Indigenous Communities and Climate Change Policy: An Inclusive Approach
01 Jan 2011-pp 27-49
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that climate change is a global problem which needs a global solution and for this each country has to play its part in reaching that global solution through local actions.
Abstract: Climate change is one of the greatest social and economic challenges today. It is a global problem which needs a global solution and for this each country has to play its part in reaching that global solution through local actions.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors assessed the effectiveness of smallholder farmers' knowledge and aptitude to read weather signs for informed decisions on their daily and seasonal activities, based on eight focus group discussions and a survey of 597 farming households in seven agro-ecological basins on the Bamenda Highlands of Cameroon.
Abstract: Anticipating seasonal and shorter time scale dynamics to farming practices is primordial for indigenous farmers’ resilience under extreme environmental conditions, where climate change is a menace to agro-hydro-ecological systems. This paper assesses the effectiveness of indigenous farmers’ knowledge and aptitude to read weather signs for informed decisions on their daily and seasonal activities. Such climate-proof development is anchored on indigenous people’s knowledge and perceptions in circumstances where the dearth of scientific evidence or information exists as in Cameroon. The study is based on eight focus group discussions and a survey of 597 farming households in seven agro-ecological basins on the Bui Plateau of the Bamenda Highlands. The results indicate that indigenous smallholder farmers value their ability to accurately observe and anticipate local conditions in various ways to serve their local realities more aptly than outside forecasts. Such local knowledge should thus exercise a complementary role weave in a local climate information understanding system that replicates ecological variability.
26 citations
Cites background from "Indigenous Communities and Climate ..."
...Researchers have acknowledged the dynamism of local knowledge in providing solutions and coping with new environmental and economic hardships in society [20,35], with further acknowledgement that some local farmers have succeeded in their farming systems by combining local farming methods with scientific knowledge [36,37]....
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TL;DR: Noncommunicable diseases burden in tribal population in India is as high as in the general population, and effective strategies to prevent this have to be devised.
Abstract: Background: The major focus of studies related to health among tribes in India has been on malnutrition. The world is in the stage of epidemiological transition, and noncommunicable diseases are overtaking the communicable diseases not only in general but also among the tribal population. Objectives: A cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among the tribal population. Methodology: A house-to-house survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted in three randomly selected tribal villages. Participants aged 18 and above from both genders were included. Blood pressure was recorded and random blood sugar was estimated for all the participants. Chi-square test was used to study association for categorical variables and one-way ANOVA and Student's t-test were used to study association for continuous variables. A P
20 citations
Cites background from "Indigenous Communities and Climate ..."
...3% of the nation’s total population.[1] There are 635 tribes in India located in five major tribal belts across the country and were inhabiting in hilly and plain forest regions....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored adaptation strategies and the associated maladaptation outcomes of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana and found that the major adaptation strategies of farmers included crop and livelihood diversification, agrochemicals application, and reduction in the number and size of meals.
Abstract: Adaptation has become crucial in developing economies due to climate change impact, especially on agriculture, which is the backbone of many economies and the main source of livelihoods and food security. Some adaptation strategies applied in the context of developing countries, however, produce maladaptive outcomes, which are usually ignored in the planning phase of adaptation policies and programmes. This mixed methods study therefore explores adaptation strategies and the associated maladaptation outcomes of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana. The study administered questionnaire survey to 378 farmers and 41 key informants were interviewed. The major adaptation strategies of farmers included crop and livelihood diversification, agrochemicals application, and reduction in the number and size of meals. However, farmers’ adaptation strategies result in maladaptation outcomes through the release of greenhouse gases, environmental degradation, and contamination of water bodies as well as resource conflicts and increasing pressure on lands, among others, which affect their capacity to respond to future climate change. Adaptation policy makers and development practitioners should prioritize the minimization of maladaptation outcomes through intensive review and modification of programmes prior to their implementation and extensive education on best practices among smallholder farmers.
8 citations
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: There is an urgency of comprehensive health research among the tribal populations of India, where tribal people are known to have sexual practices that differ from those of mainstream cultures and a high prevalence of HIV and AIDS have been reported.
