COMMUNITY-BASED

BEST PRACTICES FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Prepared under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) through the Disaster Preparedness Programme (DIPECHO)

Regional Initiative in Disaster Risk Reduction

March, 2010

Maputo - Mozambique

Foreword

This compilation provides a comprehensive review and analysis of community-based best practices for reducing the risk of disaster from natural hazards affecting Southeast Africa and the Southwest Indian Ocean. It also provides new examples of how various actors and agencies have successfully implemented interventions to reduce risks from the prevalent hazards and minimize damage and losses to property and livelihoods. In Mozambique, Malawi, Comoros and Madagascar in particular these risks are exacerbated by high poverty levels – the most vulnerable are people living in poor rural areas.

The evidence emerging from recent experience makes a compelling case for a radical shift away from narrowly focused development approaches towards a major new emphasis on community resilience and disaster planning. Floods which are caused by swelling rivers in the catchment areas of neighboring countries, floods from cyclones, storm surges, earthquakes, fires and other such events, when combined with social and economic vulnerabilities, and added to environmental depletion, can multiply the shocks from disasters and lead to crippling economic losses. Moreover, the risks posed by the regional effects of climate change require considerable adaptation by the exposed populations. But at the same time, governments in vulnerable countries are faced by hard budget choices, which make major investments in emergency preparedness (such as wide training at national, district and local level) very difficult.

While we cannot prevent natural disasters, we can limit their impacts. Each of the countries involved in the UNDP-ECHO (DIPECHO) project has developed initiatives, both in the past and the present, for improving existing disaster risk preparedness. This document details best practices and risk reduction tools taking into account the socio-economic context of the target countries. These experiences could lead to better informed policies and legislation. Investing in disaster risk reduction is a cost-effective means to reduce development losses caused by disasters, reduce poverty and adapt to climate change. This important collection of publications and audio-visual material on Winds, Waters and Fires is a very welcome contribution. It is the result of the financial support from ECHO and the impressive collaborative effort of UNDP Mozambique’s disaster risk reduction team, the UNDP country offices of Malawi, Madagascar and Comoros, all DIPECHO partners and the UN and international agencies involved in this project.

Ndolamb Ngokwey UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative Contents

UNISDR Terminology on Disaster 9

Introductory remarks 19 Acknowledgements 23

CHAPTER 1 Risk, hazards and vulnerabilities 25 Key principles 26 Multi-hazard approach in the targeted countries 30

Republic of Mozambique 31 Disaster risk profile 32 Drought 35 Earthquakes 37

Republic of Madagascar 37 Madagascar risk profile 39 Disaster Statistics 39 Cyclones 40

The Union of Comoros 41 Disaster risk profile 43 Volcanic hazards 43

Republic of Malawi 48 Malawi disaster statistics 49 Floods 50 Drought 50 Earthquakes 50

Methodology 52 Methods 53

CHAPTER 2 Building in hazardous zones 55 Abstract 56 The initiative 56 Goal and objective 56 Lessons learned 58 Potential for replication 59

UN HABITAT MOZAMBIQUE 60 Abstract 60 The initiative 60 Goal and objective 60 Lessons Learned 64 Potential for replication 64

Care Madagascar 65 Abstract 65 The initiative 66 Goal and objective 66 Outcomes and activities 67 Lessons learned 68 Potential for replication 68 Code of minimum standards for house construction 69

CHAPTER 3 Best practices on local level risk management 73 Conceptual approach 74 Abstract 75 The initiative 77 Goal and objectives 78 Outcomes and activities 78 Lessons learned 82 Potential for replication 82

ICCO Madagascar 85 Abstract 85 The initiative 85 Goal and objective 86 Outcomes and Activities 86 Lessons learned 87 Potential for replication 87

Institutional support and community 88 Abstract 88 The initiative 88 Goal and objective 89 Outcomes and activities 89 Best practice 89 Lessons learned 90 Potential for replication 90

Community-based disaster preparedness project 91 Abstract 91 Goal and objective 92 Outcomes and activities 92 Lessons learned 93

Community-based disaster risk reduction 94 Abstract 94 The initiative 94 Project objectives 95 Outcomes and activities 95 Lessons learned 96 Potential for replication 96

Sustainable natural DRR through policy change 97 Abstract 97 The initiative 98 Goal and objective 98 Outcomes and activities 98 Lessons learned 99 Challenges 99 Key success and failure factors 100 Potential for replication 100

Community risk management 101 The Initiative 102 Goal and objective 103 Overview of steps 104 Lessons learned 105 Potential for replication 106

Community-based disaster preparedness projects 107 Abstract 107 The initiative 107 Goal and objective 107 Outcomes and activities 108 Lessons learned 109 Potential for replication 109

Institutionalization of risk management 110 Abstract 110 The initiative 111 Goal and objective 111 Outcomes and activities 112 Lessons learned 113 Potential for replication 113

Moving forward 114 The trends 110 Climate change, adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) 115 The scientific knowledge in programme design 116 Mozambique 116 Madagascar 117 The Comoros 118 Malawi 118

List of figures

Figure 1: Mortality and damage and losses by climate disasters and by continents 20 Figure 2: Low lying areas in Africa 28 Figure 3: Low lying areas below 20 meters contour line in Mozambique (in green) 29 Figure 4: Vulnerability of Mozambique and neighbour countries to cyclones 31 Figure 5: Hydrographic basins and the flood hazard in the subregion 34 Figure 6: Storm surge in normal and cyclonic conditions 35 Figure 7: Shocks caused by natural hazards in selected northern districts in Mozambiue 36 Figure 8: Madagascar physical map 38 Figure 9: Mortality risk index 40 Figure 10: Human development index trends in 2007 and comparison with other regions 41 Figure 11: Map of the Comoros Islands 42 Figure 12 Le Karthala Volcanoe crater 44 Figure 13: Map of Gran Comoros showing a timeline of eruptions 45 Figure 14: A model of a Volcano EWS based on the WDR (IFRC), 2009 report 46 Figure 15: Rescue operation on lava flow during the 2007 eruption 47 Figure 16: Map of Malawi 48 Figure 17: Architectural design of the Elevated Primary School of Maniquenique, built with wooden poles, cemented pillars and lateral structures, corrugated iron sheets with a reinforced roof 57 Figure 18: Architectural design of the Community Agricultural Centre of Chilaulene, built with cement bricks prepared in a traditional manner 58 Figure 19: Low-cost solution housing for ‘living with floods’ 61 Figure 20: Manual of “building with the winds” and Catalog of low-cost cyclone-proof building solutions 62 Figure. 21: Process construction of Ferrocement channels in Vilankulo. Based in UN Habitat and Auroville experiences, India. 63 Figure 22: Antananarivo floods 64 Figure 23: Satellite image of a cyclone 67 Figure 24: Floods in river banks 68 Figure 25: The National Institute for Disaster Management, Mozambique: INGC 2009 Main Report: INGC Climate Change Report: study on the impact of climate change on disaster risk in Mozambique 76 Figure 26: Simulation of evacuation in Tete (Mozambique) 77 Figure 27: Local level risk management: simulations of post disaster assistance, Nacala (Mozambique) 78 Figure 28: GRIP training in Mozambique 79 Figure 29: Spatial distribution of houses burned in Dili (Timor-Leste) in 2006 crises 80 Figure 30: Wild card of data entry of DesInventar 81 Figure 31: DesInventar as used in India to compare reduction of fires incidents 82 Figure 32: The risk management cycle 86 Figure 33: Dyke constructed on River chimbwimbwi 95 Figure 34: Dykes construction using local materials 97 Figure 35: Community-based training, Mozambique 102 Figure 36: Community-based training in risk reduction 104 Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

List of tables

Table 1: Natural hazard effects in madagascar 39 Table 2 Comoros disaster statistics 47 Table 3: Data related to human and economic losses from disasters that have occurred between 1982 and 2007. 49 Table 4: Criteria for selection of best practices 52



Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

UNISDR terminology on disaster risk reduction (2009)

Acceptable risk Comment: Examples of biological hazards include outbreaks of epidemic diseases, plant or animal The level of potential losses that a society or contagion, insect or other animal plagues and community considers acceptable given existing infestations. social, economic, political, cultural, technical and environmental conditions. Building code A set of ordinances or regulations and associated Comment: In engineering terms, acceptable risk is standards intended to control aspects of the also used to assess and define the structural and design, construction, materials, alteration and non-structural measures that are needed in order occupancy of structures that are necessary to to reduce possible harm to people, property, ensure human safety and welfare, including services and systems to a chosen tolerated level, resistance to collapse and damage. according to codes or “accepted practice” which are based on known probabilities of hazards and Comment: Building codes can include both other factors. technical and functional standards. They should incorporate the lessons of international Adaptation experience and should be tailored to national The adjustment in natural or human systems in and local circumstances. A systematic regime of response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or enforcement is a critical supporting requirement their effects, which moderates harm or exploits for effective implementation of building codes. beneficial opportunities. Comment: This definition addresses the concerns Capacity of climate change and is sourced from the The combination of all the strengths, attributes secretariat of the United Nations Framework and resources available within a community, Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The society or organization that can be used to achieve broader concept of adaptation also applies to agreed goals. non-climatic factors such as soil erosion or surface subsidence. Adaptation can occur in autonomous Comment: Capacity may include infrastructure fashion, for example through market changes, or and physical means, institutions, societal coping as a result of intentional adaptation policies and abilities, as well as human knowledge, skills and plans. Many disaster risk reduction measures can collective attributes such as social relationships, directly contribute to better adaptation. leadership and management. Capacity also may be described as capability. Capacity assessment Biological hazard isa term for the process by which the capacity of Process or phenomenon of organic origin a group is reviewed against desired goals, and the or conveyed by biological vectors, including capacity gaps are identified for further action. exposure to pathogenic micro-organisms, toxins and bioactive substances that may cause loss Capacity development of life, injury, illness or other health impacts, The process by which people, organizations and property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, society systematically stimulate and develop social and economic disruption, or environmental their capacities over time to achieve social and damage. economic goals, including through improvement of knowledge, skills, systems, and institutions.



Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Comment: Capacity development is a concept that with clearly identified institutional roles and extends the term of capacity building to resources, information processes, and operational encompass all aspects of creating and sustaining arrangements for specific actors at times of capacity growth over time. It involves learning need. Based on scenarios of possible emergency and various types of training, but also continuous conditions or disaster events, it allows key actors efforts to develop institutions, political to envision, anticipate and solve problems that awareness,financial resources, technology can arise during crises. Contingency planning systems, and the wider social and cultural enabling is an important part of overall preparedness. environment. Contingency plans need to be regularly updated and exercised. Climate change (a) The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Coping capacity Change (IPCC) defines climate change as: “a The ability of people, organizations and systems, change in the state of the climate that can be using available skills and resources, to face and identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by changes manage adverse conditions, emergencies or in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, disasters. and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Climate change may be due Comment: The capacity to cope requires continuing to natural internal processes or external forcings, awareness, resources and good management, or to persistent anthropogenic changes in the both in normal times as well as during crises or composition of the atmosphere or in land use”. adverse conditions. Coping capacities contribute (b) The United Nations Framework Convention to the reduction of disaster risks. on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines climate change as “a change of climate which is attributed Critical facilities directly or indirectly to human activity that alters The primary physical structures, technical facilities the composition of the global atmosphere and and systems which are socially, economically which is in addition to natural climate variability or operationally essential to the functioning observed over comparable time periods”. of a society or community, both in routine circumstances and in the extreme circumstances Comment: For disaster risk reduction purposes, of an emergency. either of these definitions may be suitable, Comment: Critical facilities are elements of the depending on the particular context. The infrastructure that support essential services in UNFCCC definition is the more restricted one as a society. They include such things as transport it excludesclimate changes attributable to natural systems, air and sea ports, electricity, water and causes. The IPCC definition can be paraphrased communications systems, hospitals and health for popular communications as “A change in the clinics, and centres for fire, police and public climate that persists for decades or longer, arising administration services. from either natural causes or human activity.” Disaster Contingency planning A serious disruption of the functioning of a A management process that analyses specific community or a society involving widespread potential events or emerging situations that human, material, economic or environmental might threaten society or the environment and losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of establishes arrangements in advance to enable the affected community or society to cope using timely, effective and appropriate responses to its own resources. such events and situations. Comment: Contingency planning results in Comment: Disasters are often described as a result organized and coordinated courses of action of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard;

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

the conditions of vulnerability that are present; management of land and the environment, and and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or improved preparedness for adverse events. cope with the potential negative consequences. Disaster impacts may include loss of life, injury, Comment: A comprehensive approach to reduce disease and other negative effects on human disaster risks is set out in the United Nations physical, mental and social well-being, together endorsed Hyogo Framework for Action, adopted with damage to property, destruction of assets, in 2005, whose expected outcome is “The loss of services, social and economic disruption substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and environmental degradation. and the social, economic and environmental assets of communities and countries.” The Disaster risk International Strategy for Disaster Reduction The potential disaster losses, in lives, health status, (ISDR) system provides a vehicle for cooperation livelihoods, assets and services, which could occur among Governments, organisations and civil to a particular community or a society over some society actors to assist in the implementation of specified future time period. the Framework. Note that while the term “disaster reduction” is sometimes used, the term “disaster Comment: The definition of disaster risk reflects risk reduction” provides a better recognition of the the concept of disasters as the outcome of ongoing nature of disaster risks and the ongoing continuously present conditions of risk. Disaster potential to reduce these risks. risk comprises different types of potential losses which are often difficult to quantify. Nevertheless, Disaster risk reduction plan * with knowledge of the prevailing hazards and A document prepared by an authority, sector, the patterns of population and socio-economic organization or enterprise that sets out goals development, disaster risks can be assessed and and specific objectives for reducing disaster risks mapped, in broad terms at least. together with related actions to accomplish these objectives. Disaster risk management The systematic process of using administrative Comment: Disaster risk reduction plans should be directives, organizations, and operational skills guided by the Hyogo Framework and considered and capacities to implement strategies, policies and coordinated within relevant development and improved coping capacities in order to lessen plans, resource allocations and programme the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility activities. National level plans needs to be specific of disaster. to each level of administrative responsibility and adapted to the different social and geographical Comment: This term is an extension of the more circumstances that are present. The time frame general term “risk management” to address and responsibilities for implementation and the the specific issue of disaster risks. Disaster risk sources of funding should be specified in the management aims to avoid, lessen or transfer plan.Linkages to climate change adaptation plans the adverse effects of hazards through activities should be made where possible. and measures for prevention, mitigation and preparedness. Early warning system The set of capacities needed to generate and Disaster risk reduction disseminate timely and meaningful warning The concept and practice of reducing disaster information to enable individuals, communities risks through systematic efforts to analyse and and organizations threatened by a hazard to manage the causal factors of disasters, including prepare and to act appropriately and in sufficient through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened time to reduce the possibility of harm or loss. vulnerability of people and property, wise

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Comment: This definition encompasses the range Comment: Degradation of the environment can of factors necessary to achieve effective alter the frequency and intensity of natural hazards responses to warnings. A people-centred early and increase the vulnerability of communities. The warning system necessarily comprises four key types of human-induced degradation are varied elements: knowledge of the risks; monitoring, and include land misuse, soil erosion and loss, analysis and forecasting of the hazards; desertification, wildland fires, loss of biodiversity, communication or dissemination of alerts and deforestation, mangrove destruction, land, water warnings; and local capabilities to respond to the and air pollution, climate change, sea level rise warnings received. The expression “end-to-end and ozone depletion. warning system” is also used to emphasize that warning systems need to span all steps from hazard Environmental impact detection through to community response. assessment Process by which the environmental consequences Emergency management of a proposed project or programme are The organization and management of resources evaluated, undertaken as an integral part of and responsibilities for addressing all aspects of planning and decision-making processes with a emergencies, in particular preparedness, response view to limiting or reducing the adverse impacts and initial recovery steps. of the project or programme.

Comment: A crisis or emergency is a threatening Comment: Environmental impact assessment is a condition that requires urgent action. Effective policy tool that provides evidence and analysis emergency action can avoid the escalation of an of environmental impacts of activities from event into a disaster. Emergency management conception to decision-making. It is utilized involves plans and institutional arrangements extensively in national programming and to engage and guide the efforts of government, project approval processes and for international nongovernment, voluntary and private agencies in development assistance projects. Environmental comprehensive and coordinated ways to respond impact assessments should include detailed risk to the entire spectrum of emergency needs. The assessments and provide alternatives, solutions expression “disaster management” is sometimes or options to deal with identified problems. used instead of emergency management. Exposure Emergency services People, property, systems, or other elements The set of specialized agencies that have specific present in hazard zones that are thereby subject responsibilities and objectives in serving and to potential losses. protecting people and property in emergency situations. Comment: Measures of exposure can include the number of people or types of assets in an Comment: Emergency services include agencies area. These can be combined with the specific such as civil protection authorities, police, fire, vulnerability of the exposed elements to any ambulance, paramedic and emergency medicine particular hazard to estimate the quantitative services, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, risks associated with that hazard in the area of and specialized emergency units of electricity, interest. transportation, communications and other related services organizations. Extensive risk * The widespread risk associated with the exposure Environmental degradation of dispersed populations to repeated or persistent The reduction of the capacity of the environment hazard conditions of low or moderate intensity, to meet social and ecological objectives and often of a highly localized nature, which can lead needs. to debilitating cumulative disaster impacts.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Comment: Extensive risk is mainly a characteristic and risks.” Such hazards arise from a variety of of rural areas and urban margins where geological, meteorological, hydrological, oceanic, communities are exposed to, and vulnerable biological, and technological sources, sometimes to, recurring localised floods, landslides storms acting in combination. In technical settings, or drought. Extensive risk is often associated hazards are described quantitatively by the likely with poverty, urbanization and environmental frequency of occurrence of different intensities degradation. See also “Intensive risk”. for different areas, as determined from historical data or scientific analysis. See other hazard- Forecast related terms in the Terminology: Biological Definite statement or statistical estimate of the hazard; Geological hazard; Hydrometeorological likely occurrence of a future event or conditions hazard; Natural hazard; Socio-natural hazard; for a specific area. Technological hazard.

Comment: In meteorology a forecast refers to a Hydrometeorological hazard future condition, whereas a warning refers to a Process or phenomenon of atmospheric, potentially dangerous future condition. hydrological or oceanographic nature that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, Geological hazard property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, Geological process or phenomenon that may social and economic disruption, or environmental cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, damage. property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental Comment: Hydrometeorological hazards include damage. tropical cyclones (also known as typhoons and hurricanes), thunderstorms, hailstorms, Comment: Geological hazards include internal tornados, blizzards, heavy snowfall, avalanches, earth processes, such as earthquakes, volcanic coastal storm surges, floods including flash activity and emissions, and related geophysical floods, drought, heatwaves and cold spells. processes such as mass movements, landslides, Hydrometeorological conditions also can be rockslides, surface collapses, and debris or mud a factor in other hazards such as landslides, flows. Hydrometeorological factors are important wildland fires, locust plagues,epidemics, and in contributors to some of these processes. Tsunamis the transport and dispersal of toxic substances are difficult to categorize; although they are and volcanic eruption material triggered by undersea earthquakes and other geological events, they are essentially an oceanic Intensive risk * process that is manifested as a coastal water- The risk associated with the exposure of large related hazard. concentrations of people and economic activities to intense hazard events, which can lead to Hazard potentially catastrophic disaster impacts involving A dangerous phenomenon, substance, human high mortality and asset loss. activity or condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, Comment: Intensive risk is mainly a characteristic loss of livelihoods and services, social and of large cities or densely populated areas that economic disruption, or environmental damage. are not only exposed to intense hazards such as strong earthquakes, active volcanoes, heavy Comment: The hazards of concern to disaster risk floods, tsunamis, or major storms but also have reduction as stated in footnote 3 of the Hyogo high levels of vulnerability to these hazards. See Framework are “… hazards of natural origin and also “Extensive risk.” related environmental and technological hazards

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Land-use planning events as well as the latent hazard conditions that The process undertaken by public authorities to may give rise to future events. Natural hazard identify, evaluate and decide on different options events can be characterized by their magnitude for the use of land, including consideration of or intensity, speed of onset, duration, and area long term economic, social and environmental of extent. For example, earthquakes have short objectives and the implications for different durations and usually affect a relatively small communities and interest groups, and the region, whereas droughts are slow to develop subsequent formulation and promulgation of and fade away and often affect large regions. In plans that describe the permitted or acceptable some cases hazards may be coupled, as in the uses. flood caused by a hurricane or the tsunami that is created by an earthquake. Comment: Land-use planning is an important contributor to sustainable development. It involves Preparedness studies and mapping; analysis of economic, The knowledge and capacities developed by environmental and hazard data; formulation of governments, professional response and recovery alternative land-use decisions; and design of organizations, communities and individuals to long-range plans for different geographical and effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover administrative scales. Land-use planning can from, the impacts of likely, imminent or current help to mitigate disasters and reduce risks by hazard events or conditions. discouraging settlements and construction of key installations in hazard-prone areas, including Comment: Preparedness action is carried out within consideration of service routes for transport, the context of disaster risk management and power, water, sewage and other critical facilities. aims to build the capacities needed to efficiently manage all types of emergencies and achieve Mitigation orderly transitions from response through to The lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts sustained recovery. Preparedness is based on a of hazards and related disasters. sound analysis of disaster risks and good linkages with early warning systems, and includes such Comment: The adverse impacts of hazards often activities as contingency planning, stockpiling cannot be prevented fully, but their scale or severity of equipment and supplies, the development can be substantially lessened by various strategies of arrangements for coordination, evacuation and actions. Mitigation measures encompass and public information, and associated training engineering techniques and hazard-resistant and field exercises. These must be supported construction as well as improved environmental by formal institutional, legal and budgetary policies and public awareness. It should be noted capacities. The related term “readiness” describes that in climate change policy, “mitigation” is the ability to quickly and appropriately respond defined differently, being the term used for the when required. reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that are the source of climate change. Prevention The outright avoidance of adverse impacts of Natural hazard hazards and related disasters. Natural process or phenomenon that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property Comment: Prevention (i.e. disaster prevention) damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and expresses the concept and intention to completely economic disruption, or environmental damage. avoid potential adverse impacts through action taken in advance. Examples include dams or Comment: Natural hazards are a sub-set of all embankments that eliminate flood risks, land-use hazards. The term is used to describe actual hazard regulations that do not permit any settlement in

