Bridging the Knowledge Gap through Documenting Indigenous Early warning indicators in areas prone to climate-induced natural disasters in Zimbabwe

这项拟议的研究是刚刚结束的一个项目的后续项目，该项目的目的是清查津巴布韦奇马尼、奇平格和布赫拉地区受飓风艾达影响的非物质文化遗产(ICH)资产。非物质文化遗产项目的调查结果之一是，在飓风之前，在受影响的社区中出现了一些土著预警指标，但不幸的是，没有人注意到，他们无意中忽视了这些信号，或者正如叙述所描绘的那样，他们中的一些人没有解释大自然向他们发出的警告。忽视土著警告或信号的主要原因是对土著预警指标缺乏了解。因此，本研究建议进一步调查津巴布韦易受气候影响的自然灾害地区的土著预警指标。多年来观察到该项目的研究地点将是奇马尼、奇平格和布赫拉，这些地区是飓风多发的地区，以及穆扎拉巴尼、姆比雷和宾加地区，这些地区容易发生干旱。据报告，大自然在灾害发生前发出信号或警告，世界不同区域关于土著知识和预警系统的文献都证明了这一点，例如，关于孟加拉国的Howell(2003年)；关于肯尼亚的OLuchiri(2019年)；关于埃斯瓦蒂尼的环境署(2007年)，肯尼亚、印度尼西亚、泰国、日本等等。因此，文献中有充分的证据表明，土著预警指标因地理区域而异。拟议的研究旨在记录津巴布韦已确定地区的预警指标，目的是为预警指标提供有价值的见解，并通过弥合当地地区在预警方面的知识差距来建设能力，以便当地社区能够解释这些指标并采取适当行动。这些本地化的预警指标将纳入小学、中学和高等教育各级的政策和课程的主流。拟议的研究将通过四(4)个工作包实施，这些工作包与目标部分概述的四(4)个目标相关联。工作包包括；(1)清点津巴布韦六个易受气候引起自然灾害的地区(布赫拉、奇马尼、奇平格、姆比雷、宾加和穆扎拉巴尼)的土著预警指标；(2)开发一个学习单元，包括利用已确定的气候引起自然灾害的土著预警指标制作一部纪录片，并促进将该单元纳入津巴布韦的小学、中学和高等教育课程；(3)开发一个流动或电子应用程序，帮助各社区传播已确定的津巴布韦气候引起的自然灾害的预警指标并提高其认识；以及(4)促进将气候引起的自然灾害的土著预警指标纳入津巴布韦使用的减少风险框架(仙台框架)。这项研究将通过不同性别的重点小组讨论、与社区中确定的知情成员的关键线人访谈、利益攸关方讲习班和协商会议，使用定性的询问和数据收集。所有讨论和面谈将以当地语言进行，记录、逐字转录并翻译成英语。数据分析将采用主题分析。将制作一部纪录片。

This proposed study is a follow-on project to a just ended project whose aim was to inventory the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) assets affected by Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani, Chipinge and Buhera districts in Zimbabwe. One of the findings of the ICH project was that there were a number of indigenous early warning indicators which were witnessed in the affected communities just prior to the cyclone, but unfortunately no one took heed, they inadvertently ignored the signals or as the narratives portray, some of them failed to interpret the warning that nature was sending them. The main reason for ignoring the indigenous warnings or signals was lack of understanding of the indigenous early warning indicators. This study therefore proposes to investigate further the indigenous early warning indicators in areas prone to climate-induced natural disasters in Zimbabwe. The areas that will be the study sites for the project, which have been observed to be vulnerable over the years, are Chimanimani, Chipinge and Buhera, which are districts prone to cyclones and Muzarabani, Mbire, and Binga districts, which are prone to droughts. Nature has been reported to send signals or warnings before a disaster strikes as attested in literature on indigenous knowledge and early warning systems in different regions of the world, that is, Howell (2003) on Bangladesh; Oluchiri (2019) on Kenya; UNEP (2007) on Eswatini, Kenya, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, among other examples. There is therefore ample evidence in the literature that there are indigenous early warning indicators which vary across geographical zones. The proposed study seeks to document early warning indicators in the identified areas in Zimbabwe with the aim of providing valuable insights into early warning indicators as well as building capacity by bridging the knowledge gap in the local areas in early warning so that the local communities are able to interpret them and take appropriate action. These localised early warning indicators will be mainstreamed into policy and curricula at primary, secondary and tertiary level.The proposed research will be implemented through four (4) work packages, which are linked to the four (4) objectives outlined in the objectives section. The work packages include; (i) inventorying indigenous early warning indicators in six districts (Buhera, Chimanimani, Chipinge, Mbire, Binga, and Muzarabani) prone to climate-induced natural disasters in Zimbabwe, (ii) development of a learning module, including producing a documentary video, using the identified indigenous early warning indicators for climate-induced natural disasters and facilitate the incorporation of the module into primary, secondary and tertiary curricula in Zimbabwe, (iii) development of a mobile or electronic application to help disseminate and sensitisation of communities on the identified indigenous early warning indicators for climate-induced natural disasters in Zimbabwe, and (iv) facilitation of the incorporation of indigenous early warning indicators for climate-induced natural disasters into the risk reduction framework (SENDAI Framework) used in Zimbabwe.The study will use qualitative enquiry and data collection through gender-separated focus groupdiscussions, key informant interviews with identified knowledgeable members of the community, stakeholder workshops and consultative meetings. All discussions and interviews will be conducted in the local language, recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated to English. Data analysis will employ a thematic analysis. A documentary will be produced.