Indigenous
Knowledge
DisasterRiskReduction

Policy Note

International Startegy for

EUROPEAN UNION

Disaster Reduction

Policy Note
This policy note was developed with supports and comments from different professionals andpractitioners in the field of disaster risk reduction. The policy note was discussed in the International Workshop in Kyoto in July 2008, followed by the Side Event in the Kuala Lumpur Ministerial Meeting in December 2008. Comments from all the participants in these events arehighly acknowledged, with special reference to P. Dhar Chakrabarti, Jessica Mercer, Julie
Dekens, Ilan Kelman, Derek Elias, Peter Bates and Christel Rose.

Team Members
Kyoto University
Rajib Shaw

SEEDS
Anshu Sharma

Yukiko Takeuchi
Noralene Uy

This project is funded by European Union“The European Union is made up of 27 Member States who have decided to gradually link
together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of
50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst
maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its
borders.”

Disclaimer“This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contentsof this publication are the sole responsibility of UN/ISDR secretariat and can in no way betaken to reflect the views of the European Union.”Contact Details
Rajib Shaw
Associate Professor
International Environment and Disaster Management Laboratory
Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies
KYOTO UNIVERSITY
Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, JAPANTel/ Fax: 81-75-753-5708
E-mail: shaw@global.mbox.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Web: http://www.iedm.ges.kyoto-u.ac.jp/

Design & Layout
Takayuki Moriyama and Safer World Communications
Cover Photo: SEEDS / Sarika Gulati

Indigenous Knowledge
Disaster Risk Reduction

Policy Note
Contents

Research on the phenomena of disasters in
the Asia-Pacific region over the past decades
has resulted in a wealth of knowledge on
the strong link between environment anddisasters, and between human practices andthe environment.
Human practices thatevolved over centuries have been tested
by time and proven to be sustainable andeffective in both reducing disasters andmanaging unavoidable hazards.
Anthropological research of many traditional
communities of the Asia and the Pacifichave documented a wealth of indigenous
knowledge that are passed down fromgenerations and are internalized by
the communities through a process ofsocialization and are part of their life styles.
Humanitarian practice in the region byvarious organizations working in the areaof disaster reduction and response hasrevealed a multitude of undocumented andoverlooked practices in many indigenous
communities. These practices exhibit a

Preamble

1

Context

1

Entry Points

4

Thematic Focus

6

Policy Tools

14

Action Agenda

15

deep understanding and ability to cope withdisasters through local actions. There is a
growing realization that such practices mustbe acknowledged and will form the basis
for a holistic approach to disaster reductionthat links indigenous knowledge with modern
technologies.
Undoubtedly, there is compelling evidence
for the Asia-Pacific region to recognize
and strengthen its wealth of Indigenous
Knowledge for providing local solutions to
global problems of increasing disasters andclimate change impacts.
This Policy Note aims to provide a
directional path for mainstreaming Indigenous
Knowledge in Disaster Risk Reduction bynational authorities and ministries of disastermanagement, ministries of education,
institutions of higher education in disastermanagement, and international and nationalNGOs in Asian countries.

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

PreambleIn digenous Knowledge (Indigenous
Knowledge) is the basis of community

management models adopted from thewest have generally overshadowed thecoping practices that have helped vibrant

Disaster Risk Reduction aspect of disastercommunities survive natural calamities

management, and particularly Indigenous

over centuries. The Asia Pacific region

Knowledge within Disaster Risk Reduction.

is particularly rich in such bodies of

The recent initiatives for development ofknowledge.

Ancient civilizations, a multi-

national and local disaster management

hazard context, frequent disasters,plans in many countries in the region

diverse geo-cultural communities andhave recognized this limitation, but havelarge populations dependent on scarceso far been able to address it in very

resources have all led to the evolution

limited ways.

of very low cost ways of life that include
Indigenous Knowledge and disaster risk

In spite of increased investments in the

reduction (Disaster Risk Reduction) in aarea of disaster management in recent

very strong yet inconspicuous way.

decades, the losses continue to mount.
There is an evident gap between practice

While such local practices are based on

and policy.

sound principles of interaction between

with adequate recognition of the domain

humans and nature, the policy context forof indigenous knowledge and local coping

disaster management in most countries

capacities is very urgent.

in the region has evolved from thestrong need to recognize the potential ofgovernance domain. Most countries havecommunity knowledge and actions, and of

tended to work with relief codes andswitching to a bottom-up approach thatwith an approach of being prepared foruses appropriate community practice asdelivering calamity relief.

the base for policy formulation.

The emergency

The need to bridge this gap

There is a

response systems based disasterContextT

he disaster incidences in the AsiaPacific region have demonstrated

International Disasters Database EM-a distinctly increasing trend over recent

in number and size every year due todecades.

DAT). Moreover, disasters are increasing

The region experiences somea number of factors including rapidof the world's worst hazards - frequent

population growth, urbanization andearthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones

climate change.

and annual monsoons. It also includes

1many of the world's megacities - those

Disasters are not the inevitablewith more than 8 million people - so theconsequence of hazards. A volcanic

number of people exposed to hazard

eruption on an uninhabited Alaskan

risks in the region is very high. Thereisland is unlikely to be a disaster, but a

is abundant evidence that disasters

similar eruption in the densely populated

disproportionately affect developing

Asia–Pacific region could be catastrophic.

countries. Between 1991 and 2005, more

It seems inevitable that the Asia-Pacificthan 90% of disaster deaths and 98%

region will see one or more ‘mega-of people affected by disasters weredisasters’, seriously affecting millions offrom developing countries (OFDA/CRED

people, during the 21st century. Some

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

researchers have predicted that an earthquake

Integration of Public Administration and thewith a million fatalities could occur in the

Science of Disasters).

