The Place of Traditional Ecological The Place of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Water Resources Knowledge in Water Resources

Management in the Central Niger Management in the Central Niger DeltaDelta

Paper by: Tamuno, PBL and Smith, MDPaper by: Tamuno, PBL and Smith, MDPresented by: Presented by:

Dr Tamuno, P. B.L. Dr Tamuno, P. B.L. 3030thth September 2008 September 2008

Presentation overviewPresentation overview• The Central Niger Delta;The Central Niger Delta;• Water Resources & the Central Niger Delta;Water Resources & the Central Niger Delta;• Dredging: An Environmental Issue;Dredging: An Environmental Issue;• Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK);Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK);• Challenges of the Application of TEK;Challenges of the Application of TEK;• Prospects & Benefits of TEK in WRM;Prospects & Benefits of TEK in WRM;• Research Approach & Research Issue;Research Approach & Research Issue;• Sample / Target Population;Sample / Target Population;• Validity of TEK in the Central Niger Delta; Validity of TEK in the Central Niger Delta; • Determinants of the Quality of TEK; andDeterminants of the Quality of TEK; and• Application of TEK in Water Resources Management.Application of TEK in Water Resources Management.

The Central Niger Delta The Central Niger Delta • 70% is Riverine;70% is Riverine;• Have the longest Have the longest

coastline in Nigeria coastline in Nigeria (200 Km);(200 Km);

• Rich in biodiversity, but Rich in biodiversity, but ecologically fragile;ecologically fragile;

• Rural Livelihood is eco-Rural Livelihood is eco-dependent / CPR; anddependent / CPR; and

• Network of 23 Creeks & Network of 23 Creeks & Rivers.Rivers.

Water Resources & Central Water Resources & Central DeltaDelta

• Ecological and social services;Ecological and social services;• Declining Quality and Service value;Declining Quality and Service value;• Challenges to Sustainable WRMChallenges to Sustainable WRM

– Natural complexity and variability;Natural complexity and variability;– Multi-stakeholder demand on water resources;Multi-stakeholder demand on water resources;– Inadequate, dearth and lack of baseline data;Inadequate, dearth and lack of baseline data;– Appropriate and acceptable valuation for water Appropriate and acceptable valuation for water

resources; and resources; and – Anthropogenic stressors;Anthropogenic stressors;

Dredging: An Environmental Issue Dredging: An Environmental Issue • BenefitsBenefits

– Improved navigational channel;Improved navigational channel;– Land reclamation;Land reclamation;– Socio-economic development;Socio-economic development;– Flood mitigation; andFlood mitigation; and– Beneficial use of dredged materials;Beneficial use of dredged materials;

• ImpactsImpacts– Hydrology and wetland / floodplain loss;Hydrology and wetland / floodplain loss;– Sediments and turbidity;Sediments and turbidity;– Flora and fauna; andFlora and fauna; and– Livelihoods;Livelihoods;

Traditional Ecological Knowledge Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)(TEK)

•The concept and features of TEK?;The concept and features of TEK?;•Localised and descriptive;Localised and descriptive;•Knowledge acquired based on residency Knowledge acquired based on residency

and interaction with the environment; and interaction with the environment; • Integral part local communities;Integral part local communities;•Experiential local Knowledge; andExperiential local Knowledge; and•Non-documented and informally Non-documented and informally

transmitted;transmitted;

Challenges of the Application of Challenges of the Application of TEKTEK

•Scientific bias;Scientific bias;•Subjectivity and validity;Subjectivity and validity;•Location-specific knowledge;Location-specific knowledge;•Dynamic livelihoods and values; Dynamic livelihoods and values; •““Consensus” among TEK Holders and Consensus” among TEK Holders and •HarmonisationHarmonisation and and usageusage..

