3.2. India: “Knowledge connectivity”: The Integrated Knowledge System on Climate Change Adaptation

OWSA, the South Asian centre of One World International, works to leverage the democratic potential of ICTs for promoting sustainable development and human rights in the South Asia region. In the context of climate variability risk management, One World believes that new technologies and a collective pool of knowledge can facilitate the integration of climate change response strategies into sustainable development goals, manifested within the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) framework. As a result, OWSA is working to help build community-centric efforts that address the challenges of development and climate change, and help communities adapt to a new environment. A key aspect of this effort is to collaboratively create a common ICT-assisted knowledge platform that will facilitate, sensitise and mobilise knowledge interactions through traditional and new media tools. This we hope will contribute towards low-cost, inclusive climate change adaptation interventions.

The rationale behind a knowledge system to combat climate change

Climate change consequences would substantially add to existing vulnerabilities of poor and indigenous grassroots communities in South Asia who are inadequately prepared for adapting to unforeseen changes in their economic, social and environmental context. Evidence of these vulnerabilities is already visible in the Bundelkhand region of Central India, which has faced extreme weather events over the last ten years and witnessed a decrease in food grain production by 50%. Likewise, competing demands on increasingly scarce water resources have adversely affected marginalised agricultural communities in pockets of the Indo-Gangetic belt, especially in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.

A lack of resources and knowledge further limits the capacity of individuals and communities in responding to basic crucial adaptation strategies and risk reduction measures.

Collaborative pilot projects are proposed in these areas. One of OWSA’s projects, called the Integrated Knowledge System on Climate Change Adaptation (IKS-CCA), is attempting to bridge this capability gap.

The IKS-CCA approach and benefits

IKS-CCA is being designed to build a knowledge platform that facilitates access to contextual knowledge on climate adaptation from a community perspective. The point is to help poor communities adapt to climate change vulnerabilities and risks. The project aims to use innovative technology, knowledge processes and communication channels to deconstruct the spectrum of available knowledge on climate change resilience and adaptation into information packets and messages for local use by communities on the ground.

In designing this project, OWSA has been very careful of the triad of access deficits that poor communities encounter in leveraging digital opportunities: (1) inadequate penetration of broadband internet, (2) a lack of digital content in local languages, and (3) an education and human capacity deficit (including gender inequity) that creates an impediment to accessing digital knowledge.

IKS-CCA project pamphlet
The Web 2.0-compatible technology platform used in the project will enable a three-way knowledge flow: top-down social and scientific research-based knowledge; peer-to-peer experiential learning by development practitioners; and bottom-up indigenous innovations from the grassroots. These will be captured and categorised on a taxonomical map, synthesised wherever applicable, and packaged for delivery in multiple formats using several tools, such as voice and short messaging service (SMS), RSS/SNS feeds, email and community radio, amongst various Web 2.0 applications. The aim is to develop what we call “knowledge connectivity” between grassroots communities, development practitioners, academia and policy makers. This would enable knowledge exchange by overcoming barriers of technology accessibility, language and other social inhibitors.

The project also aims to build innovative community partnerships to encourage a positive impact at the grassroots with respect to climate change risk management and adaptation. Change makers will include community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the private sector and governments, who will not only facilitate the process but also benefit from it in terms of increasing their own impact on the ground.

The project will initially benefit around 50,000 households in the target areas by providing crucial knowledge and expertise on climate change best practices, including climate variability risk management measures. After the initial pilot, and on a time scale of five years, the project is envisioned to benefit at least 500,000 households in the project target areas by providing knowledge.

The robust knowledge-facilitation model envisaged can be scaled up organically to surrounding regions, and replicated (with appropriate societal and linguistic adaptation) in similar bioclimatic regions of South Asia and Africa, while its learning will be relevant to other bioclimatic regions of the global South.

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