Himalayan belt of South Asia and some of themegacities in China, Indonesia or the Philippines

While the recognition and incorporation of

could also be potential theatres of such a mega

Indigenous Knowledge in Disaster Risk Reduction

disaster. In addition, the population explosion inefforts has been dismally insufficient, there is

the mega-deltas of Asia, combined with increasing

compelling evidence that Indigenous Knowledge

vulnerability to climate change, indicates that a

has the potential to provide solutions for reducing

flood or cyclone event affecting tens of millions ofdisasters at many levels.

people is also likely.

scientific approach, such knowledge unravels a

Recognized in avast domain of approaches and tools that canPreliminary assessment of hazard risk in theAsia–Pacific region highlights the potential for theregion to experience a mega-disaster affecting
millions of people during the coming century.
While the scale of such a disaster may seemgreater than any recorded so far, this projection is
not only because the Asia–Pacific region is home
to intense geological and meteorological activity,
but also because of the region’s burgeoning
population, which has increased more than fivefold
during the 20th century. People in the region
are increasingly vulnerable because of trends
such as rapid urbanization and their tendency toconcentrate in areas especially prone to hazards.
Because of the threat disasters pose to thebe applied in the current context with appropriate
adaptation and adjustments.
The Disaster Reduction Hyperbase initiative(http://drh.edm.bosai.go.jp/) has given due
importance to Indigenous Knowledge, and has
elaborated the concept of Transferable Indigenous
Knowledge (Transferable Indigenous

Knowledge),as the traditional art of disaster reduction thatis indigenous to specific region(s) but having
potential to be applied to other regions andhaving time-tested reliability.
In addition, DRH identifies the following criteria forTransferable Indigenous

Knowledge:

progress of development, hazard risk management
will continue to increase in importance in•Understandable to users

international development policy in the Asia–Pacific•

Implementable (usable, doable)

region•Originated within communities, based on local(Assessing disaster risk in the Asia-Pacificregion: Australian Government. www.ga.gov.au)

needs, and specific to culture and context(environment and economy)

At the same time, the understanding on disasterrisk reduction (Disaster Risk Reduction) has
improved significantly since the early nineties,
with prime landmarks for the movement being
the Yokohama Strategy and the subsequent
Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).

Against thesedevelopments the appreciation for indigenous
knowledge has remained primarily anecdotal.

•

Provides core knowledge with flexibility for local
adaptation for implementation•

Uses local knowledge and skills, and materials
based on local ecology•

Has been proven to be time tested and useful indisasters•

Is applied or applicable in other communities orgenerations

There are many references to incidences of
local people predicting impending earthquakes orWith a similar understanding, efforts have been

cyclones by observing natural signs such as animal

made in very recent times to identify andbehavior, changes in characteristics of grounddocument Indigenous Knowledge based Disasterwater sources, and abnormal weather phenomena,

Risk Reduction practices from the region.

but fewer documented and verified evidences.

UNISDR publication ‘Indigenous Knowledge GoodOne of the very few documented pieces ofPractices and lessons Learned from Experiences

work in this area is ‘Community Monitoring andin the Asia-Pacific Region 2008’ highlights the fact

Preparedness for Disasters’ (COMPREND; formerlythat even before we came up with high technology

the United Nation Global Programme for thebased early warning systems, or standard

The2

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

operating procedures for response, numerous

underlying risks associated with unsustainablelocal communities worldwide have prepared,

development; and Indigenous Knowledge can very

operated, acted, and responded to disasters

effectively strengthen disaster preparedness forusing indigenous methods passed on from one

effective response at the local level. The HFA has

generation to the next. The publication brings

a direct linkage on creating wider understanding

together a collection of Indigenous Knowledge

on Disaster Risk Reduction issues throughbased Disaster Risk Reduction practices fromawareness, assessments, innovation, education

communities across the region.

and institutionalization.

It also identifies

Education has a strategic

the usefulness of integrating Indigenous Knowledgerole in all of these, and this has implications onwith modern technology to create appropriate

strategically mainstreaming Indigenous Knowledge

solutions.

in the field of disaster and development education.

The approach of balancing modern technology andindigenous knowledge, however, has to be taken
up with adequate caution.

There is a need torecognize the good knowledge assets that alreadyexist in local communities, and at the same time
there is wisdom in adopting and benefiting fromthe advances that current science offers us.
There is no defined line of equilibrium between
the two.

It is a transitional domain, which has

to be worked with in a highly contextual mannerthat delivers benefits without undermining related
assets. The core issue, besides finding solutions
to physical and economic dimensions of Disaster
Risk Reduction, is one of avoiding cultural invasion
that so often comes as part of the package withtechnologically advanced disaster management
solutions.
Within the overall developmental and disastermanagement fields, the HFA now defines thecollective approach being taken by governments,
practitioners, academia and the civil society.

The

framework, particularly through the identified
priorities for action, provides ample scope forindigenous knowledge to play an integral role ina concerted global effort to reduce the impact ofdisasters.

The concept of Indigenous Knowledge

for Disaster Risk Reduction integrates well withall the priorities of action laid down under the
HFA:

Indigenous Knowledge can contribute to

the institutional basis for implementing Disaster
Risk Reduction, particularly as a local priority;

The holistic approach advocated by the HFA, andincreasingly becoming the way forward for nations
faced with recurrent disasters, is a resource
intensive process.

The costs being incurred indisaster reduction efforts are increasing, andyet failing to have a desirable level of impact.
Furthermore, the societies worst afflicted byrecurrent and large-scale disasters are fromthe underdeveloped or transitional economic
groups, thereby making such investments moreburdensome.

Reliance on a balanced system

of indigenous knowledge and technologicalapplications presents itself as a viable option in
the face of financial concerns of disaster reduction
works, with Indigenous Knowledge offering a very
cost effective approach to Disaster Risk Reduction.
Efforts to recognize and promote indigenous
knowledge need to be coordinated and synergizedwith other fora and initiatives taking up similaror aligned approaches.

