Browsing by Author "Ndunguru, Teodora Simpert"

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    Impact of integrating indigenous knowledge in climate information prediction systems a case of Mbarali district, Mbeya region, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2015) Ndunguru, Teodora Simpert
    This study aimed at assessing the impact of incorporating indigenous knowledge into scientific methods of predicting weather. Cross-sectional approach was used to carry out the study where the respondents were drawn from two purposively selected villages. They comprised local community members and key informants. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select 84 respondents. The study has identified and documented Indigenous Knowledge (IK) indicators for weather forecasting in the study area. It has assessed the effectiveness of indigenous knowledge in relationship to climate change; the extent to which the indigenous knowledge is taken into account by the scientific community; and it has also examined the potential for integrating IK and scientific knowledge. Ways in which indigenous knowledge can be optimized in delivering climate change information have been suggested. The study found out that although IK was available and used in the two selected villages, their impacts were not fully felt. It was found that farmers used climate/weather indicators such as voices of some birds, growing of some trees in large or small numbers, and insects to predict forthcoming weather. Some of the challenges associated with IK in the study area were issues of oral transfer from one generation to another. The knowledge was stored and owned by individual persons; when they died it was lost due to the lack of documentation and death of old people who have got the knowledge. The study recommends that meteorological scientists should integrate and take full advantage of indigenous knowledge in generating area specific weather forecasts and enhance its accuracy, use, and delivery to meet the needs of weather information of our communities in the context of a changing climate.