Local and Indigenous knowledge (LIK) systems are recognised as a pertinent component of effective and equitable water governance, especially for building resilient, sustainable, and climate-resilient water management systems; however, their incorporation into water governance systems and processes remains limited, symbolic, and hindered by technocratic, legal, and power barriers. This study, through a systematic overview of existing work from Africa, aims to explore critically the role and contribution of LIK systems in water governance and climate adaptation, with the goal of establishing that LIK systems should be understood and operationalised as a water governance system, not as a supplementary knowledge system. Through systematic thematic analysis, four recurring themes are identified: (i) rhetorical recognition of LIK without substantive institutionalisation; (ii) evidence of contributions to local-scale climate adaptation, ecosystem management, and water resource allocation; (iii) inherent challenges of legal marginalisation, epistemic dominance, and power asymmetry; and (iv) transformative limitations of participatory or co-management frameworks that maintain state-led authority. SWOT analysis reveals LIK’s strengths in adaptive innovation, knowledge coproduction, and governance legitimacy, with potential threats of marginalisation, institutional fragmentation, and dominance by technocratic discourses. The results show that the failure of integration is governance-driven rather than knowledge-driven, emphasising the importance of institutional recognition, legal pluralism, vertical integration, and the sharing of power. Partnership with LIK as an equal in governance helps create policy environments that are inclusive, flexible, and socially legitimate. This approach to integration directly contributes to the achievement of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This review establishes a conceptual, empirical, and practical basis for incorporating LIK into water governance, promoting adaptive, equitable, and resilient water resource management in a climate of uncertainty and complexity. Additionally, the review argues that climate-resilient water governance requires institutional recognition of legal pluralism, vertically integrated decision-making structures, and explicit power-sharing arrangements that treat LIK as coequal governance rather than consultative input. By reframing LIK integration as a question of authority and institutional design, this review contributes to debates on epistemic justice and adaptive water governance under climate change. While grounded in African case studies, the findings contribute to broader global debates on epistemic pluralism and inclusive water governance.
Ngubane et al. (2026) studied this question.