Indigenous strategies used by selected farming communities in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, to manage soil, water, and climate extremes and to make weather predictions

Abstract Most of rural South Africa is semi arid, experiencing a variable climate with extreme weather events such as droughts and floods. Communal farmers experience problems of getting reliable weather information. Datasets used to describe climate change and variability rely on spatially interpolated gridded data from a few weather stations. The ability of gridded climate data to describe climate variability at the local level has been widely questioned. Communal farmers have developed indigenous strategies to cope with these extremes in order to sustain agricultural production. The objective of this study was to document indigenous strategies that smallholder farmers in Bergville and Msinga, in KwaZulu Natal Province, use to predict weather, conserve soil and water, and manage climate extremes events. Data were gathered through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and questionnaire. Results showed that more farmers in Msinga than Bergville observed reduced rainfalls and increased temperatures as an indicator of climate variability ( p <.05). Bergville and Msinga communal farmers use indigenous indicators such as wind and cloud patterns, animal and bird behaviour, moon shape, and position of the sun to predict weather. Communal farmers using manure were 0.17 times more likely to conserve soil and water when compared with those using artificial fertilizer ( p <.05). Thus, indigenous knowledge system (IKS) can be used to conserve soil and water and manage climate extremes and variability. Communal farmers also resist adopting unfamiliar strategies that are forced on them without proper engagement. Communal farmers have managed to survive extreme weather events using IKS.