In my community, a powerful example of Locally-led Adaptation (LLA) is the revitalization of communal "sacred groves" and traditional water management systems to combat the increasing frequency of droughts and erratic rainfall. These initiatives address the dual challenge of water scarcity and land degradation. Local engagement is rooted in the traditional authority structure, where community members, led by traditional councils, participate in decision-making through village forums to designate protected areas around vital watersheds. This practice has led to the restoration of local micro-climates and more reliable water access for small-scale farming during the dry season. These strategies are deeply tied to our cultural identity, as they treat the environment as a shared ancestral heritage rather than just a resource to be exploited.
Traditional practices such as staggered planting and the use of drought-resistant indigenous seeds remain vital for adaptation in the region, though they are increasingly threatened by a shift toward modern, chemical-intensive monoculture. While these practices are still used by elder farmers, they face significant barriers like policy neglect from national agricultural programs and the migration of youth to urban centers, which breaks the chain of generational knowledge transfer. Under the LLA framework, these practices can be integrated into modern strategies by shifting funding directly to local cooperatives that prioritize seed-saving and traditional soil conservation techniques. Successful initiatives, such as those seen in coastal regions where communities combine modern engineering with traditional mangrove restoration, prove that integrating indigenous wisdom with scientific tools creates a more accepted and sustainable defense against climate hazards.