Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Climate Change Adaptation Policy: Evidence from Valunia Chiefdom, Bo District, Sierra Leone

Climate change remains a great challenge to rural livelihoods in Sierra Leone, especially in agricultural communities that depend on climate-sensitive resources. Although indigenous knowledge has been used traditionally for many years in adapting to variability in the environment, its applications in climate change policy appear limited. It is precisely for this reason that this study seeks to fill this research gap by investigating the role, effectiveness, awareness, and support for indigenous knowledge for climate change adaptation in the Valunia Chiefdom, Bo District. This study utilised a mixed research methodology that involved qualitative and quantitative data-gathering techniques through systematic random sampling. A total of 322 participants were selected from various communities, with institutional stakeholders also involved in this research. From the results, it is evident that there is a great dependence on Local Methods for predicting the weather, with effectiveness in improving crop production yield. However, the findings also suggest that there is low familiarity with indigenous agricultural practices among the youth, influenced by factors such as a lack of youth enthusiasm, the educational system, urban migration, and the loss of indigenous agricultural practice stakeholders. Moreover, public support for preserving and developing IK was also found to be low. Conclusion, in this regard, can be drawn by pointing out that the importance of indigenous knowledge is brought to the fore by this study, with both the significance of indigenous knowledge and some of the challenges it faces with regard to sustainability being revealed by this study. Community engagement, institutional collaboration, and recognition must be enhanced for the proper integration of indigenous knowledge for climate change adaptation in the Valunia Chiefdom.