Bridging Knowledge Worlds: Integrating Local Climate Adaptation Practices with Scientific Research in Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

This article explores how local and indigenous knowledge in Southeastern Nigeria can be effectively integrated with scientific approaches to improve climate adaptation strategies and foster sustainability. While formal scientific research has largely shaped the global climate agenda, indigenous resource management practices have evolved over centuries to address environmental fluctuations and hazards. However, significant power imbalances often sideline local communities from meaningful engagement in policy and research collaboration. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork, participatory rural appraisal methods, and quantitative climate modeling, this study investigates how traditional ecological knowledge, gleaned from farmers, fishers, and community elders, can enhance scientific methods for climate resilience. Findings illustrate that local practices such as rotational crop selection, water resource management, and communal seed-banking offer valuable insights to complement advanced modeling techniques, especially in mitigating extreme weather events and adapting to shifting precipitation patterns. Additionally, a robust framework for equitable partnerships is proposed, emphasizing capacity-building, inclusive governance, and knowledge co-production. The article concludes by stressing that efforts to bridge power differentials and integrate epistemic perspectives hold tremendous promise for achieving long-term socio-ecological sustainability in the Global South.