Harnessing Indigenous Knowledge-Based Prediction and Prevention Measures for Climate-Related Malaria Among Mopani District Communities, Limpopo Province, RSA

Abstract

This chapter investigates indigenous knowledge-based malaria season onset forecasting indicators and prevention measures employed across four municipalities in Mopani district. The study took a mixed approach (sequential multiphase design). Data were collected from 347 randomly selected participants; 25 interviewees were obtained through snowballing, and for the focus group discussion, nine participants were purposively selected. Findings established that people in the Mopani district predict the malaria season onset by forecasting rainfall using various indigenous knowledge-based indicators such as celestial bodies as well as plant and animal species. It was also noted that the burgeoning of modernization has created a fault line between the rural and urban communities in terms of indigenous knowledge practice and adoption in malaria mitigation. This chapter recommends that it is highly possible and progressive for disaster risk reduction policies to integrate indigenous and modern scientific knowledge for them to be effective.