Technocratic Green and the Silence of Local Knowledge: The Case of the Bakolori Dam in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the tensions between technocratic environmental governance and indigenous ecological knowledge through the case of the Bakolori Dam project in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Conceived as a large-scale irrigation and agricultural modernization initiative, the project was designed to improve food production and stimulate rural development. However, its implementation largely excluded the local farming communities whose livelihoods depended on traditional floodplain agriculture and seasonal ecological patterns. Adopting a qualitative, comparative case study methodology, the study draws on historical records, scholarly literature, policy documents, and documented community experiences to analyze the environmental and social consequences of the project. Guided by the framework of political ecology, the paper reveals how the privileging of technical expertise over indigenous knowledge disrupted local ecological systems, reduced agricultural productivity, displaced communities, and deepened social inequalities. The study argues that technocratic approaches to sustainability often conceal power relations that marginalize local agency and environmental knowledge. It concludes that inclusive and participatory environmental governance that recognizes indigenous ecological knowledge is essential for achieving sustainable and socially just development in Africa