Rethinking indigenous climate governance through climate change and variability discourse by a Zimbabwean rural community

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess indigenous climate governance through climate change and variability discourse by a rural Zimbabwean community. In Zimbabwe, climate governance has largely been presented from a political angle as indicated in the current climate governance structure. Apparently, the structure does not directly involve rural communities who at the same time suffer the most from the effects of climate change. Hence, the study intends to demonstrate that the manner in which humans perceive climate change influences their responses and actions vis-à-vis climate governance. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study used 20 participants from a rural community in Zimbabwe. Their experiences were used as lances through which indigenous climate governance could be envisioned and executed. In-depth interviews were used to collect data and thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. Findings The study found that climate change perceptions and observations of weather conditions informs the community’s decisions on how to adapt to the impacts of climate change vis-à-vis indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) climate governance. The study also proposed a paradigm shift from a Western-oriented climate governance structure that currently exists in Zimbabwe to an indigenous model through a proposed IKS governance structure. This was considered significant because of the fact that it closely accommodates the community based on their lifestyle. Originality/value The study proposes a paradigm shift from a Western-oriented climate governance structure that currently exist in Zimbabwe to an indigenous model through a proposed IKS governance structure. This is arrived at by assessing climate change perceptions, narratives and experiences by community members. This is of particular importance because a few scholars have explored climate governance via IKS.

“What are you going to do, Protest the Wind?”: Community Perceptions of Emergent and Worsening Coastal Erosion from the Remote Bering Sea Community of St. Paul, Alaska

“…Most published studies that document adaptation efforts in the Arctic tend to focus on communities that are advanced or imminently threatened. It is also notable that many of these documented efforts lack traditional knowledge inclusion in a meaningful way, as similarly found in other adaptation efforts outside of the Arctic (Boillat and Berkes 2013;Petheram et al 2014;Carmichael et al 2017;Ali et al 2019;Mugambiwa and Rukema 2019). We posit that focusing on climate-related issues that are emergentnot just those that are long-standing or acute-provides a critical way to proactively address climate impacts before they become too extreme, unwieldy, or costly to sufficiently address.…”

“…Additionally, by understanding how a community perceives and understands climate change, it can facilitate more meaningful adaption policies. Previous literature demonstrates how differently individuals' lived experiences and shared histories affect how adaptation options are considered, prioritized, and implemented (Marin and Berkes 2013;Herman-Mercer et al 2016; Ambrosio-Albala and Mar Delgado-Serrano 2018; Mugambiwa and Rukema 2019). This is because, while collaborative approaches are key to instrumenting meaningful action (Callaghan et al 2020), they can also lead to discourse with divergent opinions which, despite the obstacles, are still important in facilitating mutual support for later decisions (Curtis and Hauber 1997;Blair et al 2014); Armitage et al 2007).…”

Barriers to Effective Climate Change Management in Zimbabwe’s Rural Communities

“…These migrants are remitting their incomes to support their families back home through securing of food, paying of school fees and medical bills and buying of essential farming inputs. Migration has been identified as a common adaptation strategy to the vagary impacts of climate change across Zimbabwe (Chanza et al 2019;Soropa et al 2015;Mugambiwa and Rukema 2019;Mubaya and Mafongoya 2017).…”

An Invitation to Sociology of Climate Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Concealing the Intersections of Environmental Justice, Inequality, and the Nation State

“…The lack of a substantive climate change policy in Zimbabwe is attributed to the numerous policy frameworks aimed at the environment and climate (Bhatasara, 2016;Mugambiwa & Rukema, 2019). The frameworks are namely; the National Environmental Policy, Agriculture Policy framework, Drought Mitigation Policy and Disaster Management Policy.…”