[F03] Local knowledge for community disaster resilience: participatory approaches in Tadami UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Conference Bldg 2F - Sakura Hall
| Affiliation | UNU-EHS |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Fontanella Pisa Paola |
Keywords
- Local knowledge
- Participatory approaches
- Community resilience
Outline
Communities in hazard-prone areas, with a long history of exposure to hazards, develop significant knowledge of their risk landscape. This knowledge influences social, cultural, spiritual, political, and economic spheres, shaping norms and practices for hazard management and adaptation through trial and error. However, methods for investigating and incorporating this local knowledge remain uncertain.
This presentation shows adopted approaches and results that emerged from the RENKEI Fellowship Seedcorn Funding awarded to Tohoku University for the Densho Adapt project. Using participatory and ethnographic methods such as workshops, participant observation, and in-depth interviews with rice farmers and local municipality members, the study identifies key hazards, past disasters, and climate change impacts in Tadami. It also examines local disaster risk reduction practices rooted in centuries-old folklore. Analysis using a qualitative data analysis software helped identifying the main priorities to be addressed for the enhancement of Tadami community resilience, through the co-creation of narratives about Tadami’s future concerning climate change, disaster risks, and socio-demographic and environmental changes. These elements are explored through the lens of landscape perception, reflected into cultural heritage, traditional events, and annual ceremonies related to the interaction with the mountainous environment.
