This study is an attempt to point out the variety of natural hazards, such as landslides, droughts, soil erosion, earthquakes, lightening and floods in Sudur Paschim province of Nepal which are exacerbated by environmental degradation processes such as deforestation, desertification, biodiversity loss, soil crisp and watershed degradation. The study was carried out using participatory approach and process for collecting information, established methods and techniques to identify the hazard prone area with type and intensity and multi criteria evaluation method to prioritize replicable actions with location -specific innovative practices and their legitimization for integrating local and indigenous knowledge into science and technology through educational policy and assessment to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge as live science in disaster and climate change education. Findings of the study reveal that varieties of natural hazards in combination with social factors such as poverty, conflict and inequality and these events and processes result in frequent disasters. When threatened by a hazard, indigenous communities respond by making use of all this knowledge and practices, which has evolved over generations, and continue to adapt to future changes. However, these traditional, often faith-based, beliefs and practices are embedded in their day-today lives are key to their resilience in the face of natural hazards. Many communities are concerned that this knowledge might be lost as the elderly die without transferring it to younger members of the community due to lack of proper educational policy and strategic development plans and have not properly addressed natural hazards and socio-economic vulnerability by coping local/indigenous knowledge into practices. Indigenous and traditional knowledge is a precious national resource that can support the process of disaster prevention, preparedness and response in cost-effective disaster risk reduction. Asa suggestive measures, ,findings of the study forwarded some policy issues in the context of disaster risk reduction local practices and their need to integrate mainstreaming educational programs with producing tools for integrating local and indigenous knowledge with science; and develop information, education and communication that promote local/ indigenous knowledge for the multi hazard risk reduction and climate change adaptation in mostly vulnerable locations of Sudur Paschim Province, Nepal.
Innovative practices for the promotion of local/indigenous knowledge for disaster risk reduction management in Sudur Paschim Province, Nepal
