Integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Geographical Information System in mapping flood vulnerability in informal settlements in a South African context: a critical review

ABSTRACT

Climate change and the multidimensional nature of flood vulnerability, necessitate an in-depth consideration of experiential knowledge in reducing flood vulnerability in geospatial environments such as informal settlements. The objective of this paper is to provide a critical review of literature and scholarship in the context of the integration of Indigenous Knowledge and Geographical Information System in mapping flood vulnerability in South Africa. Keywords were searched in two databases for empirical studies that integrated Indigenous Knowledge and Geographical Informal System in mapping flood vulnerability in South Africa. The search extended to literature cited in the papers identified from the databases. The studies were thematically analysed and synthesized. The findings reveal that flood vulnerability in South Africa is mainly considered from an integrated perspective. Approaches used to integrate Indigenous Knowledge and Geographical Information Systems in mapping flood vulnerability are fragmented. There is a lack of sensitivity analysis and map validation, limited use of Indigenous Knowledge as well as inadequate community participation in the mapping of flood vulnerability in informal settlements. This critical review demonstrates the need for a comprehensive, explicit and participatory approach for integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Geographical Information System that genuinely utilize the special characteristics that each of them possesses.

KEYWORDS:

• Indigenous knowledge
• geographical information system
• integration
• flood vulnerability
• South Africa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Big Data for Science and Society project.