Regional initiatives onscience, education and in particular the DESD
offer valuable opportunities.
The current understanding of Indigenous
Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction emerges
from a series of events organized and publications
brought out during 2007-08 by UNISDR, Kyoto
University, European Commission, DRH Asia, SEEDS
and other Asian role players. Some of the main
events in this regard are:Indigenous Knowledge is a valuable tool for
identifying, assessing and monitoring disasterTransferable Indigenous Knowledge meeting inrisks and enhancing early warning at the local

Delhi in February 2007: initial discussion and caselevel; Indigenous Knowledge can be very usefulstudy experience sharing

part of education for strengthening a culture of

3

•

•

Transferable Indigenous Knowledge meeting insafety and resilience at the local level; Indigenous

Delhi in February 2008: Indigenous Knowledge

Knowledge very effectively reduces various

action agenda discussion

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction••

Indigenous Knowledge Good practices•

Indigenous Knowledge workshop in July

document: November 2007 to June 2008:

2008 in Kyoto University: Policy discussion

Provide key emphasis areas

on thematic Indigenous Knowledge
sectors

Transferable Indigenous Knowledge for
DRH and Beijing workshop in February•

SAARC Disaster Management Centre

2008: Discussion on Indigenous

study on Indigenous Knowledge forKnowledge usage, practice andDisaster Risk Reduction in South Asia

documentation•

Third Ministerial meeting in December
2008: Indigenous Knowledge Side eventto discuss the policy note

Entry Points

I

ndigenous knowledge can be difficult
to define and identify, since in many

Disaster Risk Reduction.

In this light,

certain specific entry points need to becases it emerges more as a way of life

identified as engines that can provide therather than a set of specific initiatives or

initial thrust needed to get ` I ndigenous

tools.

Having said that, there are a large

Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction’number of individual practices that can beon the agenda of regional, national andhighlighted as specific disaster reduction

local decision makers.

mechanisms.

The International

These practices, however,Workshop on Indigenous Knowledge andneed to be viewed with caution when seen

Disaster Risk Reduction: From Practice towithout their larger contexts.

The approach

Policy, held at Kyoto University in 2008,

to integration of indigenous knowledge in

identified the following generators or areas

disaster risk reduction thus needs to beof influence for current issues related tobased on universally applicable principles

Indigenous Knowledge and Disaster Risk

illustrated with locally contextual practices.

Reduction:Based on this approach, theThe policy level initiatives on Indigenous

workshop identified entry points for work

Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

on the issue of Indigenous Knowledge forthus fall into the seemingly ambiguous

Disaster Risk Reduction in the Asia Pacificarea between the abstract concepts ofRegion. These are briefly described as

Indigenous Knowledge and the relatively

follows:

new and yet emerging paradigms of4

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

Priority Thematic AreasThe first level of entry is through thematic
focus areas that offer a rich body of existing

housing.

In addition there are other areas suchas arid ecosystems, small island systems andIndigenous Knowledge that needs to be harnessed

others that can be taken up as the next stage

and applied back with appropriate inclusion ofintervention themes, but the initial focus may betechnological and managerial innovations.

The

kept on select areas in order to do justice to thethematic focus areas identified as priority themes

work with limited resources towards starting theare: mountain ecosystems, coastal zones, riverinitiative and getting initial thrust.

basin management, water management andfocus areas are discussed in the following section.

These thematic

Climate Change and Food SecurityT

he argument for contextualization assumes
further critical proportions in the light of

reduce vulnerabilities to accelerated changing

recent trends in the area of climate change

support seamless integration of these practices

induced disasters.

into the local context.

The rapid pace of change in

conditions while indigenous knowledge can
In addition, communities

the climatic context over the past few decadesthat have developed local practices to cope withhas outpaced the ability of local coping systems

certain conditions over time, such as drought

to adapt through a process of testing andor flood, can provide lessons and strategies forchanging in a practice continuum.

Further,other communities newly facing these conditions.

communities are faced with a new starting point

Food security issues are being answered infrom which to cope, where some of the existing

various situations through a combination of new

indigenous practices are no longer viable.

and more resilient crop varieties and croppingThe

implications of finding the right balance between

systems.

technology and local practices assumes greater

though recognized, needs to be incorporated more

importance in this regard.

significantly in the process.

Technology can help

The element of Indigenous Knowledge,

Rural Development

Indigenous knowledge, through its very definition,finds its natural home in rural societies that havefrom farming and livestock rearing to local
resource management, education, health andevolved over centuries and through generations.

social securities.

The implications of rural development initiatives,to disaster management, Disaster Risk Reduction

and of migration from rural to urban areas, areoffers virtually all subsets of physical, social andvery direct and potentially detrimental to theeconomic development for Indigenous Knowledge

survival and continued adaptation and application

integration of Indigenous Knowledge.

of indigenous systems.

Rural development

in governance, an ongoing theme for global goodthus forms a very crucial area for appropriately

governance work, forms a very viable base fordesigned systems of integrating the traditionalsuch work, since participation and Indigenous

with the modern.

Knowledge are both rooted in local perceptions,

The rural development fieldhas very wide and diverse applications, ranging

As a developmental approach

Participation

understanding and appropriate application.

Urban Risk Reduction

In contrast to the rural context, the urban
environment may be alien for indigenous

knowledge.

5

The very pronounced basis ofcommunities there are subsets that retain, or
have the potential to retain, and deploy adapted
indigenous systems in their new settings.

This

economic gains that drives the urban engines

is of importance since more than half of theand pulls migrant populations to work and live

Asia-Pacific people will live in cities soon, and ain cities denies the space for rural ways of life.

majority of these people will live in sub-standard

At the same time, within urban areas and urban

conditions in fast growing but ill serviced urban

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

centres at high risk of urban disasters.

of cultures, practices and wisdom, theThe context of climate change induced

city offers a wide range of Indigenous‘migration storms’, water stresses leading

Knowledge ingredients for finding innovativeto ‘urban droughts’, and the social

new solutions based on traditional inputs.

implications of a widening gap between the

As an emerging theme of future concerns,

urban rich and urban poor sets the stage

urban risk reduction needs urgent attention,for intensive work on urban risk reduction

and as an area of lost social roots, it alsowith a human face.

needs inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge.

