Burkina Faso - Integrating Indigenous and Scientific Rainfall Forecasting

Roncoli, Carla ; Kirshen, Paul ; Ingram, Keith ; Jost, Christine

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE;    SCIENTIFIC FORECASTING;    RAINFALL MEASUREMENT;    CASE STUDIES;    CLIMATIC CHANGE;   

RP-ID  :  23312

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This case study describes how farmers inBonam, a village in rural Burkina Faso, predict seasonalrainfall, and, examines how their forecasts relate toscientific ones. The research shows that farmers are used tooperate in multiple cognitive frameworks, though areinterested in receiving scientific forecasts, given theperception that local forecasts are becoming less reliabledue to increasing climate variability. However,understanding local cultural models, is essential toeffectively conduct research, and develop technology. Thenote compares the shared knowledge, i.e., environmentalindicators used locally to predict rainfall, and, that ofspecialized knowledge, which in contrast, is based onspiritual practices, being the prerogative of select groups.Thus, integrating local and scientific forecasts must bepresented in ways that conform to cultural notions,conceiving the nature of knowledge. Findings nonetheless,suggest a convergence between local, and scientificforecasts, but also a divergence in terms of practicalsignificance, propelling the challenge of addressing theconsequences, and context of its uses: scientists,policymakers, and development practitioners should worktowards devising an approach to improve the flexibility oflocal production systems.