SRISTI

Long vilified as sorcerers, Kenya’s Nganyi rainmakers with meteorological equipment consisting of trees, pots and herbs are being enlisted to mitigate the effects of climate change (Kenya’s rainmakers called to combat climate change, Jean- Marc Mojon | Maseno, Kenya – Sep 20 2009 07:35). Of late, the scientific world has begun embracing them as partners in unraveling the never-ending mysteries of Mother Nature. As part of a two-year project, funded by the International Development Research Centre, a museum will be set up at Nganyi shrine. The project’s team leader, Prof Laban Ogallo, who is also the head of the Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC), run by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), says that the aim of the project is to demystify the knowledge of the Nganyi community as rainmakers. “This will enrich Western methods to improve local communities’ adaptation to climate change,” he 2 75 5Honey Bee Network adds. Prof Ogallo says that the Nganyi community was selected based on the results of a recent survey carried out by ICPAC and UNEP. “The study revealed that the community has a welldeveloped indigenous climate forecast system that could be integrated into Western climate forecasts,” he explains (Kenya: Scientists in Rare Joint-Project with Traditional Rainmakers, Cosmas Butunyi, 1 July 2008).

Local communities and farmers in Africa have developed intricate systems of gathering, predicting, interpreting and decision-making in relation to weather. Farmers in Nigeria are reported to use the knowledge of weather systems such as rainfall, thunderstorms, windstorms, harmattan and sunshine to plan for future weather. (Ajibade and Shokemi, 2003 www.ipcc. ch /publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ ch9s9-6- 2.html)

Indigenous methods of weather forecasting are known to complement farmers’ planning activities in Nigeria. A similar study in Burkina Faso showed that farmers’ forecasting knowledge encompasses shared and selective experiences. Elderly male farmers formulate hypotheses about seasonal rainfall by observing natural phenomena, while cultural and ritual specialists draw predictions from divination, visions or dreams (Roncoli et al., 2001). The most widely relied upon indicators are the timing, intensity and duration of cold temperatures during the early part of the dry season (November to January). Other forecasting indicators include the timing of fruiting by certain local trees, the water level in streams and ponds, the nesting behaviour of small quail like birds, and insect behaviour in rubbish heaps outside compound walls (Roncoli et al., 2001 www. ipcc.ch /publications _and_ data /ar4 /wg2/en/ ch9s9-6- 2.html).

Vol 21(2) Apr-Jun 2010

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