Legal and policy challenges of integrating indigenous knowledge system into climate change strategies in mainland

This study examines the extent to which Tanzanian policy and legal framework for climate change provide opportunity for the integration of indigenous knowledge system into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. The problem addressed in this study is lack of effective recognition, protection and promotion of indigenous knowledge system in legal and policy frameworks relating to climate change. The findings of this study indicate that lack of comprehensive policy and legislation on climate change is among the challenges that affect the integration of indigenous knowledge into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Other challenges include land and other resource tenure insecurity: lack of equitable benefit sharing with the indigenous and local communities; poor involvement of stakeholders such as women and traditional leaders; inconsistency within policies and poor recognition and protection of the indigenous and local communities’ traditional ways of livelihood. To address the above challenges, this study recommends for legal recognition and protection of the rights of indigenous and local communities in relation to the use of indigenous knowledge. These rights are active participation, right to their traditional lands and right to share benefit arising from the use of their knowledge. The study also recommends for enacting comprehensive law and policy on climate change and awareness raising campaigns to policy and law makers