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

high risk zones, and seismic engineering designs programmes, coupled with the heightened public that ensure the survival and function of a critical awareness and engagement after a disaster, afford building in any likely earthquake. Very often the a valuable opportunity to develop and implement complete avoidance of losses is not feasible and disaster risk reduction measures and to apply the the task transforms to that of mitigation. Partly for “build back better” principle. this reason, the terms prevention and mitigation are sometimes used interchangeably in casual Residual risk use. The risk that remains in unmanaged form, even when effective disaster risk reduction measures Prospective disaster risk are in place, and for which emergency response management * and recovery capacities must be maintained. Management activities that address and seek to avoid the development of new or increased Comment: The presence of residual risk implies disaster risks. a continuing need to develop and support effective capacities for emergency services, Comment: This concept focuses on addressing preparedness, response and recovery together risks that may develop in future if risk reduction with socioeconomic policies such as safety nets policies are not put in place, rather than on the and risk transfer mechanisms. risks that are already present and which can be managed and reduced now. See also Corrective Resilience disaster risk management. The ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate Public awareness to and recover from the effects of a hazard in a The extent of common knowledge about disaster timely and efficient manner, including through risks, the factors that lead to disasters and the preservation and restoration of its essential the actions that can be taken individually and basic structures and functions. collectively to reduce exposure and vulnerability to hazards. Comment: Resilience means the ability to “resile Comment: Public awareness is a key factor in from” or “spring back from” a shock. The resilience effective disaster risk reduction. Its development of a community in respect to potential hazard is pursued, for example, through the development events is determined by the degree to which and dissemination of information through media the community has the necessary resources and and educational channels, the establishment of is capable of organizing itself both prior to and information centres, networks, and community during times of need. or participation actions, and advocacy by senior public officials and community leaders. Response The provision of emergency services and public Recovery assistance during or immediately after a disaster in The restoration, and improvement where order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure appropriate, of facilities, livelihoods and living public safety and meet the basic subsistence conditions of disaster-affected communities, needs of the people affected. including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors. Comment: The recovery task of rehabilitation and Comment: Disaster response is predominantly reconstruction begins soon after the emergency focused on immediate and short-term needs and phase has ended, and should be based on pre- is sometimes called “disaster relief”. The division existing strategies and policies that facilitate between this response stage and the subsequent clear institutional responsibilities for recovery recovery stage is not clear-cut. Some response action and enable public participation. Recovery actions, such as the supply of temporary housing

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

and water supplies, may extend well into the evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability recovery stage. that together could potentially harm exposed people, property, services, livelihoods and the Retrofitting environment on which they depend. Reinforcement or upgrading of existing structures Comment: Risk assessments (and associated to become more resistant and resilient to the risk mapping) include: a review of the technical damaging effects of hazards. characteristics of hazards such as their location, intensity, frequency and probability; the Comment: Retrofitting requires consideration analysis of exposure and vulnerability including of the design and function of the structure, the the physical social, health, economic and stresses environmental dimensions; and the evaluation that the structure may be subject to from particular of the effectiveness of prevailing and alternative hazards or hazard scenarios, and the practicality coping capacities in respect to likely risk scenarios. and costs of different retrofitting options. This series of activities is sometimes known as a Examples of retrofitting include adding bracing risk analysis process. to stiffen walls, reinforcing pillars, adding steel ties between walls and roofs, installing shutters Risk management on windows, and improving the protection of The systematic approach and practice of managing important facilities and equipment. uncertainty to minimize potential harm and loss.

Risk Comment: Risk management comprises risk The combination of the probability of an event assessment and analysis, and the implementation and its negative consequences. of strategies and specific actions to control, reduce and transfer risks. It is widely practiced Comment: This definition closely follows the by organizations to minimise risk in investment definition of the ISO/IEC Guide 73. The word “risk” decisions and to address operational risks such has two distinctive connotations: in popular usage as those of business disruption, production the emphasis is usually placed on the concept failure, environmental damage, social impacts of chance or possibility, such as in “the risk of and damage from fire and natural hazards. Risk an accident”; whereas in technical settings the management is a core issue for sectors such as emphasis is usually placed on the consequences, water supply, energy and agriculture whose in terms of “potential losses” for some particular production is directly affected by extremes of cause, place and period. It can be noted that people weather and climate. do not necessarily share the same perceptions of the significance and underlying causes of different Structural and non-structural risks. measures See other risk-related terms in the Terminology: Structural measures: Any physical construction to Acceptable risk; Corrective disaster reduce or avoid possible impacts of hazards, or risk management; Disaster risk; Disaster risk application of engineering techniques to achieve management; Disaster risk reduction; hazard-resistance and resilience in structures or Disaster risk reduction plans; Extensive risk; systems; Intensive risk; Prospective disaster risk management; Residual risk; Risk assessment; Risk Non-structural measures: Any measure not involving management; Risk transfer. physical construction that uses knowledge, practice or agreement to reduce risks and impacts, Risk assessment in particular through policies and laws, public A methodology to determine the nature and awareness raising, training and education. extent of risk by analysing potential hazards and

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Comment: Common structural measures for dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures disaster risk reduction include dams, flood or specific human activities, that may cause loss levies, ocean wave barriers, earthquake-resistant of life, injury, illness or other health impacts, construction, and evacuation shelters. Common property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, non-structural measures include building codes, social and economic disruption, or environmental land use planning laws and their enforcement, damage. research and assessment, information resources, and public awareness programmes. Note that Comment: Examples of technological hazards in civil and structural engineering, the term include industrial pollution, nuclear radiation, “structural” is used in a more restricted sense to toxic wastes, dam failures, transport accidents, mean just the load bearing structure, with other factory explosions, fires, and chemical spills. parts such as wall cladding and interior fittings Technological hazards also may arise directly as a being termed nonstructural. result of the impacts of a natural hazard event. Sustainable development Vulnerability Development that meets the needs of the present The characteristics and circumstances of a without compromising the ability of future community, system or asset that make it generations to meet their own needs. susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.

Comment: This definition coined by the 1987 Comment: There are many aspects of vulnerability, Brundtland Commission is very succinct but it arising from various physical, social, economic, leaves unanswered many questions regarding the and environmental factors. Examples may meaning of the word development and the social, include poor design and construction of economic and environmental processes involved. buildings, inadequate protection of assets, lack Disaster risk is associated with unsustainable of public information and awareness, limited elements of development such as environmental official recognition of risks and preparedness degradation, while conversely disaster risk measures, and disregard for wise environmental reduction can contribute to the achievement of management. Vulnerability varies significantly sustainable development, through reduced losses within a community and over time. This definition and improved development practices. identifies vulnerability as a characteristic of the element of interest (community, system or asset) Technological hazard which is independent of its exposure. However, in A hazard originating from technological or common use the word is often used more broadly industrial conditions, including accidents, to include the element’s exposure.

* Emerging new concepts that are not in widespread use but are of growing professional relevance; the definition of these terms remain to be widely consulted upon and may change in future.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Introductory remarks

This Guideline has been produced to provide Madagascar and Mozambique. In the Comoros, simple information on general risk reduction most of the housing is built on top of lava fields, best practices that can be and are utilized by at least for the more vulnerable population. practitioners, the civil society and community In Mozambique, UN-Habitat has developed a members in Mozambique, Malawi, the Comoros number of options for adaptive housing in flood- and Madagascar. Although globally there risk areas such as elevated terrain, or elevated is a trend of decreased mortality caused by structures. In Madagascar, CARE International has hydro-meteorological hazards, there is also been assisting river shore communities to build simultaneously, a sharp increase in natural elevated structures to avoid storm surge effects hazard related damage and loss of assets. It and flooding caused by extensive inundation seems, therefore, critical to prevent material perimeter. UNICEF Madagascar trained the losses through better building practices, land communities to assemble the tarpaulin tents use management, risk mapping and spatial using locally acquired wood poles for support. zoning. A number of preparedness tools and methodologies have been designed to reduce The most important principle of disaster risk hazard risks, which include good practices in local management is to develop a culture of safety in level risk management and the implementation of these disaster-prone countries and to reduce the community-based early warning systems (EWSs). risk of populations losing their livelihoods and It is widely recognized that better flood warning shelter, by assisting in safeguarding families and and dissemination of flood alerts to the at-risk assets in times of emergency. To achieve such population, in addition to construction of dykes a goal, a series of key principles are described and levees to control flood water, are some of the which set the theoretical foundations of the tools factors responsible for reducing mortality, but not and methodologies presented in this document. loss of assets. Concerning local level risk management, communities are the first lines of response Loss of assets and critical infrastructure need to to events of a localised nature and have the be addressed by improving building standards potential to better recognise and address disaster in hazard zones within south-east Africa and risk and to handle these risks in their respective south-west Indian Ocean. Minimum building habitats. The principles included in this guideline standards aim to provide the community are designed to minimize vulnerability to natural with the specific principles of good design hazards in the subregion, based on the key and construction in areas prone to natural principle of adaptation. It is important to highlight hazards. An example of a best practice in safe that while better disaster preparedness and better housing is the code of minimum standards for emergency assistance in the subregion resulted construction of houses piloted by UN habitat for in reduced mortality; there was no corresponding Mozambique. The guideline contains pictures to reduction in material losses or livelihood losses. facilitate understanding and photographs are also included showing construction practices in

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Overview

Recent disaster trends indicate that mortality, at 58 million people affected by disasters around least from climate-related natural hazards has the globe. Climate related events accounted for been reduced steadily, as EWSs, storm shelters 84 percent of economic losses from disasters, or and other structural protections are put in place. about $15 billion. The scientific community agree About 7,000 people died from weather-related that increasing intensity and frequency of tropical hazards in 2009, the lowest figure observed in 10 storms and cyclones means that countries which years. However, economic losses from cyclones, once used historical data to guide their planning, floods, droughts and other extreme weather can no longer rely on these statistics; the past events as a percentage of total disaster losses is no longer a good indicator to plan for the are growing, indicating a worrying trsend, not future. Floods and other extreme events that just for affected families, but for governments, once happened every 400 to 100 years in some aid donors, insurers and other stakeholders countries now happen every five years. involved in disaster recovery (see Figure 1). Of Overall, the countries in the region face multiple 245 disasters in 2009, 224 were weather-related, hazards (e.g., cyclones and floods, and to a and those events accounted for 55 million of the lesser extent, droughts and earthquakes) due

Figure 1: Mortality and damage and losses by climate disasters and by continents

1 UNDP and WMO senior management, Personal Communication at the World Climate 3 Conference, August 31 2009, Geneva.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

to their geographical and economic positions. initiatives, as well as to promote effective exchange The result of these hazards is a series of disaster and partnership among DIPECHO partners and related shocks (e.g., cholera, crops pests, floods, institutions within the region of south-east Africa droughts) producing a relatively high mortality and south-west Indian Ocean. Three main results risk. Destruction of assets, livelihoods and shelter are expected from the project: affects a large number of people, particularly in Mozambique and Madagascar, because of the 1. Disaster preparedness and risk reduction tools, high poverty levels, running at 50 percent of methodologies and best practices compiled, the total population (see introduction). During systematized and disseminated among the past twenty years, in the four countries local, national and regional stakeholders in mentioned in this guideline, around 42 million four countries of the region of south-east people have been affected and almost 10,000 Africa and south-west Indian Ocean, namely have lost their lives due to disasters. Each of these the Comoros, Malawi, Madagascar and countries has both past and present initiatives in Mozambique; improving disaster risk preparedness. However, 2. Enhanced coordination as well as knowledge poverty makes people more vulnerable to natural and information exchanges among DIPECHO hazards and weakens the capacity of national partners and local and national institutions disaster management institutions to tackle the and stakeholders within the region of south- problems. Furthermore, these countries are in the east Africa and south-west Indian Ocean; low income bracket and thus, national budgetary 3. Improved regional integration in the region constraints do not allow for major investments in of south-east Africa and south-west Indian emergency preparedness (including training at Ocean and enhanced involvement of South national, district and local level) ahead of disaster African Development Community (SADC) in occurrences. This guideline details best practices disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities. and risk reduction tools taking into account the socio-economic context of the target countries. The project is coordinated by UNDP Mozambique A positive spin-off would be the integration of country office, in liaison with other related resulting knowledge into allowing policies and initiatives supported by UNDP/Bureau for Crisis legislation. Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) in the region and beyond, as well as with the national capacity In this context, the United Nations Development building projects developed by the UNDP country Programme (UNDP) has received a grant from offices in the Comoros, Malawi and Madagascar. the European Commission Humanitarian Office UNDP country offices will also play a critical role (ECHO), within the 1st Disaster Preparedness in helping to coordinate and implement the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid project. Department (DIPECHO) Action Plan for the region, to implement the following initiative ‘Enhancing Knowledge Management in Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction within south-east Africa and southwest Indian Ocean.’ The specific objective is to improve knowledge transfer in disaster preparedness and risk reduction

