Better Safe Than Sorry: A Systematic Literature Review on Flood Preparedness Among Indigenous Peoples
Abstract
Climate change has increased the likelihood of severe flooding, which particularly affects indigenous communities living in remote areas. Research on the preparedness of indigenous peoples to floods is crucial for the development of strategies based on traditional knowledge to increase resilience and mitigate the effects of severe floods. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on flood preparedness in these communities. Previous research has tended to focus on traditional literature reviews, overlooking critical elements such as identification, screening and eligibility processes. To address this research gap, a systematic literature review was conducted using the Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) protocol to examine flood preparedness among Indigenous peoples. The articles analysed in this study were sourced and screened from Scopus and Web of Science, with additional references from Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. The literature search was conducted in five main steps, including adherence to the review protocol, formulation of research questions, and systematic search strategies based on identification, screening, and eligibility. Ten main themes were identified in the thematic analysis: technology adoption, government policy and collaboration, social capital, structural measures, ecosystem-based adaptation, food security, income stability and diversity, self-proactive actions, house-building strategy and adjustments, and traditional knowledge of flood forecasting indicators. These main themes were further subdivided into 22 sub-themes. This study makes an important contribution to the existing body of knowledge and provides practical insights for stakeholders.
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