Indigenous early warning systems and community resilience in flood-prone areas

Abstract

Background: The hazard of flooding is an annual phenomenon that has displaced millions of people over the years worldwide and claimed lives and properties. This study examined indigenous – based early warning method for flood prevention in Ayetoro and its environs in Ilaje Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria. Methods: The study employed descriptive survey design using systematic sampling techniques to select 309 respondents to investigate indigenous based early warning method and flood prevention in Aiyetoro and its environs in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. Four research questions were raised and answered using descriptive statistics. Findings: The result revealed that there was moderate level of indigenous knowledge (grand mean = 3.00, above the standard mean of 2.50) which suggested that Ayetoro and its environs maintains traditional practices for flood prediction and mitigation of respondents on the effectiveness of Indigenous – based Early Warning Method (IEWM), supported by the grand mean value of 3.49 which indicated that the communities finds these methods highly reliable for flood mitigation, because of the timeliness and reliability of the information and trust in the accuracy of predictions. The result also indicated that majority of respondents (53.9%) supported the integration of indigenous knowledge with modern technology, with a grand mean of 3.49. This reveals the community's recognition of the limitations of indigenous methods and the potential benefits of combining them with technological advancements. The result further shows that (94.8%) of the respondents consenting the statements indicated that there were high challenges and barriers to the development and implementation of indigenous – based early warning method in the study area. Conclusion: The study concluded that communities highly value the accuracy and reliability of traditional methods, but the need for modernization is evident to sustain long-term flood management efforts. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study established shortfall in dependability of indigenous methods commonly adopted in the observed communities in the study. Modern technological tools of flood prediction combined with traditional knowledge will help to create a comprehensive and robust flood management system in the study area.