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Acknowledgements

The principal author of this document is Dr Jane National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Advisor, S.P. Mocellin, acting regional project coordinator, UNDP Mozambique, for her deep knowledge of UNDP Mozambique, and responsible for all Mozambique and assistance in the review of all expected results, from the compilation of data documentation. Acknowledgement also goes to and methodologies of best practices and lessons UN Habitat and CARE International as contributors learned in Mozambique, Madagascar and the of the minimum standards for construction in Comoros; information transfer and dissemination hazard zones, and to Mairead Heffron, United of the materials and audio visuals. The contributing Nations Volunteers (UNV) in DRR with UNDP author is Dr Pierson Ntata, a consultant from Mozambique, for inputs and editing of the final Malawi who was responsible for the data collection document. in Malawi and writing up its best practices into case studies. Acknowledgement goes to Michel To UNDP country office and their disaster risk Matera, former head of the Crisis Prevention/ reduction focal points, our sincere thanks for the Environment Unit, UNDP Mozambique for the field support. overall support to this DIPECHO project on the systematization of experiences and best practices. Acknowledgement to Eunice Mucache,

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Risk, hazards and vulnerabilities

1

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Risk, hazards and vulnerabilities

KEY PRINCIPLES

Disasters represent a major source of risk for the in a densely populated area will have severe poor and can potentially destroy development consequences). Hydrometeorological hazards, gains and accumulated wealth. Currently, the poorly managed urban growth and territorial main risk factors that may precipitate a disaster, occupation, environmental mismanagement, at least in south-east Africa and south-west declining ecosystems and climate change are Indian Ocean, are the drivers related to hydro- considered as risk drivers in hazard–prone zones. meteorological dynamics which cause changes These drivers disproportionally affect the poor, in climate. Disaster risk and climate change are who are ‘less able to absorb loss and recover, two threats to human well-being that adversely and are more likely to experience both short- and reinforce each other. 2 A recent review of the long-term deteriorations in income, consumption Hyogo Framework of Action,3 by ISDR, risk and welfare’ (ibid.). and poverty in a changing climate, stresses that DRR can contribute to poverty reduction, Currently, experts and practitioners agree that development, and climate change adaptation; and high poverty levels increase people’s vulnerability consequently to global stability and sustainability. and reduce capacity to deal with disaster-related Disaster risk is disproportionately concentrated in shocks (i.e., floods, cyclones crop pests, cholera developing countries which have more vulnerable among others). Disasters are acknowledged economies, often weak governance structures to be multidimensional and complex events and high poverty levels. Therefore, developing and there are several key principles on hazard countries, and especially land-locked developing exposure, vulnerabilities, disaster related shocks countries ‘suffer far higher levels of mortality and poverty. Some of these principles are listed and relative economic loss than industrialized below according to their relevance for risk countries when disasters occur’ (ibid.). However, reduction and best practice analysis. Furthermore, major data differences are observed between macroeconomic indicators of the four countries developing countries in terms of mortality and involved in this study are also referenced. losses, due to variance in statistical treatment, and data collection methods, in addition to The UNDP (2007) report on climate change argues differences in hazard types (e.g., an earthquake, that the world is drifting towards a ‘tipping point’ which occurs in a rural unpopulated area does not that could lock the world’s poorest countries have a destructive effect, but one which occurs and their poorest citizens in a downward spiral,

Key Principle I The fact that disasters have a disproportionate impact on the poor in developing countries has been highlighted in research for at least 30 years. The 2004 UNDP/BCPR report Reducing Disaster Risk: a Challenge for Development highlighted the fact that while only 11 percent of those exposed to hazards live in low human development countries, 53 percent of disaster mortality is concentrated in those countries. The ISDR (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction) (2009) review has assembled a considerable body of empirical evidence that confirms that disaster risk is fundamentally associated with poverty at both the global and local levels.

2 Global Environmental Change and Human Security (GECHS) Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaption and Human Security Report 2008:3 3 (ISDR, 2009) Global assessment report on disaster risk reduction: Risk and poverty in a changing climate, Geneva

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

leaving hundreds of millions facing malnutrition, term climate change, or even the comparison of water scarcity, ecological threats, and loss of losses from other hazards. livelihoods. Although the relationship between climate change and extreme events remains a Evidence-based data5 shows the linkages between critical research area, it is difficult to distinguish extreme weather events and climate change.6 natural climate variability4 and changes in Vulnerability reduction through mitigation and climate-related hazards from the impacts of long- preparedness strategies which allow for a better

Key Principle 2 Climate change exacerbates linkages between disaster risk and poverty. At the same time, it decreases the resilience of many poor households and communities to absorb a range of disaster shocks, due to factors such as decreases in agricultural productivity, increases in vector borne disease and shortages of water and energy, particularly in south-east Africa and south-west Indian Ocean. Climate change, therefore, is now a key regional driver of disaster.

response to natural climate variability and long- New evidence also suggests that climate change term climate change, poses a new challenge for is likely to change the nature of many types of governments in southeast Africa and southwest hazards, not only hydrometeorological events Indian Ocean. such as floods, windstorms, and droughts, but also events such as landslides, heat waves and disease Climate change is expected to increase the outbreaks, by influencing the intensity, duration frequency and magnitude of many types of and magnitude of these events.8 extreme events, including floods, droughts, tropical cyclones and wildfires.7

Key Principle 3 There is a need to link and focus the policy and governance frameworks for DRR, poverty reduction and climate change adaptation in a way that can bring local and sectoral approaches and tools which constitute best practices into mainstream development thinking on disaster risk reduction (ISDR 2009, ibid.). Climate change consequences, based on hydro-meteorological phenomena, in African countries have been forecasted as the major hazard which will trigger future disasters. On a global scale the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has confirmed that climate change is now altering the predictability, intensity and geographical distribution of many weather-related hazards through increased intensity of the water cycle and other effects such as glacial melt and sea level rise (ISDR, 2009, ibid.). Regional and subregional governments need to guide their future disaster risk management planning with budget allocations for risk reduction accordingly.

4 A key difference between climate variability and climate change is in persistence of ‘anomalous’ conditions. In other words, events that used to be rare occur more frequently. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) makes a distinction between ‘climate change’ attributable to human activities altering the atmospheric composition, and "climate variability" attributable to natural causes. (see World Meteorological Association (WMO) – http://www.wmo.int)

5‘Climate Change and Water’, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2008 IPCC Technical Paper VI - June 2008 6UNDP (2007) Human Development Report: Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world. New York.

7IPCC. 2007a. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. (Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, S. Solomon, D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge). 8 Leichenko and O’Brien 2008; P.J. Milly, et al. Stationarity Is Dead: Whither Water Management? (Science, 319 (5863), 573–574, 2008); Z.W. Kundzewicz, M. Radziejewski and I. Pinskwar. Precipitation extremes in the changing climate of Europe. (Climate Research, 31, 51–58, 2006).)5‘Climate Change and Water’, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2008 IPCC Technical Paper VI - June 2008

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Africa is a continent that is already facing climate being in the continent. Mozambique is particularly stresses and is extremely vulnerable to the impacts vulnerable to the effects of climate change due of hydro-meteorological phenomena. The climate to the low lying areas on its 2,700 km of coasts of the continent is becoming even more variable (Figure 2). The red areas illustrate the extent of and extreme weather events are expected to the 20m contour along the coast of Africa, where become more frequent and severe. These events large estuaries and deltas form low lying land (see will affect the lives of millions of people and can Figure 3). have severe impacts on socio-economic well

Figure 2: Low lying areas in Africa

Source: Cited at INGC (2009)9 Bundrit and Mavume, 2009.

9 INGC. 2009. Synthesis report. INGC Climate Change Report: Study on the impact of climate change on disaster risk in Mozambique. Van Logchem B and Brito R (ed.)]. INGC, Mozambique

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 3: Low lying areas below 20 meters contour line in Mozambique (in green)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mozambique_Topography.png

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Multi-hazard approach in the targeted countries

The topographic map of Mozambique clearly Report all four countries are ranked in the top 25 shows the low lying coastal plain covering much of in a list of countries experiencing high mortality the country in the south and central zones (green/ risk from multiple hazards (three or more hazards). blue). The higher mountains plateaus inland and Furthermore, these countries also constitute the to the north are also clearly visible. top four African countries in the list. Over the past The four countries, included in this disaster 20 years, around 42 million people have been risk reduction initiative, namely, Mozambique, affected and almost 10,000 have lost their lives Malawi, Madagascar and the Comoros, have a in these four countries due to natural hazards. multi-hazard risk profile: The demographics of these countries show Mozambique and Madagascar have populations • Mozambique is prone to floods, cyclones and of approximately 21.8 million and 19.1 million occasional localized earthquakes in the south people respectively, of which more than 50 of the Rift Valley; percent live in acute poverty, categorising these • Madagascar is affected by cyclones, droughts countries as highly vulnerable. and bush fires; As these hazards will damage primarily livelihoods • Malawi is prone to floods and localized and shelter sectors, risk reduction principles need droughts and Ngazidja; to be extended to the housing sector and public • The main island of the Comoros, is occupied infrastructure of schools and hospitals to reduce in its entirety by two active volcanoes – Le damage and losses when a hazard strikes. The Karthala and Les Grilles. section below provides detailed risk and socio- economic profiles of the targeted countries. In the World Bank’s Natural Disaster Hotspot

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Republic of Mozambique

Disaster risk reduction in the Mozambique However, major positive changes occurred context needs to consider not only the natural between 2000 and 2008 in Mozambique as it hazard profile for the country but also the existing excelled in linking early warning with early action. condition of chronic vulnerability as described The 2009 World Disaster Report from IFRC13 in the National Action Plan for the Reduction discusses this successful practice saving lives and of Absolute Poverty (PARPA), which indicates assets through implementation of EWSs. Instead a poverty rate of 54.1 percent (2002) for a total of waiting for new massive and recurrent floods, population of 20 million10. Mozambique remains the authorities have put systems in place to one of the least developed countries in the world, ensure action is taken before the flood or cyclone currently ranked 172nd out of 182 countries in becomes a major disaster. The improvements lie the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking mostly with the advent of community-centred (2007). The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per EWSs which have linked global and national capita (2007) is 364 USD. The underlying causes of capacity to provide timely warnings of floods and Mozambique’s chronic vulnerability are: cyclones, with early action taken by the at-risk (i) weak infrastructure for basic services and communities themselves. Most importantly, many (ii) the rapidly escalating HIV/AIDS Mozambican communities now have the skills and pandemic that is weakening national knowledge to protect themselves through the capacities and considerably slowing implementation of local level risk management therate of development (HIV/AIDS structures (page 11). Prevalence 16.2 percent)11. As a result, the impact of frequent natural hazards The government of Mozambique recognizes can have an exponential effect, including the these natural hazards as an important factor disruption of livelihoods and services, the over- that can hinder the country’s development and stretching of limited coping mechanisms and the these hazard events have been included as exacerbation of population vulnerabilities. Since one of the cross-cutting issues in the country’s 1976, the country has suffered from at least 45 poverty reduction strategy (PARPA II). Also a significant incidences of natural hazards, including slow shift from disaster response and recovery to floods, cyclones, droughts and earthquakes. While disaster preparedness can be seen in the efforts the human cost of these disasters has been very undertaken in the last years. In line with the high, the impact on the economy is even more PARPA II and the Hyogo Framework, the council severe. This can be clearly illustrated by the 2000 of Ministers approved the National Master Plan for floods which reduced the GDP growth rate from Disaster Risk Reduction in 2006. This document over 10 percent to less than 2 percent, with direct details the government’s action plan for reducing and indirect losses estimated at $488 millions. As the impact of disasters and includes activities much as 25 percent of Mozambique’s population such as providing the country with the means for faces a high mortality risk from natural hazards, prevention and appropriate response mechanisms and it ranks as the second most geographically and the strengthening of institutional, regional exposed country in Africa.12 and international coordination.