As a melting-pot

Gender and InclusionAt the humanitarianism and rights
level, social inclusion is an issue that

unknown by others in the community, anddeserves special attention when working

making related to disaster reduction duewith indigenous knowledge and disasterto the added value of their insight andreduction.

knowledge.

Caution needs to be maintained

therefore must be included in decision-

The subject of gender andregarding the fact that indigenous systems

disaster has attracted attention in recent

often come with their own baggage ofyears, primarily from the approach ofsocial practices that can, and sometimes

addressing the gender divide and fulfilling

have been, interpreted as discriminatory.

the special needs of women in emergency

Besides inclusion of marginalized groups,

situations.

the aspect of gender anåd disaster needs

in Disaster Risk Reduction has begun to be

to be highlighted with specific emphasis

realized, and work on women’s self help

within the inclusion discourse.

groups has gained ground.

It mustThe strength of women’s groups

The link ofalso be noted that some knowledge isIndigenous Knowledge with gender basedheld by specific groups or members ofwork in specific, and social inclusion work

a community, restricted to one gender,

on a general level, however still requires

or to certain religious and spiritualsignificant attention from the point ofleaders, midwives, or healers.

research, identification of opportunities, andIn thiscase, women often hold unique knowledge

development of applicable models.

Thematic Focus

I

ndigenous knowledge is embedded
in countless communities throughout

Several subsets of indigenous knowledge,

the world, each with their own local

areas where knowledge themes are moreenvironmental, social, cultural, economic
and political contexts.

While thisknowledge is intrinsically tied to these
local conditions, there is potential for
specific principles and practices to betransferred between communities in orderto further support disaster reduction.

organized by thematic group, provide
closely connected due to similar contextual
details.

Within these thematic groups,

sets of principles of indigenous knowledge
can be applied to all communities livingin that context, easing the process oftransferability.

Mountain EcosystemMountain ecosystems have uniquecharacteristics: the varied

infrastructure, scarce livelihood opportunities

environment at different altitudes, the highdevelopments have produced factors

number of hazards faced (earthquakes,

such as out-migration, children leaving

forest fires, flash floods, landslides

villages to get better education, and theand avalanches), poor accessibility anddetrimental environmental impacts of ad-

and a fragile eco-system. Further, modern

6Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

hoc development projects, all of which contributeprovided by large rocks or the flow of the riverto increasing vulnerability in mountain areas.

into knowledge about where and how to settle.
Specific local practices also exist in mountainous

Indigenous Knowledge provides very valuableareas, such as slope farming to reduce erosion,guidelines that can make new development

glacier grafting to control water predictability,

approaches appropriate.

and vertical transhumance to diversify crops and

For example, in thenorthern Chitral district of Pakistan, the risky

livestock.

nature of the mountainous environment means

history of habitation and experience relating tothere are few areas where people can reside.

the local environment, provide valuable knowledge

Local inhabitants, however, are able to successfully

which allows mountain communities to pursue

interpret their landscape, translating the signals

livelihoods in the face of risky environments.

These practices, developed over a

Mountain ecosystems have unique characteristics:

environment, physical environment, etc. In addition,

the varied environment at different altitudes, the highthe concept of rationality needs to be viewed along withnumber of hazards faced (flash floods, landslides andusability/adaptability, such that the people’s perception

avalanches), and the need for people to protect theircan be seen in contrast to the surrounding environmental

livelihoods through coping mechanisms for naturalelements. When these two factors are interlinked andresource use. Such areas have been going through socio-

remain positive, there can be transferability.

economic changes, a determining factor in Indigenous
Knowledge transferability, which include immigration,
children leaving villages to get better education, and theincrease of development projects in mountain areas. An
equation for the transferability of Indigenous Knowledge
can be:An issue requiring detailed assessment is that ofexternal intervention and when it is needed. It is agreed
that external influence can help prevent negative
consequences of disasters; however, any externalintervention must be done in cooperation with thecommunity, using a participatory approach. It needs toTransferability = (usability or adaptability) x (environment)
Here, two factors are taken into account: the adaptation
to the given landscape as well as the change inenvironment. If the point is reached where thecommunity can no longer cope with the rapidly changing
environment, external influence is needed.

be examined who holds the decision making power.
It is generally observed that in the past, decision
making was always with the people. Today, it is oftenwith governments and partly with NGOs. Indigenous
Knowledge is valuable and can be transferred if thedecision making power stays with the people.

It must also be noted that environment can be read(International Workshop on Indigenous Knowledge and Disaster Risk

in multiple ways: enabling environment, social

Reduction: From Practice to Policy - Kyoto University, 2008)

Coastal Zones

C

oastal zones are among the hotspots ofimpending disasters, threatened by cyclones,

are also negatively impacted by pollution,

storm surges, sea erosion, flooding, sea level risedestroying coral reefs and mangroves which offer

and tsunamis.

additional protection from impending hazards.

Many of these events are expecteddevelopment in sea ports and climate change,

to become increasingly severe due to climate

Further, due to close proximity to the source ofchange.

In addition, many of the issues related

tsunamis, earthquakes, and the sudden changing

to pollution, poor development and resource

nature of storms, early warning becomes a key

management filter down to the coastal areas,

issue for coastal communities.

causing devastating impacts on coastal livelihoods.

7

Since most communities living in coastal zones are

The inhabitants of these coastal areas havedirectly or indirectly dependent on fishing, drop

been developing mechanisms to survive andin fish yield is an economic risk associated withadapt to such hazards for centuries.

coastal zone mismanagement.

rich in indigenous knowledge relating to the

Coastal ecosystems

They areIndigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

coastal environment and how to live in harmony

times this is illustrated in valuable knowledge

with it, much of which is manifest in survival

dissemination techniques, passing down informationand livelihood strategies.

through small family groupings.

