The Impact of Indigenous Knowledge on River Basin Management in Calabar South LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study explores the impact of integrating indigenous knowledge into river basin management
policies, focusing on its potential to enhance water resource sustainability and community
resilience. Traditional knowledge, accumulated over generations, offers valuable insights into
sustainable water practices that are often overlooked in modern management frameworks. This
research aims to assess the extent of traditional knowledge within the community, identify the
traditional practices employed for water conservation, and analyze the challenges hindering its
integration into contemporary policies. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study combines
quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather data from a sample of 384 respondents
within the Calabar South Local Government Area. The quantitative analysis involves correlation
tests to examine the relationship between indigenous knowledge and water management outcomes.
The results reveal that 33.07% of respondents have extensive traditional knowledge about water
resource management, while 25.00% report moderate knowledge, 25.00% have limited knowledge,
and 16.93% possess no traditional knowledge. Additionally, traditional practices for water
conservation include rainwater harvesting (25.52%), aquifer recharge (23.96%), watershed
management (26.56%), and traditional irrigation techniques (23.96%). The correlation analysis
shows significant positive relationships between the integration of indigenous knowledge and both
water resource sustainability (r = 0.68) and community resilience (r = 0.62). This indicates that
incorporating traditional practices can effectively improve water management and strengthen
community resilience. However, challenges such as lack of recognition by government authorities
(25.52%), insufficient collaboration between stakeholders (23.96%), cultural biases (24.74%), and
limited funding (25.78%) hinder the effective integration of indigenous knowledge. The study
concludes that integrating indigenous knowledge into river basin management can lead to more
sustainable and resilient water management practices. It recommends increasing recognition and
funding for traditional practices, fostering collaboration between stakeholders, and addressing
cultural biases. By embracing indigenous knowledge, policymakers can enhance the effectiveness of
water management strategies and support community well-being.