The study of determine the difference of effectiveness of Indigenous and modern Knowledge in vulnerable reduction of rural Communities to Natural disaster: Case study: Rural Communities of Khoresh-rostam

The study of natural disasters management literature shows that nowadays a new approach as social based management has been brought up that considers knowledge, capacities and cultures for reduce vulnerability from natural disasters. The community has a central role in disaster management. The focus of attention in disaster management must be the local community. Therefore Risk reduction strategies should work towards reducing vulnerability and at the same time capitalize on the inherent social and cultural capacities of the communities. Community-based Disaster Management (CBDM) approach support the inclusion of knowledge held by local affected people in disaster risk reduction strategies to help reduce the vulnerability of disaster-prone communities. Many indigenous communities understand their local environment and care for it, maintain lessons from past disasters, and are invested in the place where they live. The use of indigenous knowledge in the field of disaster risk reduction is an additional tool that can help vulnerable communities. Currently, the approach of application of indigenous methods beside of modern techniques to reduce vulnerability from disasters is concerned. Due to the particular position of Iran’s geography, the types of natural disasters such as drought, flood, earthquake, glacial, avalanche, and etc to occurs. While Iran's rural communities have low safety level against natural disaster, because of connection with the natural environment and unsuitable location most of villages. Multiple natural hazards also often occur in Khoresh Rostam district (the study area). This is due to geographical position of the region. Rural communities in Iran's history dealing with natural and socio-economic hazards and agricultural activities and their production, in order to reduce unexpected dangers, have used different methods. Various innovations in societies, particularly rural societies to reduce vulnerability is being carried out which could be considered as a compliment to modern knowledge. In order to present article has been analyzed indigenous and modern knowledge in rural communities that have been effective in reducing the effects of natural disasters.Research - The discovery and collection of indigenous and modern methods of reducing the effects of natural hazards in rural areas of Khoresh Rostam district of Khalkhal township, and- Assess the different effectiveness of indigenous and modern knowledge and technology to reduce the effects of natural disasters including earthquakes, glacial, drought and flood in rural areas of Khoresh Rostam district of Khalkhal township.In order to achieve the above objectives, the following hypotheses are tested: The effectiveness of indigenous and modern knowledge for reducing vulnerability to natural hazards of earthquake, glacial, drought and flood differs, and indigenous knowledge has scored more in comparison with modern knowledge in rural areas of Khoresh Rostam district of Khalkhal township.The method research is descriptive, analytical and surveying. The system of gathering information is librarian and free techniques include of observation, interview and questionnaire.First in relying on documents and question of the Sample number, the dominant natural disasters were identified, then the damage caused by natural disasters of the region was identified and as indicator were used. Then indigenous and modern knowledge in rural community of the study area was covered. Then a Developed questionnaire was distributed in the studied villages, and to examine hypothesis, SPSS software and Independent-Sample T test have been used. Based on research on natural hazards, indigenous and modern measures in reduction of risk of natural disasters in rural communities of Khoresh Rostam district of Khalkhal township have been included several strategies. But generally indigenous and modern strategies in the region in three categories of protecting people, livestock and agricultural products and protecting agricultural lands, orchards and pastures can be classified few groups including construction technology, technologies of land management, cropping pattern, zoning, land use, water management and etc. In the area of construction, indigenous and modern techniques used include zoning, stability and pattern of architecture and design. It is notable that indigenous design and construction techniques have been developed according to resistance against storm, glacial and earthquakes and meaning climates and environmental conditions. In the area zoning, strategies are including the construction of homes and facilities away from hazardous region, in the field of land use, strategies are to protect land and prevent soil loss and landslide and erosion. For the cropping pattern that was considered most indigenous techniques in the region, are including cropping and harvesting of production and type of land for harvesting, and have been developed according to drought, glacial, and storm disaster. And planting and harvesting time so that is the least damage from a hazard. Also in the area of water management, techniques used to water collect and management and soil conservation and erosion reduction. Results of analyzing hypothesis of “difference between indigenous and modern knowledge efficiency on reduction of natural disaster vulnerability of earthquake, glacial, drought and flood in environmental, physical and economic dimensions in rural areas of Khoresh Rostam district shows there is a significant difference between indigenous and modern knowledge efficiency for reduction of natural disaster vulnerability of earthquake, glacial, drought and flood in environmental, physical and economic dimensions in 0.05 alpha level. Results shows indigenous knowledge has been more efficiency against earthquake, glacial, drought and flood in rural areas of Khoresh Rostam district. We can say that the people of the villages in the study area have good local knowledge in dealing with natural hazards and disaster management that show important of indigenous knowledge in process of natural disasters management. Generally the local knowledge of disaster cannot be separated from other knowledge systems in communities, mean modern scientific knowledge. It is suggested that those responsible in rural planning and natural disaster management are considered indigenous knowledge of rural community, Because this knowledge is obtained from the symbiosis of rural with environments and disaster, not only effective in reducing disaster risk, but is also in direction with sustainable development.