Several key principles

The use of local

apply to most indigenous knowledge held bymaterials is also an important element of coastal

these communities, which helps highlight areas ofindigenous knowledge, such as using sand ortransferability between coastal communities aroundthatch for construction.

the world.

Coastal indigenous knowledge relates

knowledge is closely related to fishing and farming

to the water or ocean and its behavior, as wellpractices, which constitute the livelihood ofas the wind and weather conditions.

coastal inhabitants.

CoastalFinally, most of the

The revival and appropriate

communities also tend to be smaller, close-knit

application of such knowledge principles cancommunities and their knowledge often reflects

substantially support ongoing efforts to increase

this characteristic of the social system.

resilience of coastal communities.

Many

There are several specific cases of Indigenous Knowledge

Reduction. Under education, the following may bein coastal zones that can be transferred. From there,

considered:

key characteristics can be extracted and principles
from these examples can be applied to all cases. These•

indigenous knowledge as valid knowledge, taught

characteristics of coastal zone Indigenous Knowledge
included the following:••

Encourage the respect and consideration of
in formal settings•

Teach communities to protect coastal ecosystems

Relates to the water/ocean, its behavior as well as

and to understand their benefits; This can begin bywind/weather conditions

restricting damaging coral reef practices and theCharacteristic of social system, generally smaller,cutting of wood from mangrovesclose-knit communities•

Educate about early warning systems, how to•

Use of local materials (sand, thatch)recognize and respond; Organize community on•

Involvement of ecological elements (mangroves,where and how to evacuate and be prepared

coral reefs, rocky shores)•

Develop exchange programs, sharing of information•

Disseminated in small family groupings

between local indigenous communities and local•

Closely related to fishing and farming practices -immigrant communities, between communities

livelihood of inhabitants

who have experienced a disaster and those whohave not, between different coastal communities

Transferable elements of these characteristics that aﬀect

and diﬀerent generations within local communities

the changing lifestyle of coastal communities need to bestudied in detail. Four basic elements felt important forWith regards to policy recommendations relating

reducing risk in coastal areas and transferable to mostto Disaster Risk Reduction, the following may becoastal communities are:considered:

•

•

•
•

Maintain coastal defenses through mangrovecommunities regarding Disaster Risk Reduction anddesignated protected areas for mangroves, sea

development projects by Disaster Risk Reduction

grass beds, fishing areas, etc.

practitioners and policy makers.

Promote the research and use of medicinal•

The support of chiefs and Indigenous Knowledge

properties of resources for coping mechanisms

holders as those with power over policy related to

The simplicity of the knowledge, making practices

Disaster Risk Reduction

cheap and available locally•The need for genuine consultation with indigenous

protection and coral reef protection, using•

valuable technique which could be used in other

The conservation and reliance on existing local
social institutions.

More specifically, thatch house construction is a•

The consideration of development impacts
informed by Indigenous Knowledge

coastal areas•

The continuation of incorporating Indigenous

Several general policy recommendations can be madeKnowledge into non-traditional, contemporary

relating to two categories: education and Disaster Risk

Disaster Risk Reduction approaches/mechanisms

8Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

Building from the general policy recommendations,•be made relating particularly to coastal communities.

•••

communities

being derived from Remote Sensing Data (if scientificscientific and indigenous knowledges); recognizing and

There is difficulty transferring knowledge todifferent topographies even among coastal

warning systems and Potential Fishery Zone information
information is not available, moving seamlessly between

Increasing populations are upseting naturalbalances

warning dissemination; the incorporation of Indigenous
Knowledge into technological systems such as early

Changes in technology are making traditional
knowledge less significant

These included: the incorporation of indigenous
communication systems (sounds, flags, etc.) into earlyDisasters and climate change are impacting coastal
ecosystems, such as destroying coral reefs.

specific implementation-oriented recommendations can•

It is difficult to learn and access knowledge fromhighly isolated communities

developing safe places during disasters; and creating
protection buﬀers (at least 100m) of mangroves. Finally,

Further, the diﬀerence between indigenous and scientific

the following challenges facing coastal zone communities

knowledge and the challenge of integrating the twoand their Indigenous Knowledge need to be addressed:

needs to be examined. The validation of Indigenous
Knowledge is important to promote this integration.

•
•
•

•
•

Many of the issues relating to pollution, resource

The knowledge must be translated to be understood

management, etc. filters down to the coastal areas

by both the government and local people. Work must

Development often comes directly to the coastal

be done to validate the Indigenous Knowledge by

areas via ports

explaining it in a contemporary way. The difference

There is often no access to other geographicalbetween the communication techniques of traditional

elements (hills to run to) either due to absence ofindigenous communities and the scientific community

these formations or no ownership rights

was discussed, emphasizing the need for the two groups

Globalization and modernization of fisheries

to develop a way to communicate. It also needs to bechanges Indigenous Knowledgeemphasized that indigenous communities need to be

It is sometimes diﬃcult to interpret modern sources

given the opportunity to speak.

of knowledge in relation to Indigenous Knowledge
and understandings•

It is necessary to determine the best ways
to disseminate early warning information to(International Workshop on Indigenous Knowledge and Disaster Risk

communities and increase their awareness

Reduction: From Practice to Policy - Kyoto University, 2008)

River Basin ManagementR

iver basins have been the cradles ofcivilizations across history, and offer arich abundance of indigenous knowledge on

cultural and socio-economic context, to climate
regime and geomorphology, to past experiences
relating to certain types of disasters.

sustainable development and disaster risk
reduction.

Riverine communities live within

Globalization also plays a role in shaping thetwo prominent extremes—floods and droughts.

knowledge of indigenous communities.

