there is a subpopulation of endangered armadillo species (Chaetophractus vellerosus) which is threatened by mining activities. Knowledge and perception of local communities living in the range of the endangered species were evaluated using an anonymous online questionnaire. A total of 618 questionnaires were filled out, with the majority of respondent (82%) not being aware of the existence of this species. The study documented the lack of knowledge and the need to develop strategies to increase local communities’ awareness toward this species.

Strategies for capturing, managing, and sharing indigenous knowledge

Strategies for capturing, managing, and sharing indigenous knowledge

Social construction of kentongan for disaster risk reduction in highland java and its potential for educational tool

Kentongan (bamboo instruments), a traditional Javanese communication tool, continues to exist to this day, and its existence is based on its function, especially in the Java mountains. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze and uncover local wisdom behind the social construction of the Kentongan, exploring the practical and symbolic meanings and the societal and cultural implications. It also explored the community's local knowledge regarding the mitigation of disasters (disaster risk reduction), as well as its cultural heritage within the community's social fabric. To unravel knowledge held by the local community, a qualitative method using a phenomenological approach was adopted, complemented by a thorough review of relevant literature. Furthermore, the snowball approach was employed to select informants, focusing on identifying key individuals who were cross-verified through member checks. The village head and the elders were identified as the key informants, and the data collected were analyzed using an interactive model. The results showed that Kentongan served as a telecommunication tool to signal disasters, alert individuals of dangerous situations, and indicate the presence of fire. Additionally, it served as a means to assemble people or initiate prayers, and the conveyed messages could be inferred through the number of beats and the sounds produced. Empathy and social solidarity emerged as the underlying social values embedded within Kentongan. The associated significance and symbolism were actively practiced and passed down through generations within the community. As a form of indigenous knowledge, Kentongan held great relevance in the lives of the local population, thereby presenting the potential to be integrated into educational contexts as a valuable source of learning.

Exploring links between local knowledge, values and livelihoods in land-sea interface: insights on emerging tradeoffs and change in Southern Chile

ABSTRACT Local knowledge and values of coastal communities offer insights into the intricate human-nature relationships in the land-sea interface. Considering a diversity of values unveils how people perceive nature, encompassing both tangible and intangible dimensions, and this understanding is part of how they navigate dynamic environmental challenges by embracing livelihood diversification spanning land-sea activities. Better understanding of these values, relationships and diversification strategies can improve social-ecological systems theory and practice. Here we assess links between local knowledge, values and livelihoods in order to identify emerging tradeoffs. Using semi-structured interviews with qualitative and quantitative methods, we conducted a total of 88 interviews in five communities in Southern Chile. Local knowledge and values were collected as free-listing on terrestrial and marine species. We probed relationships between livelihood diversification and values, classified as relational, intrinsic, and instrumental. Our findings showed that marine species were most associated with instrumental values, while terrestrial species had a balance between relational, intrinsic and instrumental values. We observed that as communities expand their livelihoods and live closer to the city, they showed lower knowledge and values, and in these cases instrumental values predominate. Certain diversification strategies could lead to time constraints, impacting the transmission of knowledge and resulting in less values. Deeper and long-term cooperation between different actors to recover and protect different values is necessary to couple local knowledge and values with livelihood diversification. Our research provides valuable insights for policymakers aiming to develop holistic strategies that include relational values and leverage diverse knowledge systems to address contemporary environmental challenges.

The Role of Local Communities in Implementing Soil and Water Conservation Practices for Sustainable Food Production Enhancement in the Salawati District, Sorong Regency

Salawati District is one of the agricultural centers in Sorong Regency, with 82.43% of its population's livelihood in the agricultural sector. Over time, society faces various challenges that threaten the availability of food supplies and agricultural sustainability. The success of soil and water conservation practices in increasing sustainable food production is highly dependent on the participation and contribution of local communities. This research aims to identify soil and water conservation practices that local communities have adopted, assess their level of knowledge about these practices, and evaluate the impact of conservation practices on sustainable food production. This research uses a dominant, less dominant research design by combining two approaches, namely a qualitative approach and a quantitative approach, with a less dominant position. From the research results, it is known that local community knowledge is 72.86%, and 82.86% have implemented soil and water conservation practices in the process of cultivating agricultural crops. The motivation for implementing conservation practices was 70% to increase agricultural yields, 15.71% to achieve environmental sustainability, and 14.29% based on personal motivation. The obstacles faced were 34.29% from lack of resources (financial, equipment); 30% due to weather uncertainty; 22.86% from lack of knowledge about soil and water conservation practices; and 12.86% were time-constrained. The source of information in implementing soil and water conservation practices was obtained by the community: 51.43% information from other farmers; 37.14% from the internet or social media; 8.57% from local agricultural experts; and the least, namely, 2.86% from agricultural training. Farmer groups are the main source of support in implementing soil and water conservation practices. As many as 100% of local communities have a more sustainable view of the future regarding soil and water conservation practices in terms of increasing sustainable local food production. to create a sustainable agricultural system that can improve the quality of agricultural land, which in turn can increase sustainable food production so that food security can be realized.

