indigenous technologies utilized by some local communities

By

Catherine . V. Nnamani (PhD)Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria

Visiting Senior Research Fellow UNU-INRA

Indigenous Technologies Utilized by some Local Communities in South -eastern Nigeria for Climate Change

Adaptation

21 Sept, 2012

Outline of Presentation

IntroductionResearch gap Objectives.MethodologyResultExpected Outcome

21 Sept, 2012

Introduction Climate change is a shift in the mean state of

the climate or in its variability, persisting for an extended periods time (decades or longer). It could be due to……..

Natural changeso Externally- extra-terrestrial systems. o Internally-ocean, atmosphere and land systems.

Prolong Anthropogenic Activities-o Burning of fossil fuelso Decomposition of animals or plants materials o Deforestation for construction & development

etc.

Pidwirny, M. (2006)

Natural Causes 

Anthropogenic Activities

Introduction Adaptation- is a measure of resilience or

resistance to negative climatic stimuli as well as the coping capacity of a community or nation in response to these changing conditions (GFCS, 2012).

Vulnerability- is the degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes.

Indigenous Technology- is the knowledge /practice by the native inhabitants of a country that constitute an important part of its cultural heritage………..to manage disaster or risk

Rural Poor FarmersApproximately 15% ……. world’s population. 

Occupy /use 22% …the world’s land surface.

Manage 11% of the world’s forest lands. Maintain 80% of the planet’s biodiversity.Custodians to 85% of the worlds protected  areas  (Galloway, 2010) 

Introduction

High Tempt         

• Drought• Bush burning• Massive crop    failure    

ERRATIC       RAINFALL   

• Flooding• Prevalence of      diseases 

Envir‐mtalDegradatio

n

• Desertification• Loss of          Biodiversity     Extinction of    species

In Nigeria C C …..  reality.

Its deleterious effects are recorded in changes 

Seasonal cycles

Natural ecosystemstrends ….global estimates (Adesina & Odekunle, 2011). 

Introduction

Nigeria therefore needs to focus on Adaptive Technologies

Introduction Impacts Scenario in Nigeria

Flooding around River Niger displaces Millions from their homes inKogi, Benue, Imo & Edo leaving millions of land transport travelersstranded Lokoja city and some on tree tops as the flooding persist .

Premium Times 09/2012 reported that NEMA is currently campingover 10,000 displaced flood victims in Kogi and Benue states.Cause- Cameroon Govt. released water from the Lagdo Dam, East ofNigeria .Source: (Premium Times ,2012)

Introduction Impacts Scenario in Nigeria

Scenario in NigeriaImpactsIntroduction

A newly constructed road awaiting commissioning in Jigawa State,destroyed by the flood. Down: Left - Ruins caused by flood inNasarawa State. Right: A scene of the disaster in Minna, the NigerState capital ( DG, NSEMA, M M. Saba. Saturday Tribune , 2012)

Introduction Impacts Scenario in Nigeria

Flooding destroye many houses, shops and property in Kogi

Reuters/George Esiri, Nigeria, (2009).

Introduction Impacts Scenario in Nigeria

Source:             BNRCC, 2008),

Introduction Impacts Scenario in Nigeria

Introduction Impacts Scenario in Nigeria

Why High Level of Vulnerability

Their greater reliance on climate-sensitive sectors ……….

o Agriculture, Lands and Resources from it (USAID, 2007). Their geographical location. Low income status. Low institutional capacity to address these

imparts.

Research Gap

Programs, activities & institutional strategiesimplemented by policy makers to mitigate andadapt to climate change effects often do nottake rural poor communities into accountproperly and ……increases their vulnerability toclimate shocks.

However, they have close traditional relationshipwith their environments & uniquely endowedwith some strategic potentials of resilience to CC shocks

Information on these unique strategicpotentials of adaptation to climatevariability and change are lacking.

Key Livelihood

Issues

1.Food Insecurity

Scarcity

2. Water Scarcity

3.Primary 3.Primary Health Care

Services

4. Sustainable Agricultural

General Objective Document approaches which have enhanced the

resilience of these local communities in South-eastern Nigeria to climate change effects

21 Sept, 2012

Specific  objectives o Identify and document

effective indigenous technologies and innovations utilized…

Methodology The Study Area

Three states in South eastern Nigeria: Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra States. 4x30=120 were selected.

Occupying a land area of about 75,488 km2. (Madu, 2005).

Temperature and rainfall uniformly high (37 o) and seasonal bimodal (1500-2500mm) (Ezemonye and Emeribe, 2012).

Vegetation is…. Mosaic of the lowland Rainforest vegetation belt.

Data Collection 

Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA)

Focal Group Discussions

Structured Oral Interview

Field Survey to markets andcommunities

Data Analysis• Percentages• Frequencies• Mean score analysis• Standard deviation• Journals identification.

RESULT Result identified some socially integrated local technological innovations ……….. their resilience to effects C. C. ……………

Food insecurity

Sustainable Agricultural practices e.g. Rice & yam production

Water scarcity

Health care services

Three core crops of South eastern Nigeria

Pressure on the three main core crops - Oryza sativa, Dioscorea spp and Zae mays by impact of climate variability and change……………………….