In between there is a wide range of issues

the duality of living and coping with or without

including sustainable agriculture, urban regions

water, local communities have developed valuable

and energy generation.

River basins vary inindigenous knowledge techniques for river basin

their very character and context as they move

management which can be valuable for all

from mountain areas through plains and finallycommunities in this context.

to deltaic eco-systems.

Guided by

In each one of these

there is a unique source of lessons, indigenous

Facing inundation/flood, erosion and drought,

knowledge, and a space for applying appropriate

indigenous strategies have evolved to protect

technologies and processes, generated by several

livelihoods, build safer houses, secure fooddistinctive factors.

storage, and develop early warning systems.

9

These factors range from

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

These areas of knowledge have allowed river basin

River basin management has three major

communities to survive and flourish throughout

phenomena that can lead to a number ofhistory, and their value can be further sharedstrategies:

among communities facing similar threats to help
reduce vulnerability.

Key elements that belong to Indigenous Knowledge,in order to incorporate both types of knowledge into

including housing, food, environment, health, livelihood

Disaster Risk Reduction policy. A dialogue is needed

and land use have been identified. The transferability of

between the two in order to determine the best

this knowledge depends on the commonalities of certain

strategies.

Indigenous Knowledge generators between thosecreating the Indigenous Knowledge and those looking to

At the same time, strong distinction between Indigenous

use this knowledge. If the two groups face similar risks

Knowledge and scientific knowledge have also been

and have similar contexts then the knowledge is morechallenged. It is argued that the two concepts should

likely to transfer.

be better harmonized. In addition, a community as awhole does not always hold the Indigenous Knowledge,

The impact of a changing climate on Indigenous

sometimes there are specific groups or rural experts

Knowledge and its transferability need to be addressedwhich are the only holders of this knowledge. These

when talking of river basin management. Bothpeople must be identified in order to manage disasters.

modernization and climate change have contributed
to and will continue to contribute to many shifts in the

Further, the challenges of transferability, including

environment that will affect Indigenous Knowledge

the affordability of transferring the knowledge orrelated to RBM. Examples of these changes include

practice and the consideration of the context of bothincreasing rainfall, higher temperatures, globalization

communities (those holding the knowledge and thoseand consumerism, seasonal fluctuations, salinity

adopting it) need to be addressed. Often NGOs do notchanges, flash floods, CO2 emissions, industrialization,

do a thorough assessment of the existing situation toand increased information technology. Therefore,

determine the current context and the existing resources

communities will have to adapt from worse conditions inthat can be used. Another challenge highlighted isthe future, beginning at a diﬀerent starting point.

the speed at which knowledge is adapted to othercommunities. Sustainability becomes a problem if

Two different stakeholders have been identified, thosetechnology is rushed somewhere, which has happenedof Indigenous Knowledge (individual, community, civilin the past.

society, CBOs and local government), and those ofscientific knowledge (scientists, researchers, technicians,
government, institutions and external agencies). These(International Workshop on Indigenous Knowledge and Disaster Risk

two groups of stakeholders will need to work together

Reduction: From Practice to Policy - Kyoto University, 2008)10

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

Water Resource Management

Water has been the theme for many
disaster management efforts. Water isof water resources.

Finally, indigenous knowledge

also teaches unique ways of disseminating

the leading cause of disasters globally, and its

information related to water, using stories,

management can offer the much needed resilience

proverbs, songs, poems, and festivals to pass on

to communities struggling with its abundance orvaluable lessons.

dearth. With the increase of extreme water related
events, as well as the growing divide between

Regardless of its value, much indigenous

water demand and available water resources,

knowledge is being lost.

changing environments are putting water resourceof harvesting water in indigenous communities

management further at risk.

through innovative means has been documented

The dying wisdom

to some extent, but not applied in true measure.
There are technological as well as process issues

The indigenous system of water councils for

involved in the management of water resources,

equitable distribution and community level

and indigenous knowledge has much to offer

management of water exist, but now mostly infor both.

isolated case studies.

Indigenous technology has produced

It is important to recognize

specific practices which can be transferred towhat indigenous knowledge can offer to themany different communities, such as evaporation

increasingly prominent issue of water management.

control by using underground canals, waterWith the forces of climate change, manystorage by tank systems, water transfer by gravity,communities will experience a changing waterand traditional weather forecasting.

situation, either increasing or decreasing theIn addition,

elements of management, such as community

typical amount of resources.

rule, community-based decision-making, andmanagement provides a unique opportunity

collaboration with local government can be found

for transferring indigenous knowledge between

in indigenous knowledge and provide further

communities, which must be further explored.

Therefore, water

insight into successful protection and distribution

HousingVernacular or traditional housing has been
well documented in many parts of the world,development, are also changing the environments
and the way people live in their house over time.

and has often proven to be more resistant todisasters such as earthquakes when compared

Nonetheless, it is proven that traditional housing

to modern buildings.

can protect lives and secure livelihoods.

Often this is so because

are innumerable anecdotes surrounding every

world, are constructed using modern materials notlarge earthquake recounting how old, traditional

appropriate for the local context, and with grossly

buildings such as local temples, mosques or forts

inadequate skills.

survived the disaster while newly built, modern

Traditional housing utilizes local

materials and locally available technology andbuildings collapsed.

artisans.

Several components ofThis technology is successful because it

housing need to be analysed and incorporated inhas developed over time, tested by local

sensitive disaster reduction and response policies,

phenomena, and influenced by local conditions

including local materials, construction technologies,

such as culture or climate.

and building management systems.

With the changing

There is aenvironment, vulnerability related to poor housingneed for an increase in research and development

construction is increasing.

as well as training and education related to

Vernacular practices

are being lost over generations, due to the

traditional housing.

lack of respect for these traditions and theiropportunity to integrate indigenous and modern

diminishing use.

technologies by learning from traditional cultures

The impacts of several important

forces, such as modernity, climate change and

11

There

modern buildings, particularly in the developing

Housing provides a valuable

while transitioning into modern societies.

