Overson SHUMBA Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
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Transcript of Overson SHUMBA Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
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Climate change education for sustainable development through basic climate change science and fire education
Overson SHUMBACopperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
Paper presented under Thematic Area 2: ‘Draw from a variety of knowledge sources’ of the UNESCO Experts Meeting on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development in Africa20-22 March 2013, Mauritius.
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Slash and burn... then crop...food security or deforestration?
• Indigenous agriculture and land-use practices often perceived simply as destructive...fire at heart of some of those practices... not much attempt to explore the rationality
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Mines ... Economy! But how of?
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Charcoal industry... Energy security... Poverty alleviation.. Or deforetration?
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Fair or unfair criticism
• ‘Backward traditional practices’ leading to – ...Deforestation, erosion, loss of nutrients and soil fertility, biodiversity loss, and climate change
• May be discriminatory and undervaluing the rationality and socio-historical factors and realities, e.g., – No information or capacity to forecast what to expect from climate change
– Survival needs– No financial or political muscle
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‘Indigenous’ rationality bourn out of long history of observation and experience
• Knowledge and practice bourn out of experience that bears scientific rationality that may be based on the impact of fire on the ecosystem+ Increased soil fertility
• Natural fertilisers stored in vegetation• Low pH soils need ‘ash’ to raise pH level• Certain plant species favoured and easier to manage weeds• Enhanced soil nitrification and micro-nutrients, e.g., Zn, Mn
(-) Loss of soil nutrients» Loss of soil C, N, P» Loss of water inflitration and retention (hydrophobicity) and increased runoff» Decreased soil organisms» Fallow periods... Recovery and regeneration periods
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‘Indigenous’ rationality of practices in the face of poverty, risk and vulnerability?
• Practices contributing to ‘resilient communities’ faced with poverty and vulnerability and social risks• Land husbandry and food security• Employment • Management of Weeds and Pests• Biodiversity
• Indigenous rationality not based on anticipation of climate change BUT it does NOT mean indigenous people are helpless in the mitigation and/or adaptation to its impacts... need interventions that at the same time demonstrate the value basis of local practices while at the same time providing evidence to question these practices
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‘Learning to explore the dialectic between tradition and innovation’
• “Underpinning this process is the need to explore cultural values and traditions in a way which respect diversity, protect traditional knowledge and if necessary challenge exploitative practices” (Tilbury, 2011).
• Interrogating the ‘dialectic between tradition and innovation’ is an important agenda for CCE and hence the need for teacher resources that are ‘community-connected’ or ‘community-connecting’ ... often indigenous philosophies and practices are not only ecologically and socially intelligent but sustainable!
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Propose need for community-connected resources for teachers• Example: Exploring Community Practices Associated With Fire and
Relevance for CCE
• Collect examples of community practices and their history, e.g., slash and burn, chitemene, and exploit opportunities to learn and change
• Explore their rationality (e.g., empirical experience and the scientific basis) of practices relative to environmental and sustainable development issues
• Engage people to assess knowledge, awareness, and attitudes towards Climate Change and what needs to be done for Mitigation and Adaptation
• Designing instructional resources carrying– Basic climate change science– Interrogating local practices– Exploring future capabilities for sustainablility
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• Explore for example:– History of fire in the community
• [including myths and rituals involving fire; traditional fire uses and management practices and the rationality]– The Science of Fire and Burning
• [chemistry and science of fire and combustion; flammability of earth; basic fire education; basic climate change science]
– Fire, Ecosystems, Economy, and Society• [survey of fire uses and its management; traditional and modern knowledge and practices of fire use and
management and their scientific rationality; how shared]• [Practical investigations and experimental work: What happens to soil organisms and nutrients (C, N, P, etc),
habitats, and vegetation? N, C, and H2O cycle; Exploring existing and alternative income generating activities and impacts on community; Surveys exploring CC awareness and attitudes; exploring local lifestyles and climate change and change projects]
– Fire, Nutrient Cycles and Biodiversity• [fire and natural nutrient cycles; positive and negative impacts on bio-diversity]
– Fire, Lifestyles and Climate Change• [fire and climate change; fire as an important part of climate change, fire impacting climate change; climate
change impact on fire incidence and cycles]