Indigenous knowledge is key to managing transboundary water resources
Summary
Incorporating indigenous knowledge into projects can contribute to local empowerment and development, increasing self-sufficiency and strengthening self-determination.
A team of experts conducting the 1st Limpopo Joint Basin Survey (JBS) took time to engage with various communities in Mozambique to learn and share knowledge about the ecosystem health of the Limpopo River Basin.
The interaction also allowed the team to grasp various indigenous knowledge systems the community employs in their daily interaction with the natural environment.
Incorporating indigenous knowledge into projects can contribute to local empowerment and development, increasing self-sufficiency and strengthening self-determination.
Furthermore, utilizing this knowledge increases the sense of ownership and cultural pride and provides incentives to solve problems with local ingenuity and resources.
The 1st Limpopo JBS seeks to offer some critical water quality and ecosystem health data and insights into the Limpopo River Basin — a lifeline for millions who depend on it for various socio-economic activities.
The survey is being executed under the project “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin.”
LIMCOM is implementing the project in partnership with the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA), with support from the UNDP South Africa (UNDP) through funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).