Local knowledge in forest management: a case study in java forest, indonesia

Forests are currently faced with the challenge of increasingly widespread forest degradation, threatening human life at the global level due to climate change and unexpected plans. In this context, the role of local knowledge is considered strategic in sustainable forest management. In line with the dynamics of global change, local knowledge often needs to be adapted, complemented, or preserved to continue contributing to forestry development. Similarly, in the case of forests in Indonesia, climate change can influence local knowledge of forest management. Consequently, there is a need for studies on how communities adapt their traditional practices to climate change and the impact of such adaptations on the sustainability of forest resources. Through a qualitative method with case studies, this research was conducted to identify and understand local community knowledge and its role in forest management. The research was conducted in Wonokerto Village, Rembang Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia. Data was collected from January-October 2023 using observation and interview techniques involving 21 informants from Forest Village Community Institutions (LMDH) representatives, forest farmers, facilitators, forest police, Perhutani, and local community leaders. The interactive model analyses data through data collection, reduction, verification, and presentation. Research shows local knowledge of forest communities emerging from various values and norms, cultural rituals, forest management practices, and local institutions. As a result, this local knowledge positively contributes to forest sustainability, where a balanced relationship between society and the forest is well maintained.

Local Wisdom of Pest Attack Control in Residential Areas (Study Case: Gunung Meja Nature Park, West Papua, Indonesia)

Healthy plants can be seen from good morphology and are not even attacked by pests. Local community knowledge of seeing symptoms and signs of plant stature will be very helpful, especially in dealing with problems related to plant growth. This study aims to determine the form of local wisdom in dealing with plant pests in residential areas around the Gunung Meja Nature Park. The method used is observation and interviews related to the identification of forms of attack, the level of pest attack on plants, and their handling by the community. The research object is focused on multipurpose tree species that produce wood and non-timber trees such as fruits that have high economic value. The results showed that the number of plant species in Anggori was 137 plants with a diversity index (H) of 2.956 which was included in the medium category. Plants in Anggori also suffered damage caused by pests with an attack frequency (FS) of 50% and attack intensity (IS) on plants of 21%. Pest control has been carried out by the community traditionally, such as 12% pruning, 8% logging, 20% fumigation, 8% stove ash and 16% soap to eradicate pest attacks.

Ethnopharmacy Study of Medicinal Plants Lampung Tribe in Pekon Tabuan Island, District Cukuh Balak, Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province

People in the Indonesian archipelago have long used medicinal plants as an alternative disease treatment. Tabuan Island is an area in Cukuh Balak District, Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province, where most people are Lampung Peminggir /Pesisir tribe who still practice empirical medicine with local wisdom. Ethnopharmacy studies on Tabuan Island in the Lampung tribe have never been conducted and published. The study aimed to explore the knowledge of local communities regarding the types of medicinal plants for the search and development of new medicines. This research method includes area studies and descriptive studies in the form of ethnopharmacognosy-ethnopharmacology approaches in the Tabuan island community in 4 (four) villages or Pekon namely Pekon Sawang Balang, Pekon Suka Banjar, Pekon Kuta Kakhang, and Pekon Karang Buah used participatory observation methods and open interviews. The results showed that the Lampung Peminggir ethnic group on Tabuan Island still maintains ethnopharmaceutical traditions by utilizing plants used as medicine in 36 families of 76 species to treat diseases used singly or as a concoction accompanied by jampi. The most widely used plant families are Fabaceae, Zingiberaceae, Malvaceae, Meliaceae, and Poaceae. These medicinal plants in the Fabaceae family are most widely used to remedy mouth ulcers and skin problems such as tinea versicolor, ringworm, itching, acne, dandruff, diarrhea, and diabetes. Leaves are the most widely used plant parts, as much as 49.52%, and the least used plant parts are herbs, thallus, and fungi, while most of these plants are obtained in the garden. The most common way of processing medicinal plants is by stewing.