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

The basic principles of Indigenous Knowledge relating to

The question on how to link can Indigenous Knowledge

water resource management include:

and the decision making of the local government also
needs to be tackled. Two approaches can be taken: one

1.

2.
3.
4.

Diversity: fulfilling the needs of local people/

related to management and regulation, emphasizing

adapted to local culture, climate, environment,

the need for community-based decision making as wellgeography, etc.

as hierarchical management among diﬀerent levels andEquality: common property, resource sharing,

between governments, and the second related to theinterest balancing

conservation and promotion of Indigenous Knowledge,

Environmentally friendly: multiple purpose, reuse,highlighting documentation, dissemination, educationconservation

and awareness. There are also several challenges in the

Economically sustainable: local materials, no needfuture, such as the increase of more extreme events andof extra energy for water transferring (use oflarge scale disasters, the decreasing of water resources

gravity)and the change of spatial climate patterns. There is
therefore a stronger need for local solutions to theseThree transferable elements of Indigenous Knowledge for

global changes.

water resource management are: Technology (or specificpractices which could be transferred) such as evaporation

An important issue to be looked into is thecontrol by using underground canal, water storage bycommercialization of water. Recently, there hastank system, water transfer by gravity and traditional

been an intervention of the private sector into water

weather forecasting; Elements of management, such as

management. There is general agreement that watercommunity rule, community-based decision-making,should not be privatized since it poses an additionaland collaboration with local government; and Elements

danger of either losing or not utilizing valuable

related to methods of transfer, including the use of

Indigenous Knowledge relating to water management,

songs, stories, poems, festivals, beliefs and proverbs tosince Indigenous Knowledge is usually public belonging

transfer Indigenous Knowledge relating to water resource

to the people. There must be an eﬀort made to get the

management.

private and community groups together, though a private
intrusion on Indigenous Knowledge can be dangerous.

Two impacts of Indigenous Knowledge from a changing
environment are: impacts to water resources, which

Another important issue is the relevance of Indigenous

includes a general difference between water demand

Knowledge on water resource management to theand available water resources (like water scarcity) as

urban sector. Which Indigenous Knowledge principles

well as increasing extreme events; and impacts to

can be applied to the urban sector? There are several

Indigenous Knowledge question whether Indigenous

examples from India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and China

Knowledge is still applicable and whether it is evolvingof how indigenous practices could be used in an urban

with the changing environment. In addition, the needenvironment. Examples include indigenous practices

for adaptation in several different areas: technology,

for collecting rain water, using groundwater/wells,

management, crop and livelihood diversity and self-

and decreasing sediment in the water. Many of thesechecking or an enhancement of social capital needs to betechniques could be adapted to urban contexts, andaddressed.

possibly improved with modern technology.
(International Workshop on Indigenous Knowledge and Disaster Risk
Reduction: From Practice to Policy - Kyoto University, 2008)12

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

Indigenous housing (IH) can be defined as vernacular(such as applying the wrong orientation or location). It

housing, traditional housing and local housing. There aremust also be noted that the impacts of climate change

several specific features of IH: including local materials,

are making it even more diﬃcult to transfer and reduce

locally available technology and artisans, evolved

community vulnerability.

over time, and influenced by local conditions such as
culture and climate. Influences can be local, including

There can be several policy suggestions related to

local resources, culture, the community’s lifestyle andhousing and Indigenous Knowledge. There is a needexisting skill/technologies, as well as external, perhaps

for an increase in research and development as well as

relating to the economy. Housing does not stand alone.

training and education relating to IH. Local tourism

With regards to transferability, its holistic property may

should be encourages, which could help develop an

make it difficult to transfer from place to place, andinterest in IH and generate good employment for local

even from generation to generation, given the changing

artisans who hold indigenous techniques. There is a needenvironments, the impacts of modernity and the way

for increased awareness about this knowledge and its

people live in their house over time.

value. Local resource management and decentralizationof many of these processes should be improved in order

There are several reasons for discussing and studying IH.

to support the cultural identity of IH and utilize the

The work is done with an objective of reusing existing

indigenous techniques.

local wisdom in order to reduce community vulnerability
which may be increased with changing conditions. It

It needs to be emphasized that there is a need to makeprovides an opportunity to learn from indigenous

indigenous techniques more feasible, preserve them,communities with an insight into the transferability toand make them more attractive in the modern context.

Indigenous Knowledge. It helps promote sustainable

Reviving indigenous practices is not always possible indevelopment, especially with the integration ofsome contexts, and some technologies are not always

indigenous and modern technologies. It also allows forsafe. It is important not to romanticize this knowledge.

successful transition into modern societies. Finally, thisknowledge is part of a cultural identity which should be

Finally, there should be an effort to preserve IH

preserved and celebrated.

techniques; however it must not be lost that the context
is constantly changing. New techniques must also

There are several issues associated with transferring

evolve which take into account climate change impacts

indigenous housing knowledge. Since modern housing

as well as modern technologies. The focus should be on

has a high status in many communities there is no respect

extracting elements of principles from IH which can befor the traditional life styles. In addition, indigenoustransferred.

artisanship to carry out these IH techniques is fading.
In many cases, a traditional form is being transferred,13

but it is either incompatible with the materials and(International Workshop on Indigenous Knowledge and Disaster Risk

technologies used or it is not applied in the correct way

Reduction: From Practice to Policy - Kyoto University, 2008)

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

Policy Tools
Research, documentation andshowcasing

I•

Indigenous Knowledge and its applicability
under the various community basedn digenous Knowledge needs to be

Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives being

recognized and upgraded from a body

implemented across the regionof undocumented anecdotal practices toa validated body of applicable knowledge.
The following steps can contribute to thiseffort:•Understand and establish the value of
Indigenous Knowledge in present context,
and build a foundation for its integration
with other knowledge and operational
systems•

