Indigenous Knowledge System and Evironmental Conservation Practices in Umuahia South Lga, Abia State Nigeria

Abstract

The study looked at the applicability of indigenous knowledge in environmental conservation in Umuahia south LGA, Abia state.  A total of 408 questionnaires were distributed of which 398 was retrieved and analyzed. The study adopted both the open-ended and close-ended questionnaire method and also adopted a structured four point Likert-scale questionnaire to elicit information from respondents. The simple percentage was used to analyze the research questions while the Chi-square was used to test the Hypotheses. Result of the test of hypotheses show that the calculated chi-square X2 was 68.95 which is greater than the table value of 6.25. The null hypothesis was rejected and the alternate hypothesis accepted. Hence there was a significant relationship between livelihood dependence on natural resources and the survival rate of indigenous plants and animals in Umuahia South LGA. Findings from the study showed that the use of believe systems and restrictions using taboos was very effective and majorly the adopted indigenous methods and practices in environmental conservations in umuahia south LGA, Abia state. The study recommends an integration of indigenous knowledge module in academic curriculum in both the primary, secondary and tertiary educational system in Nigeria, a policy trust restricting the exploitation of indigenous natural resources, given that the over-exploitation and extinction of indigenous nature resources impacts on the indigenous knowledge and culture of the people and an Indigenous knowledge database; A system of documentation and cataloguing of indigenous knowledge of the people to forestall its loss and extinct.