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Contribution short abstract:

Climate science needs to integrate the traditional knowledge of local communities in Africa. These communities have over time developed intricate systems of conservation and ways of forecasting weather conditions to mitigate natural disasters. Scientists should tap into this time-tested resource

Contribution long abstract:

Africa contributes least to, but suffers the most from the negative impacts of climate change. The industrialized countries sometime unjustly blame the poor countries of the Global South for using natural resources in an unsustainable way; but most traditional Africa 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 the sustainability of the ecosystem. They have over the years developed intricate systems of forecasting weather systems in order to mitigate natural disasters; traditional techniques of soil management, pest and disease control, adopting suitable crop and animal varieties, etc. 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 disasters. There is therefore a need for those who hold and use traditional knowledge to partner with scientists and other stakeholders in order to co-produce updated knowledge for better climate risk management. The paper argues that while Africa stands to gain from global science and international best practices, the continent should search within its own knowledge systems for appropriate ideas and approaches to many of its development challenges, and that indigenous knowledge may provide leads in rethinking and decolonizing climate science. Researchers and the development community should tap into indigenous knowledge for locally appropriate and culture-sensitive ways to engage with the environment, and adapt to the negative impacts of climate change