Assessing climate change scenarios in the Amazon Basin: a risk governance model

The impacts of climate change are becoming more severe and can only be addressed through governance that spans from local to global levels. To enhance adaptation and response strategies, we need to integrate the knowledge of local communities and improve institutional and state capacity. In the Amazon Basin, current plans for adaptation and response only consider a global perspective, without any input from local communities. By including the region-specific knowledge of these communities, we can better identify the risks related to climate change. The research aimed to answer the question of how to integrate these specificities in an operational risk governance model. We developed an operational risk governance model for Amazon (R-GOMAM) that explores cross-scale interplay and risk identification related to climate change. It provides a comprehensive perspective of risk governance across different scales. A combination of methods was used to integrate the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of data collection and analysis. Additionally, we applied fuzzy logic, to synthesize the cross-scale interplay model. The model was able to account for all dimensions of the Amazon Basin countries, including dryland agriculture, floodplain agriculture, vegetable extraction, fishing, animal breeding, water quality, and household infrastructure. It considered the complexity and uncertainty of risk governance, identified hazard scenarios, and determined the level of risk in the region. Our evaluation of institutional and state capacity in the Purus River Basin revealed insufficient regulations and institutional mechanisms to address climate change risks. Our model identifies different scenarios of hazards and determines the degree of risk in the Amazon Basin countries. Prior models for Brazilian regions overlooked local differences in institutional and state capacities. Our study fills this gap, serving as a supplement for assessing climate change effects in not just Amazonia but other regions as well.

Utilization of waste paper as teaching media for volcano eruption simulation in improving student knowledge

Indonesia has the highest number of active volcanoes in the world due to its geologic location at the confluence of the Eurasian and Australian plates. However, despite this, the knowledge of local communities regarding volcanic eruptions is still very minimal. Therefore, it is important to provide education to the community in this context is the local community. This Community Service Program aims to increase community knowledge related to the process of volcanic eruption by using pulp-based learning media, so that it can become disaster mitigation knowledge. The methods used are observation, coaching or training based on practical simulations, questionnaires and interviews. The subject of this Community Service is the community of Tambun village, Baolan sub-district, Tolitoli district, totaling 21 people in collaboration with students of the elementary school teacher education program in semester III. The results of this program are the increase in community knowledge related to volcanic eruptions and the growth of community awareness related to the use of waste paper, this is in line with SDGs 4 and SDGs 17 relating to quality education and partnerships with the community.

Processing rubber latex (Hevea brasiliensis) in agroforestry in Menggala Mas Village, Tulang Bawang Tengah District, Tulang Bawang Barat Regency

Local knowledge of rubber latex processing is important for village communities that depend on rubber plants for their livelihood. This research aims to determine the processing of rubber latex in agroforestry carried out by the community in Menggala Mas Village, Lampung Province, Indonesia. This research approach is qualitative. Data was obtained by observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation studies. Then, the data was processed by making data transcripts, coding, categorizing, drawing temporary conclusions, triangulating, and drawing conclusions so that the results obtained could be analyzed to determine the data processing. Local communities carry out rubber in agroforestry. The research results showed that three applications of agroforestry planting patterns were found, namely alley cropping (alley pattern), Trees along border (fence pattern), and random mixture (random pattern). The dominant combination in alley cropping is rubber-pulai, and rubber-mentru-afrika wood. The dominant combinations in Trees along the border are rubber-acacia, rubber-jackfruit-cempedak, rubber-petai-teak. The dominant combinations in the random mixture are rubber-jengkol, rubber-petai-jengkol-acacia, rubber-jackfruit-cempedak, rubber-pulai-noni-jengkol, rubber-banana-gadung-sungkai. The rubber latex processing process in agroforestry is carried out traditionally, starting from the tapping process, sap acidification, sap harvesting (napeu), sap separation, and sales and harvesting of agroforestry crops. The community's local knowledge has been passed down from their parents to reduce the costs of processing rubber latex from expensive materials so that the community can gain more profits. This has been proven if local communities can manage their land well, which can become a long-term source of livelihood. The government needs to assist with strategies for processing rubber latex as well as managing rubber agroforestry land to increase farmers' knowledge and harvest yields

Traditional ecological knowledge and natural resource management: Some examples from Bangladesh

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) refers to the knowledge, innovations, and practices of indigenous and local communities around the world. As it includes proven technologies for particular situations, its adoption cuts research costs and time. This paper attempts to find out the scoping of some TEKs on different practices ranging from plain land agriculture, hill farming, agro-biodiversity management, open water fish conservation, disaster management, and other aspects in different situations in Bangladesh. It is an outcome of the authors’ field experiences in the study of local flora, plant uses, and natural resource management practices in the community and a review of related literature. Access to modern facilities, urbanization, and land use changes are now causing many threats to TEK. Documentation and codification of this knowledge and its uses for sustainable development are needed for the betterment of local farmers as well as the preservation of cultural heritage. The knowledge is always changing to cope with socio-cultural needs. So, a fusion of TEK and modern scientific knowledge can help solve the problems encountered in the sustainable management of natural resources. It also needs to be incorporated into school curricula and mainstreamed in the local-level natural resource management planning process. The best practices can also be adopted in natural resource management.