10 Source : http://www.unmozambique.org/ 11 Source: UNDP 2009 Global Human Development Report. New York. 12 Natural Disaster Hotspots - A global risk analysis, The World Bank, 2005. 13 World Disasters Report 2009 - Focus on early warning, early action, International Federation of the Red Cross

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

The government body that is primarily responsible national response capacity. An example of the for the coordination of disaster plans, policies achieved results is the establishment of the and interventions in Mozambique is the National National Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE). Institute for Disaster Management (INGC). INGC has made a significant effort to strengthen Of all the four countries included in this guideline,

Disaster risk profile Hydrometeorological phenomena

Mozambique is the most vulnerable to hydro- Mozambique has been hit by 34 significant meteorological hazards such as cyclones and cyclones or tropical depressions, including the associated floods in large inundation areas. most recent one, cyclone Ivan , in March which Moreover, the floods caused by the drainage hit the northern coastline. The map below shows system discharge in the Indian Ocean, at the all the countries affected. The most vulnerable Mozambique coastline, are an additional hazard. country in the subregion to this type of natural The coastline of the subregion which includes hazard is Madagascar (see darker areas in Figue Mozambique, (Figure 1) is often affected by 4), which was violently hit with 300,000 people cyclones and tropical storms coming from the affected. Indian Ocean. According to INGC, since 1970

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 4: Vulnerability of Mozambique and neighbour countries to cyclones

Source: (Government of Mozambique, 2009) Concept Note: Sub-Regional Centre for Disaster Mitigation and Sustainable Reconstruction (DIMSUR) (Mozambique, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Swaziland, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe).September, Maputo.

Floods15

Mozambique is also located downstream of nine the subregion, in particular the Limpopo River, international river basins (Figure 2), of which resulting in more than 700 deaths, 500,000 people the Zambezi is the largest one, followed by the displaced and 2 million people affected. Flooding Limpopo, Rovuma and Save along the seven major can be geographically random as the rivers are rivers that cross the country (Zambezi, Limpopo, spread from the north to the south of the country. Incomati, Licungo, Save, Buzi and Pungue), and its For example, the 1999/2000 flood emergency extent depends to a great deal on the amount of affected the Limpopo River valley, whereas the rainfall registered in the neighbouring countries, 2001/2002 flood occurred in the Zambezi River located upstream (see Figure 5). Vulnerability is at valley. Water management infrastructure of these its highest throughout the rainy season which runs rivers is limited as there are only four major dams from September to March. A major flood event in-country that operate to control water levels last occurred in the year 2000, as a consequence downstream, and levels of regional coordination of Cyclone Elyne, affecting several basins in capacity are weak. Localized flooding is also very

15 Flood can be defined as an overflow or inundation that comes from a river or other body of water and causes or threatens damage. The result of heavy or excessive amounts of rainfall within a short period of time, usually less than 6 hours, causing water to rise and fall quite rapidly is termed as Flash Floods. Rain-induced flash floods can occur in any part of the country during and after heavy rain. In general they rise and fall quickly but the speed of the flood current is as significant as the depth of the water in causing casualties and damage. Flash flooding usually subsides in a matter of hours; flash flood casualties and damage are often caused by water speed and debris as much as water depth; wide-area flooding is more pervasive and slower to subside but also gives more time for action; water-borne disease can be a serious secondary risk – people should be advised to boil water for drinking and to prevent children from playing in flood waters; Insect-borne diseases (malaria, dengue, etc.) can increase in the periods after floods.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

common in the rainy season and has the potential the potential to impact over 340,000 people. INGC to affect thousands of people, as is the case during also reports that since 1970, the country has been yearly flooding in coastal cities like Beira and affected by 32 significant cyclones or tropical Quelimane which are situated below sea level. depressions with 36 districts along the coast INGC estimates that 54 districts across the country and inland vulnerable to hydrometeorological are vulnerable to seasonal flooding, and this has phenomena, and over 800,000 people at risk.

Figure 5: Hydrographic basins and the flood hazard in the subregion

Storm-surge floodingmay also occur in low-lying coastal areas when a low barometric pressure (around 1004 hectopascal (hPa) or lower, a hPa is a unit of air pressure) system coincides with heavy on-shore winds and waves. Although such flooding is often associated with tropical cyclones, it can also occur during less severe storms known as tropical lows in meteorological terms. Potentially, the most destructive phenomenon associated with tropical cyclones that make landfall is the storm surge. Storm surge is a raised dome of water about 60 to 80 km across and typically about 2 to 5 mts higher than the normal tide level. If the surge occurs at the same time as a high tide then the area inundated can be quite extensive, particularly along low-lying coastlines. • Storm surge, or tidal surge, occurs when a deep low-pressure centre is close to or crossing the coast (see map ICGN database Mozambique) • The sea level can rise by as much as 3 or more meters in Madagascar, Mozambique and the Comoros but is likely to be smaller depending on force and direction of winds. • A storm surge can flood low-lying coastal areas, particularly if it coincides with high tide and full moon. • A storm surge is usually accompanied by strong winds and waves, which can cause additional damage to exposed coastal areas and fishing villages.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 6: Storm surge in normal and cyclonic conditions

Source: Adapted from Emergency Management Australia (2005) in consultation with State/Territory Emergency Services.

Drought

Drought is the most frequent natural hazard next. While the situation has improved in recent and occurs every three to four years. Drought years due to increased agricultural production conditions are relatively chronic in the southern and food security, communities are still suffering and central regions of Mozambique, and from the effects of the prolonged drought that account for a large part of the vulnerability in began in 2003. In 2007, Mozambique entered a the country due to their impact on food security new severe drought period. and livelihoods. It is estimated that droughts contributed to the death of about 4,000 people The Master Plan for Disaster Prevention and between 1980 and 2000. The main problem is that Mitigation, approved by the Mozambique Council affected populations do not have sufficient time of Ministers in May 2006 highlights the importance to recover from the economic and social impacts of conservation agriculture in drought areas and provoked by droughts between one cycle and the provides lines of action towards the creation of

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

experimental centres for conservation agriculture. number of guidelines to main DRR stakeholders The regional office of United Nations Food and meeting during the DIPECHOs Second Regional Agriculture Organization (FAO) has provided a Workshop held in Malawi in October 2009.

Several NGOs, particularly CARE International work in improving livelihoods security of 18,000 smallholder farmers in GOVURO, Inhassoro and Vilankulos districts, in Inhanbane province. They promote agricultural conservation methods such as retention of soil moisture to sustain soil fertility, rainwater harvesting techniques, and also distribute drought tolerant varieties of principal crop to farmers. In this project, 2,482 smallholder farmers, of which 69 percent are women, also adopted fire breaks to avoid uncontrolled fires. Fire education is also being implemented, regarding the impact of uncontrolled burning or bush fires (‘queimadas’) on soil fertility and agriculture production16.

In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture of Mozambique undertook the task of implementing a survey on food (in) security in the most vulnerable districts of the northern region of the country. An estimate number of 281,300 people are lacking minimum amounts of daily food intake. Results are shown in Figure 7 below.

Figure 7: Shocks caused by natural hazards in selected northern districts in Mozambiue

Choques nos últimos 12 meses 100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% Niassa Cabo Nampula Zambezia Tete Manica Sofala Inhambane Gaza Maputo Delgado

Des as tres na turais R eduç ão de fontes de a limentos e poder de c ompra Aumento de prec os, pra gas e doenç as em a nimais e c ulturas R eduç ão de fonte de rendimento

Source: Ministry of Agriculture released to the UN Forum, 18 November 2009, Maputo.

16 Care Mozambique Six Month report: February to July 2009.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Earthquakes

Mozambique lies on the southern end of the Espungabera, Beira and Chimoio areas, including East African Rift Valley, although seismic activity many public facilities such as schools and health is not frequent in this area. However, after an centres. Power outages also occurred in Maputo. earthquake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, The earthquake was felt across Mozambique and affected Manica Province in February 2006, INGC in parts of Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, identified earthquake preparedness as a priority Botswana and Zambia. The exposure of the urban for contingency planning. The February 2006 population to an earthquake would have the earthquake killed one person in Espungabera, potential to affect close to 900,000 people in the one in Machaze and two in Beira. 27 people were Provinces of Manica and Sofala. injured and at least 160 buildings damaged in

Republic of Madagascar

Madagascar17 is located in the southern point (3,000 m) is located north in the Massif de hemisphere, in the south-west Indian Ocean, 400 Tsaratanana. One third of the island's surface km off the coast of southern Africa, specifically consists of coastal plains; large sedimentary basins Mozambique. The island is located between and volcanic plains (see Figure 8). The country is 12th and 26th parallels, crossing the Tropic of crossed by an extensive hydrographic network Capricorn. It has an area of about 590,750 km2, and subjected to a number of disasters (see Figure making it the world's fourth largest island after 8). The population of Madagascar is approximately Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo and has many 19.6 million and the Human Development Index18 small islands off its coast. Madagascar has 4,828 is 0.543, which ranks it 145th out of 182 countries km of coastline stretching over 1,500 km between listed (see Figure 9). The main source of income is the Cap d'Ambre in the extreme north and Cape agriculture, with the agricultural sector employing St. Mary in the south and the island is about 500 88 percent of all workers. GDP per capita is $932 km at its widest point. and 89.6 percent of the population lives below the poverty line of $2 per day. A mountainous backbone with an average height of 1,200-1,500 m across the island from north to south along its entire length. The highest

17 Source : FTM.2000. Bulletin trimestriel, premier trimestre Nosy veut dire île en malagasy. Source : Système des Nations Unies Madagascar.2000. Présentation de Madagascar à la Session du Conseil Economique et Social – Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies - Juillet 2000 - New York Source : Institut National de la Statistique Antananarivo, MADAGASCAR (Direction de la Démographie et des Statistiques Sociales) / Macro International Inc. Calverton, Maryland USA. 1997. Enquête Démographique et de santé à Madagascar. 18 UNDP, 2009 HDI Human Development Index. Madagascar.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 8: Madagascar hazard risk map

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Madagascar risk profile

Madagascar17 is located in the southern hemisphe- extreme north and Cape St. Mary in the south and re, in the south-west Indian Ocean, 400 km off the the island is about 500 km at its widest point. coast of southern Africa, specifically Mozambique. The island is located between 12th and 26th A mountainous backbone with an average height parallels, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn. It has an of 1,200-1,500 m across the island from north area of about 590,750 km2, making it the world's to south along its entire length. The highest fourth largest island after Greenland, New Guinea point (3,000 m) is located north in the Massif de and Borneo and has many small islands off its coast. Tsaratanana. One third of the island's surface Madagascar has 4,828 km of coastline stretching consists of coastal plains; large sedimentary basins over 1,500 km between the Cap d'Ambre in the and volcanic plains (see Figure 8). The country is

Disaster statistics

crossed by an extensive hydrographic network. being between mid-December and mid-March. The population of Madagascar is approximately Cyclones, droughts, flooding, and epidemics 19.6 million and the Human Development Index18 are periodic hazards. During the past 20 years is 0.543, which ranks it 145th out of 182 countries (1989-2008), Madagascar has faced the following listed (see Figure XX). The main source of income is disasters: four droughts, three epidemics agriculture, with the agricultural sector employing (respiratory and diarrheal/enteric), two floods, one 88 percent of all workers. GDP per capita is $932 insect infestation, 25 cyclones and two tropical and 89.6 percent of the population lives below storms. the poverty line of $2 per day. Madagascar is prone to disaster risk, facing four Population exposure to tropical cyclones in the main natural hazards, namely country is the 13th highest in the world, and there (i) cyclones and tropical storms; is a higher than average relative vulnerability to (ii) flood, and droughts. In 2007 and 2008, Madagascar suffered (iii) drought, which are of meteorological from two consecutive cyclone seasons that left origin; and finally very little time for people to get their livelihoods (iv) locust infestations. back (see Figure 9). Because of occasional droughts Hydro-meteorological phenomena, such as or other unfavorable weather conditions and cyclones and floods, are leading causes of disasters subsequent crop failures, seasonal food insecurity in Madagascar. The cyclone season runs from is a major feature in the country’s profile (see 1 November to 30 April, the most active period Table 1).

