Traditional Ecological knowledge of predicting rain for climate adapting in North Benin

Abstract

Traditional knowledge is base of decisions taking by local population affecting their livelihood. This traditional knowledge, focusing on practices and experiences highlighted the weather and climate information which is important for rain fed agriculture in Kandi commune. This research focuses on traditional knowledge of predicting rain through the climate indicators. It was carried in four districts 4 districts (Sam, Donwari, Kassakou and Sonsoro) of  Kandi commune.  Through 75 interviews (resource persons at least 40 years of experience) and 7 focus groups in the community, information was gathered about traditional climate and weather indicators and prediction tools. The snowball sampling technique was used to choose the respondents. Knowledge about climate indicator is exchanged, passed on from generation to generation and concerned plant species, animal species and astronomical elements. These climate indicators revealed onset of rain season, intensity of rain in full season and the end rain season.  Multiple correspondence analyses with statistical software R Version 3.02 show three categories group. One shows the indicators such as wind, thunder, Cloud, Bird. The second group combines the factors transmit to member of family and acquire by initiation. The third group concerns bird indicator.