The Influence of Indigenous Knowledge Systems on Climate Change: Insights from Marymount Teachers College, Mutare, Zimbabwe

The livelihood of indigenous communities and the conservation of biodiversity depend on safeguarding traditional knowledge systems (IKS) as vital resources for climate resilience. In a rapidly globalizing world, IKS faces the risk of erosion, necessitating new forms of protection and integration into education. This exploratory mixed‑methods study investigated the influence of indigenous knowledge systems on climate change mitigation at Marymount Teachers College, Mutare, Zimbabwe. A stratified purposive sample of 50 participants comprising both lecturers and student teachers engaged in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programs was studied using questionnaires with closed and open‑ended items. Quantitative results revealed that beekeeping (38%) and horticulture (31%) were most frequently perceived as impactful projects, while qualitative coding highlighted themes of ecological stewardship, cultural taboos, and waste‑management practices. Integration of the two strands showed that perceptions of climate benefits were strong, but objectively demonstrated outcomes were limited, with illustrative monitoring suggesting potential improvements in tree survival, species richness, soil moisture, and waste diversion. The findings underscore that Marymount’s projects primarily foster ecological awareness and embed heritage‑based practices into teacher education, rather than providing direct evidence of large‑scale climate mitigation. Recommendations include formally integrating IKS into college curricula, strengthening collaborative research with communities, and conducting rigorous quantitative studies with environmental indicators such as carbon‑footprint audits and biodiversity indices to validate perceptions. As an exploratory study, these results provide preliminary insights into the role of IKS in higher education climate initiatives, laying the groundwork for more robust, evidence‑based investigations

Traditional knowledge, oral traditions, indigenous people

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