Table 1: Natural Hazard Effects in Madagascar Natural Disasters from 1981 - 2008 No. of events: 48 No. of people killed: 3,740 Average killed per year: 134 No. of people affected: 8,531,370 Average affected per year: 304,692 Economic Damage ($ X 1,000): 1,637,881 Economic Damage per year ($ X 1,000): 58,496 Source: Prevention Web (2009a)

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 9: Mortality risk index

Source: www.preventionweb.net

Cyclones 2008. Also, the country’s PRSP19 incorporates risk Between December 2006 and March 2007, five and vulnerability considerations into its analyses successive tropical storms and cyclones hit and strategic planning. In the DIPECHO national Madagascar, killing at least 31 people and affecting consultative meeting for Madagascar on April more than 63,000 others. Rainfall from the storms 2008 the following issues and sectors were listed led to widespread flooding which damaged for prioritization: infrastructure, destroyed crops, and threatened • local capacity building; local food security. Although effective early • institutional strengthening (at warning and alert systems minimized the casualties community level as well as regarding from the storms, the consecutive cyclones and natural hazards follow-up); extensive flooding depleted local and national • early warning systems (also in local response resources, leading the Government of languages); Madagascar to request international assistance. • education and awareness; • small-scale infrastructure works; and Madagascar is working to strengthen its disaster • stock-piling of emergency and relief preparedness and response capabilities. In items. 2007, the government together with its partners In 2009, a similar consultative meeting was developed a contingency plan which guided the conducted; however results are unavailable at the humanitarian response to the cyclones in early time this document is going to print.

19 Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) are prepared by the member countries through a participatory process involving domestic stakeholders as well as external development partners, including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Updated every three years with annual progress reports, PRSPs describe the country's macroeconomic, structural and social policies and programs over a three year or longer horizon to promote broad-based growth and reduce poverty, as well as associated external financing needs and major sources of financing. Interim PRSPs (I-PRSPs) summarize the current knowledge and analysis of a country's poverty situation, describe the existing poverty reduction strategy, and lay out the process for producing a fully developed PRSP in a participatory fashion (www.IMF.org)

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

The Union of Comoros

The Union of Comoros comprises the islands of (see Figure 10) in 2007/2008 is 0.576, which ranks Grande Comore (or Ngazidja) Moheli (or Moila) and the Comoros 139th out of 182 countries in the Anjouan (or Ndzouani). The total area of the Union list. GDP per capita is $1143 and 65 percent of is 2,170 km2 and the largest island of Ngazidja, the population lives below the $2 poverty line. covers approximately 1,000 km2. The population The HDI, which refers to data collected in 2007, of the Comoros is approximately 850,000 with over highlights the very large gaps in well-being 50 percent of the population living on Ngazidja. and life chances that continue to divide our Between 40,000-50,000 inhabitants live in Moroni, increasingly interconnected world. the capital. The Human Development Index (HDI)

Figure 10: Human development index trends in 2007 and comparison with other regions

Source: Indicator table G of the Human Development Report 2009

HIV epidemic, according to statistics, is far lower women attending antenatal clinics in Moroni. than on the African mainland (the statistics may HIV prevalence on the islands, according to the be inaccurate due to problems in data collection UNDP Human Development Report, is below 0.1 and recording). Between 1991 and 1996, percent. there was no evidence of HIV infection among

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 11: Map of the Comoros Islands

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Disaster risk profile Natural hazards in the Comoros islands (see Figure • four explosive volcanic eruptions of the 11) are epidemics, volcanoes and windstorms. Le Karthala volcano and the Les Grilles Cyclones can occur during the rainy season which volcano on the island of Grand Comore; runs from December to April. According to the • one cyclone; and Emergency Event Database,20 the Comoros has • one storm. experienced the following disasters during the The most critical risk for both high mortality and last 20 years (1989-2008): morbidity is the on-going threat of a volcanic • six epidemics; eruption (see Table 2)

Volcanic hazards

One of the world's most active volcanoes, Mount eruptions occurred on the lower flanks of the Karthala, located in the centre of the 60 km long volcano. In most cases, lava flows have devastated main island of Ngazidja, forms most of the island’s regions, affecting people in specific villages. The landmass, accounting for two thirds of the total major risk posed by this volcano is therefore not area of the island. The total height of the volcano only of a magma (lava) nature but an additional is about 6,000 mts, with 4,000 mts submerged risk are the phreatic materials which may produce under the sea and 2,360 mts above sea level. The clouds of hot rocks and deadly gases moving at volcano has a caldera of three km located in the high speed.21 central part, south of the island. The crater (see Figure 11) in which surrounds the caldera and The Karthala Volcano Observatory (OVK) has whose depth is about 1,000 mts, is filled with water divided the island into three risk zones, based on from a recent eruption. The rift zones extend to the geological structure and volcanic history of the north, north-east, west and south-east from eruptions during the past 200 years. The zones the summit. In the last 200 years, there has been are classified on a scale from one (higher risk) to an eruption of Mount Karthala on average, every five (lowest). The regions at level 1 include the top 11 years and 2005 the volcano erupted twice and north, north-west and south-east of the rift. affecting 40,000 people in April and 175,000 The level II regions include most coastal areas in in November. After the last eruption, volcanic central and southern parts of the island, which is dust and debris covered the capital, Moroni, and where the population is concentrated, including wide areas of Grande Comore/Ngazidja island. Moroni. The level III regions include mainly the Toxic volcanic ash and smoke caused extensive north-west part of the island near the Hahaya air pollution and contaminated water supplies, International Airport. The regions IV and V include threatening the health, livestock and agricultural the northern parts of the island. The most recent livelihood of approximately 245,000 people living threat was an eruption accompanied by a series in 76 villages. Most of the materials expelled were of earthquakes which began in May 2003. This of the magma type, resulting in lava flows on has led scientists to believe that the magma was both sides of the island. During the last century, moving in the magma chamber and ascended lava flows reached populated coastal regions, slowly toward the surface. including Moroni, the capital. In some cases, the

20 CRED EM-DAT University of Louvain, Belgium. www. Cred.be 20 IRIN 2009b, and 2008 UNDP Project Document. Coopération inter agences sur le Relèvement après les catastrophes aux Comores

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 12: Le Karthala Volcanoe crater

Source: NASA Earth Observatory (2009)

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 13: Map of Gran Comoros showing a timeline of eruptions

The weak economic situation of the country is the framework of the Global Facility for Disaster reflected in the weak capacity of institutional Risk Reduction Track III (mainstreaming DRR for response to disasters not only in dealing with sustainable poverty reduction in the Union of the volcanic activity, but for all hazards (see Figure Comoros). 12). The Centre des Opérations de Secours et de la Protection Civile (COSEP) was set up in 2007 to However, existing preparedness activities are not strengthen this capacity. Currently, some disaster supported by a model or strategic concept of preparedness improvement initiatives are the components which need to be addressed to ongoing. For example, integration of the concept manage all aspects of a volcanic risk (see Figure of DRR into the Country Strategy Paper is in process 13). and several initiatives are being prepared under

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

The World Disaster Report published in 2009 by IFRC highlight the importance of EWS for volcanoes. Early Warning Systems (EWSs) for volcanoes have been adopted in many regions where volcanoes are active. They work as a coordination and communication tool between scientists and other stakeholders to help minimize the economic and social impact of volcanic activity. Individual volcano early warning systems (VEWS) vary considerably due to a number of factors including the ability to monitor and forecast volcano hazards, management of volcano observatories and broader social, political and economic issues. The organizations that coordinate VEWS are predominantly the volcano observatory if there is one (it may be part of a local university), emergency managers/civil defence or, in some cases, the local government, but the coordination varies depending upon the country and its disaster management policy. VEWS can operate from the local level of an individual volcano, through to regional, national and international levels (particularly for the aviation sector). The United Nations have provided some generic EWS guidelines that some governments may or may not adhere to. Volcanic activity presents a complex problem for volcanologists and emergency managers; they have to forecast and manage a diverse range of hazards that may occur, sometimes without warning, when volcanoes are active or dormant (page 14).

Therefore managing volcanic crises requires careful consideration and understanding of how to take action in the context of extreme uncertainty, from both scientific and social standpoints. To do this successfully, a VEWS should be fully integrated so that it covers everything from monitoring and detection, to analysis and interpretation of the data, to communication and generating an effective response. This requires planning, cooperation, the running of drills, education, and discussion and communication between all stakeholders so that during a crisis effective decisions can be made quickly. The ability to develop, provide and maintain a successful VEWS is built around five key components listed in Figure 14 (see below). While the VEWS model may appear to be linear, there is ongoing interaction between the five components and the different knowledge groups within the system. The five components listed have functions before, during and after a crisis (page 15) {see Figure 15}.

Figure 14: A model of a Volcano EWS based on the WDR (IFRC), 2009 report

1. Understanding & 2. Volcanic 3.Volcano crises 4.Response 5. Broader forecasting volcano scientists management economic, hazard management political & socia issues Volcano style Hazard mitigation & Crises planning Education Communication mapping Eruptive history Monitoring Decision -making Ability to Education obtain warning Period of quiescence Research Media Aware of Funding management what to do Tectonic location Outreach/Education Communication Technology with the public Cultural & other authorities environment Volcanic hazard Alert noti cation Coordination of system & crises institutional and planning public relationships Institutional dynamics Source: 2009 IFRC World Disaster Report, Geneve at bottom of figure and delete after EWS in caption

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 15: Rescue operation on lava flow during the 2007 eruption

The disaster sectors prioritized for the Comoros • early warning systems; by the participants of the DIPECHO were: • education and awareness; • local capacity building; • small-scale infrastructure works; and • institutional strengthening at • stock-piling of emergency and community level; relief items.

