INTEGRATING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE INTO NATIONAL CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES: CHALLENGES AND PATHWAYS

Abstract

The integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) into national climate adaptation strategies represents a critical yet underexplored pathway for enhancing resilience in developing countries like Nigeria. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities associated with incorporating indigenous knowledge systems into formal climate adaptation frameworks, emphasizing their potential to complement scientific approaches and address localized vulnerabilities. Employing a qualitative research design, data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 30 key stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, academia, and traditional leaders. Thematic analysis reveals significant barriers to integration, primarily institutional biases favouring Western scientific paradigms, the lack of formal mechanisms for documenting and validating IK, and the erosion of traditional practices due to rapid modernization and urbanization. Despite these challenges, respondents highlighted the intrinsic value of IK in sustainable agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and ecosystem management, citing specific examples such as traditional flood mitigation techniques and seasonal forecasting methods. The findings underscore the potential of hybrid knowledge systems that leverage the contextual precision of IK alongside the macro-level predictive capacity of scientific data. However, successful integration requires addressing ethical concerns regarding knowledge ownership, intellectual property rights, and equitable benefit-sharing. To bridge existing gaps, the study proposes actionable pathways, including the establishment of a national indigenous knowledge repository governed by community-led ethical protocols, the statutory inclusion of traditional leaders in climate advisory bodies, and the integration of indigenous perspectives into educational curricula. Furthermore, the research recommends the development of legal frameworks to protect communal intellectual property and the creation of dedicated funding mechanisms for community-led adaptation initiatives. By fostering participatory governance and respecting epistemic pluralism, policymakers can create more inclusive, effective, and socially just climate adaptation strategies. This research contributes to a holistic understanding of climate governance, demonstrating that bridging the divide between indigenous and scientific knowledge systems is essential for building sustainable resilience in the face of escalating climate impacts.