Building heavily on the traditional expertise from the Nomadic Pastoralists, scholars in Tanzania have compiled research report featuring alternative ways of combating effects of climate change and global warming.
The Simanjiro originated blueprint, is describe as the ultimate ‘Red Pill’ which the world needs to swallow in order to offset the effects of climate change and global warming.
The new formula includes traditional knowledge systems in prevention and control of disasters for resilience compiled from the social-ecological experience garnered from the Maasai Culture, skills that have also stood the test of time.
“As pilot research program, we started with the Simanjiro District of Manyara, precisely in five villages of Irkujit, Narosoito, Lormorijoi, Endonyongijape and Orkirung’urung’u,” explained the Climate Change Officer for the Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Governmental Organizations’ Forum, Gideon Sanago.
“The Maasai can use the sun, stars, plants and even wind to predict the weather, climate and natural disasters before they occur to remarkable accuracy, this is the knowledge that we want to share with the nation, policy makers and the entire world,” added Sanago.
The first draft labelled, ‘Traditional Knowledge System for Agro-Pastoralists Resiliency,’ has just been introduced in Arusha through the Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Governmental Organizations (PINGOs) Forum in conjunction with the Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA).
Mama Nailejileji Tupap, an officer in-charge of the gender department at the PINGOs Forum added that, while Climate Change and related effects of global warming are inevitable, the new research will also help in sharing the proven methods of adaptation capacity which has helped nomadic pastoralists remain resilient against all environmental changes.
On his part, the Legal Officer for the Pastoralists Forum, Saitoti Parmelo pointed out that, all National Parks and Game Reserves in East Africa were hatched from areas previously inhabited by the nomadic pastoralists; “Which is a good evidence that, they are extremely good in environment conservation,” he said.
Plus the fact that the nomadic pastoralists also don’t hunt or eat game meat which to them is a strict taboo.
Dr Swalehe Masaza is the Simanjiro District Livestock and Fisheries Officer who reinforces the importance of the new study report, saying the world had a lot to learn from the Maasai communities regarding resilience against effects of climate change and global warming.
As it happens, the researchers found out that the Maasai could possibly be among the few communities in East Africa capable of surviving in all types of hostile climatic conditions without being compelled to destroy nature.
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