Table 2 Comoros disaster statistics

Natural Disasters from 1981 - 2007 No. of events: 16 No. of people killed: 146 Average killed per year: 5 No. of people affected: 407,114 Average affected per year: 15,078 Economic Damage ($ X 1,000): 42,804 Economic Damage per year ($ X 1,000): 1,585

Source : www.proventionweb.net

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Republic of Malawi

Malawi, a landlocked country situated in Southern 14 million people, of which over 80 percent are Africa has borders with Zambia, Tanzania and rural-based and depend on subsistence farming Mozambique. The climate is sub-tropical with one as their main source of livelihood. GDP per capita rainy and one dry season a year. It is one of the most for Malawi is $2761. On the Human Development densely populated and least developed countries Index, Malawi, with an HDI of 493 ranked 160th in the world. The country is based on an agricultural out of 182 countries with 65.3 percent of the economy with the agricultural sector contributing population below poverty line.22 HIV prevalence over 35 percent to the country’s GDP. Agricultural is at 11.9 percent23, which both fuels and is fueled exports also account for over 70 percent of the by poverty. country’s foreign exchange earnings, with tobacco accounting for approximately 65 percent of the country’s export earnings. The population is over

Figure 16: Map of Malawi

22 UNDP 2009 Global Human Development Report, New York 23 UNAIDS, 2009

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

The context of chronic poverty, poor health and Droughts and floods have usually alternated in food insecurity, as well as HIV epidemic, increases most of the areas referred to above. However, and the number of people impacted by drought and a number of floods related to cyclonic weather floods. Epidemics are often secondary and tertiary patterns in 1946, 1956, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2003 and impacts of both floods and droughts, increasing more recently in early 2008. Floods have impacted the vulnerability, hampering recovery and different river basins but the Lower Shire is the reducing short- to medium-term resilience.24 most severely and most frequently affected area. In general, the flood problem in Malawi seems Due to over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture, high to be exacerbated by a number of man-made population densities and weak infrastructure for problems largely stemming from population basic services, including high prevalence of HIV pressure. On the other hand, drought occurrences, referred to above, people’s livelihoods as well although more localized than national, have been as the economy as a whole are very vulnerable more frequent in the southern region resulting in to droughts and floods, the most frequently more pronounced impacts due to relatively high occurring natural hazards in the country. population densities (ibid.). Environmental degradation, increasing poverty, rapid urbanization and a lack of effective DRR effort worsen the vulnerability of the population to hazards and exacerbate the impacts of disasters (ibid.). Malawi disaster statistics

Table 3: Data related to human and economic losses from disasters that have occurred between 1982 and 2007.

Natural Disasters from 1982 - 2007 No. of events: 41 No. of people killed: 2,596 Average killed per year: 100 No. of people affected: 21,656,445 Average affected per year: 832,940 Economic Damage ($ X 1,000): 59,789 Economic Damage per year ($ X 1,000): 2,300 Source : www.proventionweb.net

24 Phiri, M.A.R Strategy Paper for the Second DIPECHO Action Plan for Malawi, Lilongwe. Draft version.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Floods

Precise data of the yearly impact of floods in of these occurred after 1990. More importantly the terms of deaths and numbers of people affected number of people affected by these disasters has is not available in official publications. However, increased sharply since 1990. The geographical it is quite apparent that the nature and pattern of coverage of floods has also increased. Before 2001 weather related hazards are changing, becoming only nine districts in Malawi were classified as more frequent, intense and unpredictable. flood-prone. In 2001, 16 districts were reported as For example, between 1970 and 2006 Malawi flood affected, and a further 14 districts in 2002. experienced 40 weather-related disasters, but 16 Drought

Precise yearly data on the number of deaths and characteristics based on Standard Precipitation affected population by disasters has not been Index (SPI) time series. The study showed that made available officially. Drought is, undoubtedly Malawi was worst affected by the droughts of the greatest threat in terms of geographical 1987, 1992, 1994, 2004, and 2005. The major range and economic effect. The risk management droughts in the past 50 years were experienced in company Software Inc. (RMSI), which generates 1948/1949 and 1991/1992, while meteorological global geospatial information and, in addition droughts of 1992, 1994 and 2005 were national to other analysis, has recently carried out an level events, the droughts during 1987 and 2004 historical assessment of meteorological droughts, were local in their spatial nature.25 studying their frequency and spatial distribution Earthquakes Scientific information regarding Malawi’s to over 25 million people. When pro-rated vulnerability to earthquakes shows that the risk to population as the mean annual number of of earthquakes is low.26 However, in 1989 an victims per 100,000 inhabitants, the staggering earthquake of magnitude 6.1 on the Richter scale result (8,747 people) placed Malawi as the worst occurred in the Salima area, killing 9 people and affected of the 10 poorest countries in the world, affecting over 50,000 people. The damage caused far exceeding Eritrea (6,402 people) and Ethiopia was estimated at $28 million. (5,259 people), the second and third worst- Compared to other parts of Africa and the affected poor nations. According to this report, subregion, Malawi as a whole does not fall into the Malawi, Eritrea and Ethiopia are cited as obvious category of Intensive Disaster Risk as defined in the examples of the relationship between poverty, ISDR Global Review on DRR. This review refers to vulnerability and the impact of disasters (ibid.). situations where there is a high concentration of Despite the frequent occurrence of droughts and people and economic activities in areas exposed floods in the recent past, disaster prevention, to occasional or frequent hazard events, with preparedness and response systems have not been chronic impacts. prioritised in Malawi. This is evidenced by gaps in policy and legal frameworks; an incomplete draft Furthermore, a global, country-by-country of the National Disaster Management Plan; a lack analysis of the EM-DAT disaster database for the of comprehensive all-hazard EWSs; lack of disaster 30-year period 1974 to 2003 reports on a dataset contingency plans; and the lack of coordinated comprised of 25 disasters with a cumulative frameworks and programs (ibid.). number of victims (killed and affected) amounting

25 Economic Vulnerability and Disaster Risk Assessment in Malawi and Mozambique, RMSI 26 World Bank 2009

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

This review refers to situations where there is a high (5,259 people), the second and third worst- concentration of people and economic activities affected poor nations. According to this report, in areas exposed to occasional or frequent hazard Malawi, Eritrea and Ethiopia are cited as obvious events, with chronic impacts. examples of the relationship between poverty, Furthermore, a global, country-by-country analy- vulnerability and the impact of disasters (ibid.). sis of the EM-DAT disaster database for the 30- Despite the frequent occurrence of droughts and year period 1974 to 200327 reports on a dataset floods in the recent past, disaster prevention, comprised of 25 disasters (see Table 3) with a preparedness and response systems have not been cumulative number of victims (killed and affected) prioritised in Malawi. This is evidenced by gaps in amounting to over 25 million people. When pro- policy and legal frameworks; an incomplete draft rated to population as the mean annual number of the National Disaster Management Plan; a lack of victims per 100,000 inhabitants, the staggering of comprehensive all-hazard EWSs; lack of disaster result (8,747 people) placed Malawi as the worst contingency plans; and the lack of coordinated affected of the 10 poorest countries in the world, frameworks and programs (ibid.). far exceeding Eritrea (6,402 people) and Ethiopia

27 Guha-Sapir et al 2004, 2004. Thirty Years of Natural Disasters, 1974-2003: the numbers Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. Louvain-la-Neuve, Presses universitaires de Louvain. www.em-dat.net/documents/Publication/publication_2004_emdat.pdf).

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Methodology

This guideline of best practices consists in a were shortened. The southern Africa region catalogue of successful and proven strategies has a number of macroeconomic indicators of implemented by partners and main stakeholders high poverty, high illiteracy and a poor overall in the south-east Africa and south-west Indian educational level, well below than the Caribbean. Ocean region. The methodology of identification In fact, the Caribbean countries are considered of these best practices and tools of risk reduction middle-level income by the World Bank while the and their use in disaster preparedness, was southern African and south-west Indian Ocean cross-fertilized by UNDP from both the Andean countries are considered low income countries, region in central America, and the Caribbean. The mostly dependent on international assistance. successful elements of these processes and the lessons learned from these previous experiences The DIPECHO Inventory Forms were revised were adapted to incorporate the key results and to incorporate the realities of African outputs of the African initiative. A similar strategy underdevelopment and the criteria adopted for and methodology was adopted and similar selection of best practices (when 6 entries out of products of knowledge transfer were developed the 8 entries were present) were shortened (see for this initiative. However, some adaptations Table 1.) in the criteria of selection of best practices were required, and the questions asked in the inventory

Table 4: Criteria for selection of best practices

1. Natural risks being reduce by risk reduction; 2. Presence of M&R and indicators; 3. Sustainability and replicability ; 4. Existence of background documentation; 5. Clear link between national & local plans & practices already in existence using local knowledge; 6. Building in DRR and disaster preparedness; 7. Initiatives with tools & methodologies in DRR; 8. Initiatives that integrate DRR & disaster preparedness into development .

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Methods

A number of Inventory Forms (38 forms), completed Groups and face to face interviews were conducted by project managers and/or programme in each of the target countries allowing qualitative responsible partner, were received out of a list information to also be collected. A desk review of more than 25 participant institutions. Twelve on background documentation of each of the best practices in risk reduction and emergency projects was also conducted. preparedness were selected. However, in some cases questions were not completely answered, The ECHO-UNDP project, under DIPECHO 2009 resulting in a substantial amount of missing data, programming has selected a number of best particularly in the category of training. The main practices. UNDP broadened the compilation of reasons given were as follows: best practices to incorporate other organizations • the length of the forms and the time required working in the area of risk reduction in the four to fill the forms, often with time consuming target countries. The remaining projects, not archival search; reported here, will be uploaded in the DIPECHO • the short period of 15 months to validate a website and will be available for on-line potential best practice; and consultations or research. The documents that • the method of requesting the information serve as background reference material will also utilized (via e-mail) which often people gave be available in a virtual library format. low priority to answering.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Building in hazardous zones

2

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Building in hazardous zones The UNDP DRR team selected the projects simple rapid assessment on damage and that met the criteria, finalizing a list of 12 best losses and EWSs at local level. This guideline practices which were grouped under two general outlines the best practices and lessons themes: learned by projects clustered within the 1. Building in hazardous zones; and two themes, naming the countries and 2. Local level risk management, including implementing organizations.

UN HABITAT- MOZAMBIQUE Sustainable Land Use Planning for Integrated Land and Water Management for Disaster Preparedness and Vulnerability Reduction in the Limpopo Basin Abstract This project addressed floods, flood mitigation, the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Republic of and flooding risk reduction in the Limpopo River Mozambique. South Africa is the upstream country basin based on the rationale that flooding and while Mozambique is the downstream country. floods are an integral part of the hydrological The basin supports several important ecosystems, cycle and cannot be managed in isolation. Given as well as an estimated 5,200 human settlements. the recent repeated frequent flooding affecting Most of the settlements are in the South African the lower Limpopo River basin, the Southern and Mozambican parts of the basin. Less than 10 Africa Development Community (SADC) countries percent of the basin settlements are located in have shown interest in addressing this issue. Zimbabwe and Botswana. Disaster preparedness The Government of Mozambique, the country and vulnerability reduction in the Limpopo most affected due to its downstream location, basin was addressed through sustainable land formulated a specific request of assistance with the use planning for integrated land and water United Nations Human Settlements Programme management. Implementation of priorities (UNHSP/Habitat) and the United Nations interventions at community level included the Environment Programme (UNEP). The Limpopo flood proof school at Maniquenique and several River basin is shared among four countries, the educational tools built around the concept of Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Botswana, ‘living with floods’. The initiative This initiative is a disaster risk reduction (DRR) is required. With this in mind, a number of project aiming to reduce the impact of floods learning participatory tools were developed. The on livelihoods and on the environment. To deal Mozambique component is presented here. with floods, an integrated managing approach Goal and objective Based on the overall assessment of the of the • stimulation of legal, regulatory and policy Limpopo River basin and the populations changes; exposed (14 million people living in the basin), • enhancement of flood forecasting, early it become clear that the main intended outcome warning and response systems; of the project should be a minimized risk of • capacity building for participatory land use assets destruction through a ‘living with floods’ planning, and improvement of disaster risk approach. Other outcomes were: management and contingency planning. • strengthening of intercountry cooperation;

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Best practices

The 'Living with Floods' concept and participatory land use planning. The latter initiative was implemented in Mozambique, in Chilaulene, Mabalane, and Maniquenique and contingency plans were formulated and adopted by communities during project implementation. Prior to this project, the standard approach in Mozambique to dealing with floods, only focused on methodologies of community evacuation from flood prone areas where they were originally settled. During years without floods, evacuation from these areas takes communities away from fertile lands and water sources. As a result of the project and other related UN-Habitat work in Mozambique (Living with Floods), the government has realized that communities can adapt and implement the necessary interventions that enable people to continue to live in flood prone areas. The interventions in Maniquenique and Chilaulene demonstrate this 'living with floods' concept.

