Participatory Mapping with Herders in a Climate Adaptation Research Project
Elisabeth Kago Ilboudo Nébié1, Colin Thor West2, Todd Andrew Crane3
1International Research Institute for Climate and Society (Earth Institute) and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University.
Practicing Anthropology
|September 20, 2021
Summary
Declining grazing lands impact Fulɓe herders in Africa. This study used participatory GIS mapping and satellite imagery to understand land use changes from the herders' perspective.
Area of Science:
- Environmental science
- Geography
- African studies
Background:
- Grazing land degradation threatens Fulɓe herder livelihoods in Burkina Faso and across Africa.
- Traditional land use and land cover changes are poorly documented in regions lacking accessible maps.
Purpose of the Study:
- To spatially represent ethnographic narratives of land use and land cover change using GIS.
- To understand environmental challenges from a fine-grained, emic perspective.
- To empower local communities through participatory mapping.
Main Methods:
- Geographic Information System (GIS) for spatial representation.
- Participatory mapping to involve community members in map creation.
- High-resolution satellite imagery analysis.
- Focus group discussions for ethnographic data collection.
Main Results:
- Successfully mapped land use and land cover changes based on community narratives.
- Provided a platform for Fulɓe herders to control and share their spatial knowledge.
- Highlighted the value of integrating local ecological knowledge with scientific data.
Conclusions:
- Participatory GIS mapping is effective in documenting land use changes and empowering local communities.
- Integrating emic perspectives with remote sensing data offers a nuanced understanding of environmental challenges.
- Fieldwork in one's home country presents unique opportunities and challenges, particularly concerning gender and social dynamics.
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