J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci., 5(8S)256-263, 2015 © 2015, TextRoad Publication ISSN: 2090-4274 Journal of Applied Environmental and Biological Sciences www.textroad.com * Corresponding Author: Khadije Bozarjmehri, Associate professor, Geography Department, Ferdosi University, Mashhad Identify in Indigenous Knowledge and its Application in Rural Crisis Management by Emphasizing Drought, Flood and Earthquake (Case Study: Zuzan in Khaf Province) Khadije Bozarjmehri 1 , Mehdi Javanshiri 2 1. Associate professor, Geography Department, Ferdosi University, Mashhad 2. Ph.D student, Geography and Rural Planning, Ferdosi University, Mashhad Received: March 8, 2015 Accepted: May 10, 2015 ABSTRACT Natural disasters had harmful effects on human societies from past. Therefore, people in different societies, during history, have tried to cope these disasters and to reduce susceptibility which were highly effective. In contrary, emphasis on using developed technologies and its development in rural communities has no benefit except destruction of the environment and undesired outcomes on natural resources and even has intensified these disasters. Therefore, indigenous knowledge is an efficient knowledge which has been developed in a certain society under certain conditions and because of change and evolution over time, has found the capability of mixing with new knowledge such that using indigenous knowledge and restoration this valuable knowledge is a useful step for developing the purposes of sustainable development. This study aims to identify the local knowledge of rural people for coping with drought, flood and earthquake which is a necessity in the development and extension process. Data gathering method is field study and interview with some experienced people, especially expert farmers in the Zuzan plain in Khafprovince and in these studies, the basis is using qualitative methods and approaches that using indigenous knowledge like participatory rural appraisal (PRA). Findings show that using indigenous knowledge will reduce damages caused by natural disasters in rural communities and can improve the prevention and preparation process against these disasters and their restriction. Also, in the case of combining with modern knowledge, it will improve the efficiency of modern knowledge. KEYWORDS: indigenous knowledge, drought, reducing risks of natural disasters in rural areas, Zuzan plain area 1. INTRODUCTION Human communities have been always faced natural disasters like flood, earthquake, drought and etc. and have suffered many damages and losses of these disasters. This is very severe regarding the position of Iran, placing in middle latitude and arid and semi-arid belt, seismic belt and flooding area of permanent rivers and overflow of seasonal waterways such that according to the statistics of civil program of United Nation (http://www.undp.org.it), among 40 disasters that occur in the world, 31 cased occur in Iran. Presence of these natural disasters in our country makes it one of the top ten disaster countries (Dadkhah Haghighi et.al, 2004: 37). These disasters destroy the income resources of people and their life possibilities and activity centers which lead to economic and physical damages (Yodmani, 2001: 10). Rural communities and their production activities (especially agriculture), due to close relationship with natural environment, nature of production factors, working in outdoor (Shirzad et.al, 2005: 23) and limited capacity, have been exposed to these limititions and unpredicted events such that their actions lead to higher capacity against natural disasters (Vazin, 2007: 30). In this regard, a new approach is presented for managing natural disasters and reducing susceptibility in coping these disasters (Yodmani, 2001: 5). Indigenous experiences or “indigenous knowledge” is sum of experienced and awarenesses that a society obtains by encountering problems and uses it against risks and disasters. Therefore, this research with the aim of reducing environmental damages in rural arears, studies the indigenous knowledge of rural people is study areas in Khaf Province in order to use these experiences in optimal management of immunization and encountering natural risks in rural areas. Therefore, this research tries to answer this question that how can were use indigenous knowledge and local experiences for reducing environmental damages? 2- STUDY AREA Zuzan plain is one section of Khaf Province located in the south-eastern of Khorasan Razavi. This is 3992km 2 area in north latitude 33 0 55' to 34 0 53' and East latitudes 59 0 22' to 60 0 5' and divides into villages Kayber and Zuzan and about 41% of area. Qasemabad is the center and the only town of this Province. This section have 25 rural points that Zuzan village is the capital of Zuzan town and Ibrhimi village is center of Kayber village. Present research has been conducted in the Qasemabad and its villages. Its access road is via Khaf-Qaen access road which is asphalted with unsuitable quality. Dry farming (wheat and barley) and water farming (grains and summer crops) are cultivated in this area. Common pattern of exploitation in this area is household, farmer and sharing and almost are farmers are owners. Each unit includes almost 24 farmers to fields, with one water source such that each unit 256