Indigenizing Education for Climate Management in Cameroon
摘要
Climate change is associated with food and nutrition insecurity, with the potential to further exacerbate water, health, and energy insecurity. The education of farmers is crucial for measures beyond food security. Farmers need education to remain abreast of technological innovations that affect agricultural operations. However, farmers encounter unique obstacles and must receive education and training to be successful. In this chapter we examine the impact of indigenizing climate change education on the perceptions of small holder farmers in the humid tropical agroecologies of Cameroon, whose forests are vital to climate change mitigation in the Congo basin. Farmers were studied together with their households in southern regions of Cameroon. The field study shows positive perception about a changing climate, and that farming households are employing coping and adaptive measures based on local and indigenous knowledge. Farmers diversify and reduce risk with off-farm income in the face of climate-related challenges. As a means of bolstering resilience and mitigating vulnerability, farmers are incorporating native tree species into agroforestry. The findings are critical for shaping climate change policy on awareness-building, education, and training for effective adaptation.