Indigenous Health Adaptation to Climate Change

Shuaib LwasaDidas Namanya

OutlineConducted the pilot study in three settlements of

the Batwa of Kitariro, Kihembe and Kitahurira.

Partners

Priority research areas and interventions

Training and capacity building

Leadership and project management and coordination

Pilot study in three settlements

Batwa of Kitariro, Kihembe and KitahuriraAn estimated 800 Batwa in the district of

Kanungu Propose to work in all settlements of the

Batwa

PartnersMoH, MAK Department of GeographyContact with community based organizations; BDP,

BCH, UOBDUBuhoma Community Hospital Local government for collaborationBatwa Development Program have accepted to

collaborateUNRHO which is a co-applicant but also provide space

if needed for coordination of the project activitiesAn opportune for the project for knowledge translation

that will require working with stakeholders including the organizations for exchange and uptake of knowledge

Priority research areas and interventions

Food security, change of diet, inadequate land and dependence of agri-labor, tourism services

Health challenges (access to both modern health services and traditional health systems), but also malaria burden among the people. Important is the differential burden of disease by age groups Potential linkage to climate change

Water access challenges due to variable climate and droughts. Terrain also affects water accessibility

Resource entitlements and rights in respect to forest

based resources is also an issue of priority which we hope to investigate more given the selective acceptance of some settlements and not others.

Priority research…………The threat to indigenous health knowledge

systems.Initiatives underway to document, transfer to

young generations and preserve this knowledge

Global resource governance shaped by conservation and tourism promotion by UWA. The issue of co-benefits from the global resource governance based on edge communities in CC context

Identified the limited knowledge and or predisposition by local administration about the Batwa systems.

Training and capacity building 2 PhD students and 4 MSc students two of whom

will be working on topics directly related to the PhD’s. idea is to build capacity of PhD students to co-supervise MSc. Theses.

Knowledge translation will ink to curriculum development but we are weary of the models for curriculum development

Capacity building for stakeholders including local government and communities. Advancing the concept of ‘climate leaders’ through a knowledge exchange platform

Priority research…………

Research-policy interface Influencing policy is critical in Uganda just like it is elsewhere.

Higher institutions and authorities have characteristic views about Batwa

Unfortunately some of the biases are; drug abuse, social relations (Batwa girls and Bakiga men) which indicates prejudices about the indigenous group.

The current health policy which is under review is also largely silent about indigenous communities. UNFCCC SBSTA emphasized tapping into and learning form indigenous

knowledge. This is an opportunity to demonstrate the sustainability of adaptations based on indigenous knowledge rather than negating them

Propose to utilize the knowledge exchange platform to attempt at influencing policy

Benefits to Batwa and Uganda government

Expected to deepen understanding of adaptation to climate change among the Batwa.

Enhanced knowledge for Batwa, academics, students, local authorities and policy makers

Document IK on the Batwa Health system

Capacity development among the Batwa and communities in respect to advocacy, climate leadership

Pilot projects and interventions around which capacity is expected to be developed

Potential to inform IPCC on adaptation of indigenous health systems

Leadership and project managementOutput-based framework of implementation

which would require expertise in a particular area

Model offers high chances of contributing to uniqueness and aligns with IDRC requirements

Faces of the meetings

Thank you!Gracias!Merci!