Abstract

This study seeks to build a strategy to overcome the psychological barriers to climate change management for rural communities in Fako Division. We employ a five point likert scale in which 100 inhabitants (adults) were surveyed purposefully surveyed in four rural communities (Malende, Bakingili, Bokwai and Miselele) of Fako Division (25 for each community) to identify the observed barriers. Based on the mean values derived from the 5 point likert scale, the study revealed that ignorance (mean=3.27) was the highest psychological barrier while denial stood as the least (mean=2.25). We then, as a recommendation, proposed a strategy for overcoming these psychological barriers which suggests that the government, the councils, NGOs, traditional authorities and the local population should collectively work together to identify people’s socio-economic needs and improve climate change management by empowering the population through workshop sensitisation, seminars and the use of the local media to reduce ignorance. Also, we suggest that they should motivate and create a number of incentives which would assist in reducing these observed barriers so as to ensure that developmental activities should respect stricto senso, issues of climate change management.

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