Systematically document the Indigenous
Knowledge on disaster risk reduction in
traditional communities•

Test the value of Indigenous Knowledge
and identify appropriate practices for
replication and scaling in the context of•Creation of informal education content on

AdvocacyThe most useful frontier for activating
the application of Indigenous

Knowledge significantly under Disaster Risk
Reduction work is that of governance.
Inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge indisaster management, risk reduction,
climate change adaptation and sustainable
development approaches of governments
will pave the way for its widespreadacknowledgement and application.
Advocacy initiatives for the same may be
carried out at various levels:•

Advocacy at international for a for inclusion

current scienceof Indigenous Knowledge in the regional

Demonstrate through national andefforts for institutionalization of the HFA,

regional pilot programs the applicability ofIndigenous Knowledge with appropriate

and in the DESD initiatives•

Advocacy with national and local

adaptation, as an input to awareness andgovernments for inclusion of their local

advocacy work

Indigenous Knowledge as well as adapted
Indigenous Knowledge from other relevant

Educationcommunities in their disaster managementEplans as also climate change adaptation

ducation is the most elementaryand important tool for the revival

and application of Indigenous Knowledge.

practices•

Dissemination to international and national

Education can establish the linkages

civil society organizations and academic

between Indigenous Knowledge andinstitutions towards inclusion of Indigenous

modern technology, and also bring about

Knowledge and Disaster Risk Reduction in

the connection with local context andtheir respective agendas

knowledge.

Under education the following

aspects can be useful tools for appropriate
application of Indigenous Knowledge indisaster risk reduction:•

Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge as
an element of formal education within
the numerous curriculum development
exercises being carried out in the region
for school as well as higher education on
Disaster Risk Reduction

Institutional frameworkThe effort for promotion of Indigenous
Knowledge and its integration inmainstream Disaster Risk Reduction work
cannot be a one time initiative andneeds a sustained push.

An appropriate

institutional set up is required at theregional level to provide support and
impetus for continued work for promoting
research, education and advocacy tools
discussed above.
14

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

Action Agenda

T

he immediate next steps forpromotion of Indigenous Knowledge

weakness of different organizations,for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Asiaof a database of Indigenous Knowledge

Pacific need to include engagement

practices, their analysis and subsequentwith policy makers, making a clear

recognition of practices with positive as

commitment to the issue, developing

well as negative consequences needs toa framework for specific actions, andbe done before dissemination, education

assigning responsibilities.

and advocacy work can be taken

The processes for documenting, validating,educating, advocating, and continued
working need to be spelt out.

Theinstitutions and groups.

up.

The creation

Linkage with national and regional

platforms with this as a discussion agenda
can however be initiated immediately.

foremost step that needs to be taken

Seven main issues have emerged as

is to identify the roles of different
stakeholders based on strengths andagenda discussed above:

cross-sectors to work on the overall

1: Establishment of Resource GroupThe work done thus far must be consolidated and moved forward.

A Regional

Resource Group may be established for pursuing the agenda, and identifying andlinking various community resource groups with an aim of establishing further
linkages.

2: Documentation and Research
There is a need for cataloguing and documenting Indigenous Knowledge inDisaster Risk Reduction and developing contextual guidelines based on Indigenous
Knowledge for disaster prone areas.
as well as current science.

Validation must happen through communities

This can be done through action research anddemonstration that this knowledge works, grounded in the fact that it has beensustainable and successful.

Advantages of improvement and adaptation of thisknowledge must be demonstrated and highlighted.

3: Education
This can be done by using databases of Indigenous Knowledge for curriculum
creation, both for formal and informal education.

Then, based on evidence of

success, the knowledge can be appropriately adapted and transferred throughthe education system.

Inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge must be promoted andmainstreamed in disaster, environment and development education.

15

Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction

4: Policy Advocacy
Those supporting and recognizing the values of Indigenous Knowledge must engage
in a regional policy discussion.

The body of promoters of Indigenous Knowledge

should subsequently engage with a wider spectrum of regional and national
stakeholders for integration of Indigenous Knowledge in Disaster Risk Reduction,
disaster management and developmental sectors under the umbrella of sustainable
development.

5: Enabling Environment
There is a need to create an environment that cuts across the techno-legal, socioeconomic as well as cultural regimes.

A wide policy engagement will pave theinitial way for this, but it must be followed up with a multi-pronged approachthat can include influencing current areas of work that have a potential forincorporating and promoting Indigenous Knowledge.

These can include initiatives

such as DRH-Asia, various school safety initiatives, various tsunami rehabilitation
and risk reduction initiatives, HFA and DESD program etc.

6: Change Agents
Agents for change must be identified at both the policy level, i.e. the rightlegislators and administrators, and the community level, i.e. the right local leaders
and influential citizens.

7: Special Focus Areas
Several specific focus areas can help to guide policy initiative on Indigenous
Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction so that it becomes comprehensive,
appropriate and appealing.

These can include gender, urban risk, climate change

adaptation and food security.

16

EUROPEAN UNION
European Union
Delegation of the European
Commission Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 2305 2600/2700
Fax: +66 2255 9113
Web: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/
index_en.htm

International Startegy for
Disaster Reduction
UN International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction for Asia & the Pacific
UNESCAP Building - 4th Floor, Section B,
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue - 10400
Bangkok - Thailand
Tel: +66(0)2 288 2745
E-mail: isdr-bkk@un.org

Kyoto University
International Environment andDisaster Management Laboratory,
Graduate School of Global
Environmental Studies
Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
606-8501, Japan
Tel/ Fax: +81-75-753-5708
E-mail: iedm.gsges@gmail.com
Web: http://www.iedm.ges.kyoto-u.ac.jp/

SEEDS
15/A First Floor,
Institutional Area,
Sector-IV, R.K. Puram
New a, India
T: 91-11-26174272
F: 91-11-26174572
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published in 2009