Prospects & Benefits of TEK in Prospects & Benefits of TEK in WRMWRM

• Long term Information (CE);Long term Information (CE);• LocalisedLocalised livelihood and ecological data; livelihood and ecological data;• Complementary to Scientific knowledge;Complementary to Scientific knowledge;• Information about seasonal variability Information about seasonal variability

and trends; andand trends; and• Encourages community participation and Encourages community participation and

environmental partnershipenvironmental partnership

Research Approach & Research Research Approach & Research IssueIssue

• Otuogidi & Otuoke are sample communities;Otuogidi & Otuoke are sample communities;• Participants represents 5% of the target Participants represents 5% of the target

population (211 respondents);population (211 respondents);• 32% of respondents have resided in the 32% of respondents have resided in the

sample communities for 35 years or more;sample communities for 35 years or more;• Surface water plays a vital role in the Surface water plays a vital role in the

Central Delta; andCentral Delta; and• Dredging is one of the environmental issues Dredging is one of the environmental issues

in the Central Delta.in the Central Delta.

Sample / Target PopulationSample / Target PopulationAge Range in Age Range in

YearsYearsPercentage Percentage (population)(population)

PercentagePercentage(Survey)(Survey)

20 to 29 years 20 to 29 years 3434 34.534.530 to 39 years30 to 39 years 2424 29.929.940 to 49 years40 to 49 years 1717 17.517.550 to 59 years50 to 59 years 1212 9.99.960 years & 60 years & aboveabove

1313 8.68.6

Validity of TEK in the Central DeltaValidity of TEK in the Central Delta

TEKTEK Year of DredgingYear of Dredging Duration of Duration of DredgingDredging

OtuogidOtuogidii

OtuokeOtuoke OtuogidiOtuogidi OtuokeOtuoke

Very GoodVery Good 44.4%44.4% 73.8%73.8% 12.1%12.1% 27.2%27.2%GoodGood 35.2%35.2% 6.8%6.8% 17.9%17.9% 53.5%53.5%FairFair 10.2%10.2% 14.5%14.5% 41.7%41.7% 7.7%7.7%Poor Poor 0%0% 0%0% 18.5%18.5% 2.9%2.9%Very poorVery poor 0%0% 0%0% 0.9%0.9% 0%0%No No KnowledgeKnowledge

10.2%10.2% 1.9%1.9% 9.3%9.3% 8.7%8.7%

Determinants of the Quality of Determinants of the Quality of TEKTEK

• Residency in catchment;Residency in catchment;• Localised relevance of impacted resource;Localised relevance of impacted resource;• Localised consequences of the Localised consequences of the

environmental issue;environmental issue;• Time lapse between environmental event Time lapse between environmental event

& documentation; and& documentation; and• Interactions between human and local Interactions between human and local

resources. BUTresources. BUT• Independent of educational qualifications.Independent of educational qualifications.

Application of TEK in Water Application of TEK in Water Resources ManagementResources Management

• Build-up environmental baseline;Build-up environmental baseline;• Reduce the effect of environmental Reduce the effect of environmental

noise (false negative / false positive noise (false negative / false positive result);result);

• Statistical Central tendency;Statistical Central tendency;• Enhances environmental justice & Enhances environmental justice &

favours environmental partnership; andfavours environmental partnership; and• Result in holistic water resources Result in holistic water resources

management. management.

Summary of PresentationSummary of Presentation• The Central Niger Delta;The Central Niger Delta;• Water Resources & the Central Niger Delta;Water Resources & the Central Niger Delta;• Dredging: An Environmental Issue;Dredging: An Environmental Issue;• Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK);Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK);• Challenges of the Application of TEK;Challenges of the Application of TEK;• Prospects & Benefits of TEK in WRM;Prospects & Benefits of TEK in WRM;• Research Approach & Research Issue;Research Approach & Research Issue;• Sample / Target Population;Sample / Target Population;• Validity of TEK in the Central Niger Delta; Validity of TEK in the Central Niger Delta; • Determinants of the Quality of TEK; andDeterminants of the Quality of TEK; and• Application of TEK in Water Resources Management.Application of TEK in Water Resources Management.

ConclusionConclusion

TEK should be promoted and used to TEK should be promoted and used to its merits, scrutinised as other its merits, scrutinised as other information is scrutinised, and information is scrutinised, and applied in situations in which it applied in situations in which it

makes a difference in the quality of makes a difference in the quality of research, and water resources research, and water resources

management.management.

Thank youThank you