Indigenous Knowledge of the Christian Minority Adapting to Climate Change in the Nam Dong District, Thua Thien Hue Province

Climate change is challenging for people whose livelihoods are based on agricultural production activities. One of the most effective strategies to adapt to climate change and disasters is integrating “indigenous knowledge” into planning and policy in practice at both the local and national levels. This study investigates the role of traditional agricultural practices of the Co Tu ethnic group in Nam Dong district, Thua Thien Hue province. On that basis, the study identifies indigenous knowledge that people have applied to respond to climate change and natural disasters in the six communes where the Co Tu people live. Primary data was collected through four surveys and field trips; seven meetings with district and commune officials; interviews with reputable people in the community, and 35 surveys of households with the Co Tu people in Nam Dong district, Thua Thien Hue province, central Vietnam. The results show that the Co Tu people in six communes of Nam Dong district are highly aware of climate change risks and have applied their current adaptation methods to cope with them. The main adaptation strategies that the Co Tu people implement include: (1) observing natural components to forecast weather and natural disasters; (2) using local knowledge in agricultural production (adjusting crop schedules, using drought-tolerant and intercropping varieties, and crop rotation). The results indicate that indigenous understanding of knowledge plays a fundamental role in providing appropriate adaptation measures to climate change and local disasters. These results will help district and commune leaders to develop solutions for local socioeconomic development and help policymakers apply indigenous knowledge of climate change prevention into these solutions for future use.