TITLE:
Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Resilience in Lao Agriculture
AUTHORS:
Chittana Phompila, Daovone Phonemanichane, Vongphet Sihapanya
KEYWORDS:
Indigenous Knowledge, Climate Change, Climate Resilience, Adaption, Lao Agriculture
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.13 No.12,
December
17,
2025
ABSTRACT: The accelerating frequency and severity of climatic hazards place agricultural systems and food security under significant threat, particularly in vulnerable nations like Lao PDR. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is increasingly recognized as a vital repository of place-based strategies for climate change adaptation. However, the efficacy of this knowledge against unprecedented, non-historical climate variability remains a critical research gap. This study provides a qualitative assessment of the agricultural IK system in Northern Laos, aiming to 1) identify and document the existing components of IK, 2) assess its functional contribution to climate resilience, and 3) explore stakeholder perceptions of its contemporary importance. We employed a mixed-methods case-study design in Houaypaen village, Luang Prabang. Data were collected via participatory focus group discussions (N = 16) and in-depth interviews (N = 6) with age-stratified farmers, supplemented by a key informant survey (N = 16) of government, INGO, and CSO representatives. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed, and all datasets were triangulated. The findings document a sophisticated, three-pillar IK system: 1) a multi-scalar climatic prediction system using bio-indicators and fauna; 2) nature-based agricultural techniques, including vegetation-based soil classification and ecologically-permeable bamboo weirs; and 3) the maintenance of climate-tolerant, short-duration crop varieties. Critically, we identified a primary community vulnerability: a significant “adaptation-response gap”. Farmers expressed high confidence in IK for proactive, long-term seasonal adaptation but reported low confidence and limited knowledge for reacting to acute, high-impact disasters like flash floods. Stakeholder perceptions mirrored this gap; while IK was rated as “vital” (4.0/5.0 mean importance), 50% of respondents argued it is now insufficient alone, leading to a unanimous call for integration. This study concludes that while the local IK system provides a robust foundation for adaptive capacity to known variability, it is ill-equipped for coping capacity against extreme events. This necessitates a policy shift from passive preservation to the active, functional integration of IK with modern science, particularly in developing “co-created” hybrid early warning systems.