Diversification of Crops to include Underutilized Plant Genetic Resources

S/N Scientific Name Family English Name

1 Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Malvaceae Ladies finger

2 Adenia cissampeliodes Passifloraceae Planch,

3 Amaranthus spinosus L. Amaranthaceae Thorny pigweed

4 Cieba pentandra L. Malvaceae White silk cotton

5 Capiscum frutescens L. Solanaceae African pepper

6 Citrullus vulgaris Schrad var CucurbitaceaeWild gourd Melon

7 Colocasia exculentus L. Araceae Cocoa yam

8 Corchorus olitorius L. Tiliaceae Bush Okra

9 Cucurbita pepo L. Cucurbitaceae Pumpkin

10 Ficus capensis Thunb. Moraceae Fig

Underutilized Plant Genetic Resources

11 Ficus ottoniifolia Moraceae Hedge fig

12 Gongronema latifolium Benth AsclepiadaceaeSodom apple

13 Ipomoea aquatica Forsk Convolvulaceae Swamp mor.glory

14 Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. ConvolvulaceaeSweet Potato

16 Lecaniodiscus cupaniodes Sapindaceae -

17 Monodora myristica Gaertn AnnonaceaeCalabash Nutmeg

18 Moringa olerifera Lam Moringaceae Drum stick

19Newbualdia leavis (P.Beauw) Seem

BignoniaceaeBoundary tree

20Nuaclea diderrichii (DeWild &Th. Due

Rubiaceae Opepe

Underutilized Plant Genetic Resources

21 Occimum gratissimum Linn. Tiliaceae Tea bush

22 Piper guinensis Schum PiperaceaeBlack peppe

24Pterocarpus santalinoides L Papilionaceae African

25 Pterocarpus soyauxii Taub. Papilionaceae Padauk

27 Solanum nigrum Linn SolanaceaeBlack nightshade

28 Talinum triangulare Willd Portulacaceae Water leaf

29 Teliferia occidentalis Hook CucurbitaceaeFluted pumpkin

30 Venonia amygdalina Del. Asteraceae Bitter leaf

31 Vitex doniana Sweet Verbenaceae Black plum

32 Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloids Rutaceae Aka

INCREASED INCOME CAPACITY FOR LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

0.00 10,000.00 20,000.00 30,000.00 40,000.00 50,000.00 60,000.00 70,000.00 80,000.00

Young Boys

Young Girls

Elderly Women

Meddle Aged

Men

Income

Income

Fig: 4. Average income generated from the TLVs (5 respondents per species in a year (#86=1GH. Cedi’s))

Adaptation to Food Insecurity

Diversification to includeo Seed banks conservation

systems (14 types)o 13 underutilized edible

fruits/seeds to cushion malnutrition

o Wildlife management.

Three major protected forest

which are communal harvested for wildlife on appointed dates.

15 apicultural farms NTFP-

Adaptation to Food Insecurity

Good Agricultural Practices (Oryza sativa)

Adaptation Strategies in Rice Production

Mean (Max = 5)

Std. Deviation

Conservation of water along the paddy 3.9 0.9Use of organic manure for soil conservation 3.8 0.9Planting pest and diseases resistant variety 4.4 0.7Draining of wetland for rice cultivation 3.2 1.2Use of agric‐forestry practices 3.0 1.2Use of zero tillage system 3.2 1.2

Adaptation Strategies in Rice Productiono Use of climate tolerant rice lines with

high yielding capacity under erraticweather‐ IWA 3, IWA6, IR82574‐566‐2‐B,&IR 06N‐184 & Nwadende. o 4.3 o 1.0

o Use of early maturing rice varietieso 4.4 o 1.8

o Proper preservation of rice seedso 3.9 o 1.0

o Transplanting of rice seed with earlyrainfall o 4.0 o 1.1

o Use of recommended space of plantingo 3.7 o 1.1

12

3

4567

8

910

Adaptation to Dioscorea spp cultivation

Digging of deep trench “Ukoro ibo”

Laying farmyard/ weeds ……

By March …make big mount

Sow their yam

These ensures better yield

“Ukoro Ibo Trench”

Water scarcity 

Storing water in pots half buried in the soil & planting trees to shade them.

Digging chains of wells along the river beds with trees to shade.

Underground tanks.Man made ponds

For Primary Health Care Services- (72 Medicinal Plant spp)Moringa olerifera /Phyllanthus amarus

• Moringa olerifera• Oil from seed edible &

better than sunflower oil• Could yield +3 ton oil per

ha.• Solution to global

malnutrition. A meal yields about 61% protein,

* Medicinal and nutritionalbenefits• seeds contain 30 -40%

oil that is oleic acid. • 7 X Vit C• HBP, Diabetics, Sickle

Cell Anaemia, IFIM Booster, Rejuvenation of cells, Weight loss

Biodiesel has betteroxidative stability……….

Expected outcome 

Nutritional characterization of these underutilized crops and to compare these with two conventional/exotic species

Findings of this work will be converted into a

o Working paper to scale up awareness on their Nutritional Values…….

o Policy brief to guide future policy and the decision making process on their incorporation into manures in public places e.g. schools, hospitals and if possible to inform policy in other parts of Africa .

Expected outcome

Three journal publications are expected to come out of this work:

o Nutritional values of these TLVso Phytochemicals compositiono Antioxidant values

Most importantly- Well Articulated Taxonomic Identification and Ethno botanical

Monograph