Paper short abstract:

Climate science needs to be decolonized to integrate the traditional knowledge of local communities in Africa and the Global South. Researchers and the development community should recognize the value of different knowledge systems, and the need for inter-cultural dialogue.

Paper long abstract:

For a long time African knowledge systems were undervalued because of the undue dominance of Eurocentric mindsets and practices. Africa contributes least to, but suffers disproportionately from the negative impacts of climate change. The industrialized countries tend to unduly blame the poor countries of the Global South for using natural resources in an unsustainable way; but most traditional African societies have deeply entrenched ideas and practices about conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources because their livelihood depends largely on the land and on the stability of the ecosystem. They believe that land and other forms of nature are sacred, and are held in trust by the present day users on behalf of dead ancestors and future generations. These local communities have over the years developed intricate systems of forecasting weather systems in order to prevent and mitigate natural disasters; traditional techniques of soil management, pest and disease control, adopting suitable crop and animal varieties, and so on. The unprecedented scale of climate change today may have undermined the reliability of many traditional indicators for predicting the pattern of climate variability, and techniques for preventing and adapting to climate induced natural disasters. There is therefore a need for those who hold and use traditional knowledge to partner with scientists and other stakeholders, in a mutually respectful way, to co-produce updated knowledge for better climate risk management. The paper considers various forms of research partnerships, and inter-cultural dialogue that will improve knowledge about the climate crisis and its management Africa.