A Systematic Review of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation in East Africa.
| dc.contributor.author | Nyinondi, Philbert S | |
| dc.contributor.author | Martinus E. Sospeter | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-05-11T13:27:12Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-05-11T13:27:12Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-04-06 | |
| dc.description | This article was published by Regional Institute of Information and Knowledge Management in 2026 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Rationale of study - Climate change adaptation has been a global priority in recent years, with governments, the private sector, the international community, and individuals focusing their available resources on these challenges. Indigenous ecological knowledge has been a strategic resource for climate change adaptation among people living in limited-resource environments, such as farmers and pastoralists. Therefore, this study was conducted to systematically review the indigenous knowledge used in the efforts to adapt to the climate change impacts in East Africa. Methodology - The study followed the PRISMA protocol and included articles published between 2009 and 2023. Only articles published in the English language were included in the study. The data were analysed through thematic analysis. Findings - The study revealed that farmers and pastoralists in East Africa use indigenous knowledge based on ecological indicators, such as observing changes in the behaviour of insects, birds, plants, and animals, as well as celestial bodies and wind directions, to predict weather and climate patterns. The use of indigenous water resource management and traditional irrigation practices is key to surviving droughts and dry seasons. However, the sharing and adoption of indigenous knowledge remain challenges due to contextual differences across tribes and cultural practices in East Africa. Implication of the study - The study suggests that climate change adaptation strategies in East Africa must move beyond functional resilience to climate change to indigenous-ecological relational continuity strategies, building on what already exists among smallholder farmers and pastoralists across the region. Furthermore, climate change intervention must align with the community’s perception of indigenous ecological knowledge, incorporate it into the strategy, and not rely entirely on the scientific resilience system. Originality - The study calls for more research on gender and the social effects of using indigenous ecological knowledge in climate change adaptation. It includes testing the framework of relational continuity, understanding its community-based conceptualisation, and its impact on climate adaptation in East African communities. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | MUST | |
| dc.identifier.other | DOI: https://doi.org/10.70759/qqjkgh09 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://repository.must.ac.tz/handle/123456789/611 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Regional Institute of Information and Knowledge Management. | |
| dc.title | A Systematic Review of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge for Climate Change Adaptation in East Africa. | |
| dc.type | Article |