Assessment of Indigenous Knowledge in Managing Environmental Challenges: A Case Study of Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Administration and Development Studies volume 6 No. 1 (2016)., 2016
There is increased concern about the application of indigenous knowledge in the sustainable use of environmental resources. This was informed by the historical mutual co-existence and balance between the indigenous people and the environment, a co-existence based on indigenous knowledge system as well as an effective traditional authority system. This study attempts an expository of indigenous knowledge system of a remote community of Garkida Taula in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, Northeast Nigeria. The study adopts a qualitative approach, where qualitative data were generated using field observation and participatory rural appraisal were mainly used. The findings shows that the people of the community use indigenous knowledge in the form of beliefs and taboos associated with exploitation of certain aquatic and biodiversity resources in the area. The strategy seem to be effective in conserving the water resources and the biodiversity, as there is remarkable observable different in vegetation composition and micro-climate, and hence agricultural practices with nearby communities. The paper opined that though, the knowledge base is mystical and authoritative, some of the claims and propositions of indigenous knowledge can form bases for scientific deduction to determine validity for general application.
The study looked at the applicability of indigenous knowledge in environmental conservations in Umuahia South LGA, with a view to indentifying the role of indigenous knowledge holders and indigenous knowledge methods in environmental conservations. It argued that the roles of key individual (indigenous knowledge holders) have not been systematically harnessed in environmental conservations and such knowledge has not been documented to date in Umuahia South LGA. The cultural ecology theory was adopted as the theoretical framework of the study, while relevant literature was reviewed to explain the meaning and scope of indigenous knowledge. A total of 400copies of questionnaire were distributed of which 398 were retrieved and analyzed. The study adopted both the open-ended and close-ended questionnaire method and also adopted a structured four point Likert-scale questionnaire to elicit information from respondents. The simple percentage was used to analyze the research questions. The study found that the use of belief systems and restrictions using taboos were very effective and the adopted indigenous methods and practices in environmental conservations in umuahia south LGA, Abia state. The study recommended a system of documentation and cataloguing of indigenous knowledge of the people to forestall its loss and extinction.
2018
Recognition and adherence to indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in the conservation of environment motivated this study. This research work examined the traditions and values that protect the natural environment as reflected in Erijiyan Community of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Participant-observation, interview and literature review were used in gathering qualitative data. Site visitations were carried out involving the authors and their 200 Level Geography Students of the College of Education, Lanlate, Oyo State, during field-trips between 2010 and 2016. Thirty participants including the chief, women leader and chief priest of the community deities were interviewed. The study established that a goddess (Osa-Erin) inhabits a sacred stream (Odo-Erin). The residents were culturally forbidden to kill the aquatic animals. Nobody is allowed to cultivate, fell trees around this sacred stream. These doctrines symbolised respect for the goddess who provides earthly bliss and fortune to the reside...
International Indigenous Policy Journal, 2018
Indigenous women are important part of a community’s social capital. This study examined women’s use of Indigenous knowledge (IK) for environmental security and sustainable development in southwest Nigeria. Qualitative data was collected using in-depth interviews conducted among 80 purposively selected rural Yoruba women. The data were analysed using descriptive tools such as frequencies, percentages, and content analysis. The findings reveal an extensive wealth of IK used in agriculture, food processing and preservation, family health care, and child care. The findings also suggest that paying attention to IK will help to incorporate culture as part of rural development and sustainable development in Nigeria, leading to more successful outcomes using place-based knowledge. Indigenous women can, and should, contribute to the design and implementation of sustainable development initiatives because of their extensive IK.
Managing the Environment with Limited Knowledge in Nigeria: A Study of Environmental Workers in Enugu State, 2021
Given the importance of environmental management to human survival, this study sought to investigate the extent to which environmental workers in Enugu State, Nigeria, would be knowledgeable about environmental protocols, conventions and laws governing the management of the environment in the light of how highly educationally qualified they are and how much domestication of the international environmental protocols, conventions and laws has been carried out by the government at the national and local levels. The population of the study consisted of five hundred and seven (507) randomly selected participants who are environmental workers working for the state government. The research instrument was a selfadministered questionnaire with a reliability coefficient (Cronbach alpha) of .81 and .85. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design and, the stratified random sampling proportionate to size was adopted in selecting respondents for the study. The data from the fieldwork were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 20). Descriptive statistics and Chi-Square goodness of fit analyses were employed in description and inferences. From the findings, the study concludes that a statistically significant proportion of environmental workers in Enugu State possess moderate level knowledge of environmental protocols and conventions (2= 174.3; df = 2; p-value = 0.00; 2= 311.9; df = 2; p-value = 0.000). The findings have implications for government policy concerning environmental management especially as it has to do with environmental degradation and climate change as well as the framework for environmental protection which derives from the domestication of most of the relevant international environmental protection laws.
Environmental management within the indigenous perspective
Masyarakat, Kebudayaan dan Politik, 2018
The environment (nature) is one of the most important aspects of life that needs to be considered when referring to and regarding sustainable development. This article aims to describe environmental management based on local knowledge using the case study conducted focusing on Mbatakapidu. The environment, which is a space for people to create a sustainable livelihood, is increasingly being disturbed by the acts of humanity itself. However, we cannot deny that in addition to these conditions, there are still local communities that always strive to create a balance between human and the environment. One of them is a local community in Mbatakapidu. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study perspective. The data collection was done by conducting in-depth interviews with the informants. The six informants were determined purposively. The results of this study show that people of Mbatakapidu trust that there are spirits who inhabit the springs and forests. This is a form o...
The indigenous knowledge systems are a significant resource which would contribute to the increased efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability in environmental conservation among rural communities of developing countries in particular. They form the basis for community-level decision making in areas pertaining to food security, human and animal health, education and more important in natural resource management. However, despite their critical role in the conservation of the bio-physical environment, these practices and technologies are being marginalized or even forgotten among rural communities in different parts of the world. To ascertain the role played by these traditional practises on the bio-physical environment, this paper identified and established the Teso community indigenous environmental practices and assessed changes in these knowledge systems from the time of Kenya's pre-independence to the 2000s era. Data were collected using various social science methods such as the questionnaire and focused group discussions. The results showed that the use of totems, protection of sacred places, prohibitions and gender and age restraints declined by 41.3, 68, 41.8 and 38.2%, respectively. The evident decline in the use of the indigenous environmental knowledge systems has negatively impacted on the state of the bio-physical environment exemplified by the Chi-square Pearson (P) values of 0.00 between decline in the use of age and gender restraints and the deterioration in land fertility and only a few elders using the knowledge systems and reduction in the number of rivers, streams and wetlands as exemplified by the Chi-square Pearson (P) value of 0.02. In view of the above, it is recommended that rekindling, recording and preservation of indigenous environmental best practices among local communities such as the Teso for sustainable natural resources management be re-invigorated and integrated in conventional environmental management plans. This also calls for participatory decision-making between policy makers, implementers and actual resource users.