Indigenous Knowledge Mapping (IKM) has emerged as a crucial tool for understanding local knowledge systems and their integration into climate change adaptation strategies in various regions around the world. The approach will involve synthesizing existing literature on IKM, climate change adaptation, and local environmental management practices in the Ethiopian context. A thematic analysis of key studies will guide this synthesis. This theoretical framework underscores the potential of IKM for fostering more inclusive, context-specific climate change adaptation strategies in remote Ethiopian Highlands. Future research should prioritise validation studies to empirically test the effectiveness of IKM-based approaches in diverse local contexts within Ethiopia’s highlands.