Ethnoscience in Biology Learning on Reproductive System Materials

This research aims to examine ethnoscience in biology learning on the reproductive system. The research method is a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental type of research with pre-test and post-test applied and grouped into three categories of high, medium and low. The research was carried out at the Darussalam State Madrasah Aliyah Aceh Besar Regency, Aceh. The research results show that there has been an increase in students' understanding and abilities which can be seen from the increase in post-test results. Ethnoscience on the reproductive system can be studied from a series of cultural practices from the process of pregnancy to birth. Students can connect scientific science with real science in their environment. Students can also appreciate and preserve local community knowledge related to reproductive system material. So it can be concluded that ethnoscience learning can enrich students' experiences by introducing local wisdom and cultural diversity that exists in society.

Eco-print Batik: Eco-Friendly Products of Green Business based on Indigenous Knowledge in Bantul

Indonesia has diversity culture, one of them is batik. One of Indonesian batik is eco-print batik in Bantul, Yogyakarta. It is a type of batik that made by using utilizes natural dyes from leaf, root or stem dyes that are placed on a piece of fabric. Eco-print batik is an eco-friendly product and is based on the potential and local knowledge of the local community. Therefore, the objectives of this research are: (1) to explain the existence of eco-print batik in Bantul, Yogyakarta; (2) to explain the process of making eco-print batik in Bantul that eco-friendly products of green business; (3) to identify and strengthen the concept of eco-friendly products of green business based on indigenous knowledge by the case of eco-print batik in Bantul. The research method is qualitative with an ethnographic approach. The data are collected by participatory observation (directly observing the process of making eco-print batik), in-depth interviews, documentation, and document studies on eco-products, especially eco-print batik. The informant of this research are the eco-print batik crafters. Then, the data are analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model analysis. The results of this research, are: (1) eco-print batik is a technique of applying leaves or flowers on a fabric to produce certain (natural) motifs. It was introduced in Indonesia around 2016 and easily accepted by Indonesian textile crafters because Indonesia has strong roots in the tradition of natural dyeing and textile arts (batik process). In 2018, eco-print is increasingly gaining attention and popularity, especially for one of the batik crafters in Bantul with a workshop space, namely Sogga Batik. (2) The process of making eco-print batik uses several techniques, such as pounding, leaf fermentation, and steaming techniques. From the three techniques, Yanti Sogga in Bantul prefers the steaming technique because the resulting color is strong and long lasting. The process is not too long. Moreover, the materials used (input), the process, the product (output), and marketing method in eco-print batik are very eco-friendly because these concern about environmental sustainability. (3) The concept of eco-friendly products of green business based on indigenous knowledge by the case of eco-print batik in Bantul is being the novelty concept, namely the “indigenous eco-friendly product” by strengthening and combining Sommer’s green business components, ILO’s green business elements, and 3R method (go green concept) with indigenous knowledge perspective.

Roles of local food and knowledge of indigenous communities during pandemic COVID-19 at three districts across West Papua Province, Indonesia

Abstract. Wahyudi, Djitmau DA, Dwiranti F, Sagrim M, Manuhua D. 2024. Roles of local food and knowledge of indigenous communities during pandemic COVID-19 at three districts across West Papua Province, Indonesia. Asian J Ethnobiol 7: 1-12. The world suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic without exception to local communities in West Papua Province, causing deaths worldwide. During the pandemic, food supply, availability, and distribution were short. Indigenous communities in West Papua Province, Indonesia are surrounded by natural resources providing foods, vegetables, vitamins, and other nutrients for maintaining the human immune system. This research was designed to determine local food diversity, examine the contribution of local foods in fulfilling daily needs, nutrient sources, medicines, and others during the pandemic, and document local community perception of the pandemic COVID-19 among three study areas in West Papua Province. A questionnaire field survey was employed for data collection: 11 villages at three districts in Manokwari, South Manokwari, and Teluk Bintuni were selected to represent coastal, lowland, and mangrove areas. The results indicated that local food provides all daily food needs, offering various ingredients and supporting the livelihood of the local communities. Among the three districts, there are variations in food diversity, but they are similar. Furthermore, 18 plants were consumed as vegetables; 14 plants as carbohydrate sources; 16 plants for fruits, medicinal, herbs, respectively; 13 plants for flavor; Protein and fat-producing plants and animals were 7 of plants and 6 of animal, respectively. They were prepared by boiling, fresh, roasted, burned in a wood fire, and fried gently with cooking oil. These local foods are also the source of house income, offer informal work, and are a source of medicinal plants. When food supply and distribution are scarce everywhere due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the local communities rely on their local foods to maintain their health and immunity. They believe that the COVID-19 virus is a warning from God to humans who always exploit nature without caring for others.