INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND BOTTOM-UP CLIMATE GOVERNANCE: COMMUNITY-BASED ADAPTATION IN BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Climate adaptation in environmentally vulnerable regions requires more than externally designed interventions; it also depends on the knowledge, agency, and participation of communities experiencing climate-related pressures. This study examines how indigenous knowledge and community participation contribute to locally appropriate climate adaptation in Balochistan, Pakistan. Using a qualitative interpretive design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with 28 climate-affected individuals and 30 key informants. Thematic analysis was used to examine traditional adaptation practices, local innovation, youth engagement, social inclusion, institutional relationships, and community–institution collaboration. Findings indicate that communities possess substantial experiential knowledge concerning water management, agriculture, livestock, weather conditions, and collective resource use, but changing environmental conditions have reduced the effectiveness of some traditional practices. Communities have consequently developed local innovations and collective coping mechanisms, although some responses reflect distress rather than sustainable adaptation. The findings further demonstrate that limited participation, gender and social exclusion, weak government–community linkages, and insufficient long-term support constrain locally generated adaptation. The study argues for a bottom-up and hybrid approach that connects indigenous knowledge and community agency with appropriate scientific, technological, and institutional support. Such an approach can strengthen the relevance, inclusiveness, and sustainability of climate adaptation in Balochistan.