Harnessing and valuing local indigenous knowledge and practice to inform policy planning on climate

change mitigation and adaptation: the Case of Cameroon

Ngang Eric Ndeh MboumienAction Group on Governance and Environmental Management (AGGEM)

Outline of presentation

Introduction/project background

What has been done?

Who was involved/benefitted?

What has been achieved?

What has been learned and what impact on climate change policy development and implementation?

What next?

IntroductionClimate change is a defining issue of our era,

with its impacts reaching global, regional and local scales

Source: Mwiturubani and van Wyk 2010, p. 4

Households and families in less developed world contribute less to the phenomenon but are significantly exposed to the impacts.

New agricultural technologies, tools and financing mechanisms are being introduced to shield farmers from the impacts of climatic risks.

However some of these actions have sidelined Local Indigenous Knowledge and Practices (LIKPs) that are currently recognised as making significant contribution to community adaptation (Haddad et al, 2007). World Bank 2009, Hellmuth et al. 2007; Adejuwon 2006)

ObjectivesLocal agrarian/farmer-led adaptation practices

and knowledge and tools linked to climate change are documented.

community-based analysis to position communities as co-create knowledge on climate change mitigation and adaptation using their LIKPs is done.

Evidence of the importance of LIKPs in addressing climate change in appropriate forms disseminated to key audiences to stimulate its consideration in the decision making process

What has been done?Pilot phase in Western Highlands eco-region

7 Pilot villages: Santa/Pinyin, Bamendakwe, Bafut, Mankon,

Mbengwi, Babanki

Administration of Questionnaires. Criterion sampling (custodians of

LIKPs, oldercommunity, members, organised groups using LIKPS).

Use of photovoice.

Questionnaire sought to get:

1. Description of LIKPS and tools,2. development and adoption levels,

its effectiveness (contributions, uptake and constraints) and the

3. impact in terms of ways it has helped farmers increase food security and diversification of livelihood (benefits to men and women were explored)

Who was involved/benefitted?

Individual farmers interviewed = 139 (53 Men, 86 women)

200 (80 men and 120 women) in weekly Focus Group meetings

Over 800 (approximate 200 men and 600women) in two agric shows

102 (49 women, 53 men) in multi-stakeholder presentation of findings

What has been learned and what impact on climate change policy development and

implementation?

MAIN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY OF RESPONDENTS

AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Response Frequency Percent

Yes 139 99.3

No 1 .7

Total 140 100.0

CHANGES OBSERVED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS HAZARDOUS TO STAPLE CROPS

CHANGES IN FARMING PRACTICES

Frequency Percent

Yes 104 75.4

No 34 24.6

Total 138 100.0

Actions taken in response to Changes

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Use/application of newtechnique

Diversified crops Alternate planting periods Use LIKPs

REPLICABILITY AND SCALABILITY OF CURRENT LOCAL INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND

PRACTICES

RESPONDENTS INVOLVED IN LIKPS SHARING

HOW WAS LIKPS SHARED

RISK OF LOSING LIKPS

HAS LIKPS BEEN DOCUMENTATION

WHO WERE THE CUSTODIANS OF LIKPS

FINANCIAL VALUE OF LIKP

Estimate Frequency Percent

Can't Estimate 52 40.9

1-250 000 24 18.9

250 001- 500 000 27 21.3

500 001- 750 000 14 11.0

750 000- 1000 000 3 2.4

1000 001- 1500 000 3 2.4

More than 1500 000 4 3.1

Total 127 100.0

What has been learned?Grass root communities are not only victims of the

climate change phenomenon. Their understanding and perception of climate change is key to addressing the phenomenon.

They have an invaluable store of knowledge and practices that if well harnessed can generated a bottom-up dynamics that merge with the current top-down scientific policy on climate change and mitigation.

Communities’ LIKPs is at risk of being lost. Policy planning at national levels does not fully value,

strengthen and integrate these local practices and experiences as contributors to sustain communities’ adaptation and resilience to the ever changing climate before high level policies reach them.

What next?Employing more quantitative and qualitative surveys

in different communities to add statistical rigor and enhance evidence of LIKPS linked to climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Take advantage of the ongoing process to put in place a national framework on climate change mitigation and adaptation meet more decision makers including parliamentarians and senators to share the current findings and those to be generated in the future.

Facilitate processes for custodians of LIKPs to engage with/lobby local councils, elites, parliamentarians and senators to support to scale up use of LIKPs in their budgets.

Cross section of multi-stakeholder during the consultations integrating LIKPS in local and national decision making on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlquFXT4Bto&feature=player_embeddedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHDkUd1oCG4&feature=youtu.beProject Website link http://aggem.jimdo.com/what-we-do/engaging-with-local-agrarian-communities/

Thank you

Merci