Indigenous knowledge and climate change : insights from Muzarabani, Zimbabwe

Discourse characterising climate change has largely revolved around aspects within the realm of impact identification, mitigation and adaptation. Apparently, a burgeoning appetite to examine the role of indigenous knowledge (IK) now confronts the fronts of climate science, policy and practice. The surge in attention to localbased knowledge is attributed to growing challenges posed by change and variability in the climate system. This study argues that indigenous-based knowledge is capable of filling knowledge gaps and validating current understanding about climate change particularly at local levels. Essentially, the paucity of knowledge about local climatic events can be circumvented by engaging indigenous ‘scientists’ whose many years of direct contact with the environment have equipped them with the indispensable knowledge, skills and experiences to understand the same. Primarily, the thesis’ objectives were threefold. One, it captured useful indicators of climate change and variability from the understanding of the indigenous people, which can also be used to enhance understanding of climate change impacts.Two, it drew from the knowledge, experiences, skills and practices of the locals in order to inform appropriate community level mitigation and adaptation interventions. And, three, it highlighted the fact that knowledge of the indigenous people can be used to direct research on climate change. The study area (Muzarabani in Zimbabwe) experiences recurrent droughts and floods and its villagers rely predominantly on climate-sensitive livelihoods. As such, it was selected to provide a reliable case on IK practices and experiences of the people witnessing climatic events. The study was framed within an epistemological and methodological configuration of emancipatory pedagogy that looks at the generators of climate knowledge as ‘scientists’ in their own right. A qualitative elicitation interviewing technique involving in-depth discussions with traditional leaders and elderly knowledgeable citizens was conducted. The participants were selected through chain referrals until the level of theoretical saturation. In addition, directed field observations, document analysis and key informant interviews with other respondents selected through theoretical sampling enhanced the robustness of data acquisition methods. Group-based participatory data analysis and reflexive pragmatism also enhanced rigour and quality of research findings intended to balance between the strictures of the scientific audience and the views of the knowledge generators. Three key themes were derived from IK-climate change linkages as: indigenous based indicators of climate change, indigenous-based mitigation and indigenous based adaptation. A range of indigenous-based indicators identified pointed to a progressively drier climate with shorter growing seasons that are also punctuated by mid-season dry spells. A trend towards increased desiccation of water bodies (rivers, ponds and vleis) was further observed. There is also an upsurge in the abundance and pestiferous nature of Macrotermes spp, Quelea quelea and Acanthoplus discoidalis, which are most likely related to climate change. Some of these indicators closely match with those used in mainstream climate science and they also serve to understand climate change impacts at a finer local level of analysis. Indigenous-based mitigation is mainly driven by the notion of sacredness where the locals regard forestry, certain trees and vleis as sacrosanct. Tampering with these is believed to upset the spirits who have powers to influence climate. Opportunities associated with IK deployment in climate mitigation are understood from the viewpoint of enhancing greenhouse gas (GHG) sinks and that of reducing vulnerability to extreme climatic events. Specifically, this can be achieved through enhancing GHG sequestration through forestry and land-use management initiatives; that is, reducing emissions from deforestation and forestry related degradation (REDD+) and Land Use and Land-Use Cover and Forestry (LULUCF). These two are the dominant schemes adopted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to govern climate mitigation. Indigenous disaster risk management (DRM) strategies abound in drought, famine, flood and violent storms through various forms such as Zunde raMambo, nhimbe, rain-making ceremonies and community early warning systems (EWS).The locals in Muzarabani are not passive observers of the changing climate system. Increasing environmental risks necessitates them to devise countermeasures for responding to climatic stimuli with the intention of minimising harm and/or enhancing the benefits brought about by the same. Thus, a portfolio of IK-based adaptation strategies best described as an assortment of short-term coping practices and longterm adaptive strategies were identified. These range from exploitation of ecosystem services, agricultural based interventions, riverine farming, traditional phonological knowledge (TPK) to migration. Therefore, it was revealed that community-based adaptation (CBA) can adequately leverage on IK to improve adaptive capacity and build community resilience against climate change. Clearly, the complementary role of indigenous-based knowledge cannot be disputed, given the demonstrated range of applications from identifying several indicators of change and variability in the climate system, examination of climate change impacts, to identification and assessment of mitigation and adaptation options. The study advises that exogenous climate interventions need to be congruent with indigenous based strategies to avoid maladaptation. To the climate research community therefore, it should be realised that IK is useful both as leads and as baseline knowledge for future work on the impacts of climate change, and in the assessment of climate interventions. In this regard, the remaining challenge is to formulate a framework of constructive dialogue between indigenous scientists and conventional scientists so as to make sure that the mutual benefits of the two knowledge forms are adequately harnessed. Handled well, such collaborative effort would ensure enhanced climate change knowledge for successful mitigation and adaptation strategies. Handled poorly, there is a risk that the developmental needs of communities exposed to climatic events would not be addressed