Abstract: ENGLISH/ ABSTRACT (ENGLISH/ ABSTRACT (ENGLISH/ ABSTRACT (ENGLISH/ ANGLAIS India is the second largest concentration of tribal population in the World. Indian tribes constitute around 8.3 percent of nation's total population. There are 635 tribes located in India. Present, health is a prerequisite for human development and is an essential component for the well being of the mankind. India is characterized by the presence of a large number of endogamous castes, tribes and religious communities with several types of marriage practices and the age at which the girl gets married will depended on social values. Tribal people are known to have sexual practices that differ from those of mainstream cultures and a high prevalence of HIV and AIDS have been reported. Lack of data is a constraint when it comes to tracking the health indicators of the tribal population. Tribal communities in general and primitive groups in particular are highly disease prone. Maternal malnutrition which is quite common among the tribal women is also a serious problem, especially for those having quite a few pregnancies too closely spaced, and reflected the complex socio- economic factors that affects their overall situation. Hence, there is an urgency of comprehensive health research among the tribal populations of India.
4 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors examined how ICH, particularly indigenous knowledge, practices, technologies, and rituals have helped communities in Benguet, Northern Philippines for generations to build coping strategies to better respond to the risks of typhoons and other extreme events.
Abstract: Intangible cultural heritage (ICH), is the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills in society, handed down from generation to generation. They are of growing interest in disaster discourse, due to their various contributions to community preparedness and response, including the improvement of early warning systems and mobilisation of resources and logistics. Previous research has provided evidence on how ICH contributes to disaster risk reduction in various contexts but is often concentrated among popular cultural heritage, particularly those inscribed by the UNESCO. ICH such as local knowledge, practices, innovations, and rituals outside of this authorised cultural heritage, such as those belonging to indigenous communities, are less well articulated, despite their importance in helping build effective disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM). This research examined how ICH, particularly indigenous knowledge, practices, technologies, and rituals have helped communities in Benguet, Northern Philippines for generations to build coping strategies to better respond to the risks of typhoons and other extreme events. Adopting a qualitative mixed-methods approach with an ethnographic orientation, data was gathered using storytelling, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, and document review. Respondents included elders for the storytelling, households for the semi-structured interview, and officers of the local authorities for the key informant interviews. The key findings of this study highlighted that several areas of local knowledge, practices, and systems focused on social support systems, cultural technologies and innovations, local rituals, and indigenous early warning systems that are present within the Benguet community, all of which are essential in strengthening DRRM at the local level. This intangible heritage has been fundamental in helping facilitate careful planning and adjustments in local activities, catalysing preemptive measures against foreseeable risks. As such, greater effort should be made by the State to increase mainstreaming of these ICH and the participation of indigenous people in the planning and implementation of disaster risk reduction intervention.
References
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors set the stage for impact, adaptation, and vulnerability assessment of climate change in the context of sustainable development and equity, and developed and applied scenarios in Climate Change Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability Assessment.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a cross-chapter case study on climate change and sustainability in natural and managed systems and assess key vulnerabilities and the risk from climate change, and assess adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity.
Abstract: Foreword Preface Introduction Summary for policymakers Technical summary 1. Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and managed systems 2. New assessment methodologies and the characterisation of future conditions 3. Fresh water resources and their management 4. Ecosystems, their properties, goods and services 5. Food, fibre and forest products 6. Coastal systems and low-lying areas 7. Industry, settlement and society 8. Human health 9. Africa 10. Asia 11. Australia and New Zealand 12. Europe 13. Latin America 14. North America 15. Polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) 16. Small islands 17. Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity 18. Inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation 19. Assessing key vulnerabilities and the risk from climate change 20. Perspectives on climate change and sustainability - 811 Cross-chapter case studies Appendix I. Glossary Appendix II. Contributors to the IPCC WGII Fourth Assessment Report Appendix III. Reviewers of the IPCC WGII Fourth Assessment Report Appendix IV. Acronyms and abbreviations Appendix V. Index and database of regional content Index CD-ROM.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors consider the physical and financial implications for urban areas of the potential impacts of climate variability and change on water resources, illustrated by examples from sub-Saharan Africa, which is likely to be one of the most vulnerable and most affected regions.
Abstract: Global warming and related climate changes arelikely to significantly increase the weather-related risks facing human settlements, including floods, water and power supply failures and associated economic collapse into “failed cities”. Action to help poor urban communities adapt to become more resilient to possible change must therefore be initiated, although to date attention has focused on mitigation rather than adaptation. This paper considers the physical and financial implications for urban areas of the potential impacts of climate variability and change on water resources, illustrated by examples from sub-Saharan Africa, which is likely to be one of the most vulnerable and most affected regions. Water management, which will be particularly affected by climate change, could provide an opportunity to initiate structured adaptation responses. Adaptation costs in the sub-Saharan urban water sector are estimated at between 10 and 20 per cent of current overseas development assistance to the region. This ...
520 citations