Re-Configuring Social Work, Indigenous Strategies and Sustainability in Remote Communities: Is Eco-Social Work a Workable Paradigm?

Adverse climate events are increasingly challenging the health and wellbeing of communities. The intersections of indigenous knowledge and sustainable development, through an eco-social work perspective, are least developed0 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The challenging socio-ecological environment is compounded by limited infrastructure, which hinders the delivery of social services in remote communities. Drawing on cumulative research evidence and regional case studies across Africa, this conceptual article examines the key elements of an eco-social work paradigm and the potential challenges of its implementation. Drawing on intersectional approaches, this paper proposes practical strategies for integrating eco-social work dimensions into problem-solving to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 1 (No Poverty) and Goal 13 (Climate Action). Social work practice should be anchored in an indigenous epistemology and research governance, informed by insights from higher education institutions, local communities, the context of practice, and partnerships with the state, to ensure regulatory oversight and inter-professional collaboration. Contextualised outcomes to build community-level resilience, and development practitioners who are up-skilled and able to conduct needs-led ecological assessments are essential. Such co-created interventions and collaborative strategies would effectively address poverty and climate change in vulnerable, remote communities. Further empirical research on the interpretation of indigenous knowledge and the role of eco-social workers within interprofessional collaboration is essential for formulating an indigenous epistemology and ecological wellbeing policy, thereby strengthening community-level resilience and sustainability.