A Territorial Act 19/2007 was also approved. The act establishes boundaries where territorial planning must be done and prescribes participatory planning processes with communities drawing their own spatial plan

Maniquenique, as show in Figure 1, is 13 km from Chibuto, where the district administration is located, and is in quite a vulnerable position to floods. The village was totally inundated in 2000 with flood water at an average height of approximately 1 m above ground level. Several participatory planning sessions were held in the existing primary school.

Figure 17: Architectural design of the Elevated Primary School of Maniquenique, built with wooden poles, cemented pillars and lateral structures, corrugated iron sheets with a reinforced roof.

In Chilaulene, Xai Xai district, a dual purpose agricultural centre at Chilaulene, the classroom building was constructed at the highest point in block at Maniquenique was also designed as a the village. The building was designed to serve as dual purpose building, serving as a classroom a community agricultural centre during normal during normal periods and as a safe haven during periods and as a safe haven for the community floods. during floods. Similar to the community

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Figure 18: Architectural design of the Community Agricultural Centre of Chilaulene, built with cement bricks prepared in a traditional manner

The agricultural centre and its water harvesting village on the dune1. The centre is well positioned tank are shown in Figures 1 and 2 in Annex VI. Figure to serve as a safe haven for the community during 3 in the same annex (Need to update according to floods. The top of this dune was the only zone of what is in annex) shows the elevated location of the village that was not flooded during the 2000 the agricultural centre on the highest point in the floods.

Lessons learned

The project had a slow start due to problems stakeholders prior to finalization of the project experienced with recruiting project personnel. The implementation plans. Additionally, sustainability recruitment delay was a result of dependence on of the local and national level interventions needs UNDP for recruitment in the project countries. In to be more comprehensively addressed and addition, negotiations to include Botswana in the adequately planned from the outset of the project project took a long time. Implementation would design. Also, sustained long term project results have been significantly expedited if there had on reducing impacts of floods depend on the been lead time before the formal commencement skills transferred, as well as continued training. of the project. This period would have been used Provision for such training needs to be assured at to introduce all stakeholders to the project, to the planning stage. recruit key project personnel, and to iron out issues such as the inclusion of Botswana. Additional The importance of good communications and delays associated with the inclusion of Botswana, flexibility is vital, and UN-Habitat demonstrated during project implementation, suggest an extreme flexibility in their project management. emerging lesson of the importance of stakeholder They were able to adapt to the situation on the involvement from the project design stage. ground during implementation through changing Where the success of project implementation the approach and design of components to hinges on an inclusive approach, there needs to overcome the difficulties. be a clear and agreed plan of involvement of all

1 This point is estimated to be at least 10 m above the river level in this area.

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Potential for replication

Replicating this practice is easy. UN-Habitat has been cross-fertilizing the concept of adapting to floods by building elevated structures above peak flood levels. Some of the types of elevated constructions are context specific, but the approach can be applied in other countries and would work in different contexts.

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Supporting Innovative Local Mitigation Interventions for Reducing Vulnerabilities to Floods and Cyclones in Mozambique MOZAMBIQUE

Abstract Recurrent flooding in Mozambique presents an strengthening preparedness and mitigation opportunity for implementing this proposed measures, among other aspects. Demonstration strategy, which aims to strengthen the coping interventions included the construction of a flood- capacity of vulnerable communities. The ‘living resistant public building and a number of low- with floods’ intervention was realized through cost elevated houses using simple architectural participatory planning, implementation of small- designs adapted to the local culture, so that they scale demonstration interventions, and training can serve as models to be replicated in other and capacity building activities. The aim of these flood-prone areas. Institutional coordination, activities was to minimise asset loss using a dissemination and advocacy activities will also be combination of innovative building techniques, carried out. The Initiative

To provide the Government with concrete local master builders, community involvement, as solutions for building sustainable human well as awareness-raising and advocacy activities settlements in cyclone-prone areas, there was an at both local and national level. The model urgent need to carry out demonstration activities. houses present a range of low-cost options to be The successful demonstration intervention in replicated in other cyclone-prone in Mozambique. Vilankulos can be replicated to other areas. The For this purpose agreement will be sought from focus there was to rebuild damaged houses the Government to take the lessons learned and in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of the best practices to the policy level and obtain the town, with the aim of reducing vulnerability to commitment for scaling up. future cyclones by applying low-cost, simple, Also, activities to promote the concept of 'living safer, innovative, locally-adapted construction with floods' were realized. techniques. This included ‘on-the-job’ training of Goal and objective

This initiative was designed to identify and test of local capacity building in vulnerable pilot innovative small-scale mitigation interventions areas. After validation, it is aimed to disseminate for floods and cyclones using a participatory information on the initiative and to prepare the approach. It has a component of promotion conditions for future replication.

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Outcomes and activities

Innovative local solutions and activities for Cyclone-resistant construction and related ‘living with floods’ (see Figure 19) were carried capacity building activities, using iron and cement out in Marromeu Municipality, Sofala Province. structures, were implemented in Vilanculos A number of didactic materials were developed Municipality, Inhambane Province. and widely disseminated in disaster-prone areas.

Best practice

Since 2002 UN-Habitat has been implementing several projects in Mozambique (and also in the subregion with the Limpopo GEF - Global Environment Facility- project), dealing with DRR and vulnerability reduction issues and capacity building of local populations in the housing sector. The best practices are the intereactive awareness materials, as well as the pilot projects of building houses with cyclone resistant conical concrete roofs, as piloted in Vilankulos.

Figure 19: Low-cost solution housing for ‘living with floods’

UN-Habitat has been promoting the alternative strategy of ‘living with floods’ in close collaboration with the Government. Different types of didactic and interactive awareness-raising materials were prepared, such as the colourful manual ‘Aprender a Viver com as Cheias’ (Learning to Live with Floods), with an accompanying card game (see Fig. 3), the ‘River Game’, as well as several posters and a short animated film. These materials provide basic concepts of community-based disaster response, preparedness and mitigation, coping solutions, among others, and have already been tested and disseminated.

in 2008, UN Habitat developed and disseminated the Manual ‘Construir com os Ventos’ (building with winds) for building in cyclone- prone areas (see figure 20).

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Figure 20: Manual of “building with the winds” and catalog of low-cost cyclone-proof building solutions

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After Cyclone Fávio affected Vilankulos on already tested in other developing countries in January 2007, UN-Habitat established a positive south America and Asia. In addition to detailed collaboration with Vilankulos Municipality for assessments on cyclone impacts, training and identifying low-cost housing solutions resistant to dissemination activities for community leaders, cyclones. A number of architectural models were local master builders and municipal staff also designed and compiled into a catalogue (see took place in all 11 neighbourhoods of the Figure 20). The use of iron and cement roofing Municipality. materials is outlined (see Figure 21), a technique

Fig. 21: Process construction of ferrocement channels in Vilankulo. Based in UN Habitat and Auroville experiences, India.

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Lessons learned

UN-Habitat in collaboration with the municipality houses – using vegetal building materials since has designed different models of low-medium the law does not allow for national building codes cost cyclone-resistant houses using local building for this type of house within urban areas . materials. However, the city does not support the informal construction of houses – the ‘precarious’

Potential for replication

There is a full potential for replication of the the cases prevents them from buying cement concept in urban and semi-urban areas; however and iron, the basic construction materials for the there are serious constraints impeding replication constructions. in rural areas due to the high poverty levels of the rural population, which in the majority of

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Implementation of cyclone preparedness measures in the SAVA region of MADAGASCAR Madagascar

Abstract As a result of its geographical position and relief the effects of cyclones on livelihoods and assets profile characterised by steep slopes, the District and to better prepare vulnerable populations by of Antalaha is particularly exposed to various implementing preparedness measures in the areas hazards associated with cyclones. The winds and most affected in Antalaha district. Best practices tidal waves in coastal villages and flash floods in this initiative were: from rivers, accompanied by torrential rains, have 1. Promotion of local anti-cyclone shelters, and a high destructive effect on the population’s adaptation of a design of a cyclone shelter material assets. The physical vulnerability is based on the ‘trano tomboka’, a refuge exacerbated by the conditions of extreme poverty invented by the villagers; of the population in this region. Since 2000, five 2. The implementation of local level risk cyclones have impacted the region, three of management structures with the formation which rank among the most violent classification of local disaster risk management committees (category 5): Hudah in 2000, Gafilo in 2004 and is another best practice which is widely Indlala in 2007. With each cyclone occurrence, replicated elsewhere. Each committee is even if the population is aware of historical equipped with a manual radio for warning cyclonic phenomena and their consequences, information dissemination; they have insufficient resources to prepare for 3. Another additional intervention was mangrove and cope with such destructive effects. It is in this reforestation which creates a natural barrier context that the Disaster Preparedness European against not only strong winds but also against Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (DIPECHO) high tides. sponsored project has been designed, to reduce

Figure 22: Antananarivo floods

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The initiative

This initiative is a DRR activity which aims to community meetings, town criers, posters, reduce the impact of cyclones and tidal waves on warning flags) especially since the communities populations living close to the sea and riverbanks. are often outside the limited broadcasting range The loss of assets and livelihoods is a major family of the local radio stations. set-back with repercussions on all other aspects of family life and development. In fact, development The project began in 2008 and after completion gains are lost because of the severe impact of of the initial phase in January 2010, and because cyclones on at-risk populations. The damage of the community's need for additional assistance, caused by cyclones accentuates the problem further phases are planned. The European of food insecurity in the local community. The Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) destruction is not only a simple loss of physical through its disaster preparedness programme, property but aggravates the problem of access DIPECHO will continue to support these further to food (crops are damaged and soil is flooded phases. The project has been implemented with saline), water and health care, among other by CARE International in the 12 vulnerable problems. Destruction of houses forces the communities of Antalaha, Lanjarivo, Ambinanifaho, relocation of households to shelters which leads Ampahana, Antsahanoro, Antanananambo, to other problems such as interruption of school Marofinaritra, Antombana, Ampohibe, Ambalabe, for children. Experience from previous cyclones Ambohitralanana, Ampanavoana. As part of has shown that this decline from pre-disaster, the local level risk management committees optimal level of livelihoods has been reversible, 1,700 community members will be trained, but CARE has had to respond quickly, because basic infrastructure will be provided to 12,000 natural regeneration of soil and crops is very slow. households (a total of 60,000 people), and 1,700 The sparse population in the area complicates people will be trained to maintain and improve a communication through normal channels (e.g., local level EWS.

Goal and objective

Risk reduction intervention in Madagascar has east of Madagascar. An additional objective is been introduced a number of years ago by both to strengthen the response capacity of the most the government and NGOs. This intervention is vulnerable communities in 12 municipalities of a work-in-progress aimed to reduce the effects Antalaha district, located in the cyclone paths. The of cyclones by better preparing vulnerable primary goal is the development of preparedness populations in at-risk communities in the north- strategies and community capacity building.

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Outcomes and activities

There is a general agreement among experts structural measures have been placed in hazard and practitioners that communities should be terrain to protect villages against landslides, empowered to manage their own hazards and flooding and wind, especially in coastal villages risks. Therefore, a critical result is the creation of and villages located along rivers. As a pilot the risk management committees at the regional, project, cyclone shelters using traditional design district, communities and villages. The EWS have been built with the assistance of engineers between communities has been strengthened for designing roof angles which allow for the free at operational level in 100 villages. Protective passage of wind. (see Figure 23). Best practice

The adaptation and development of a triangular construction system using reinforcements in wood, locally available in forests (eucalyptus) is considered a best practice, not only because of the use of traditional knowledge, but also because it incorporates modern building techniques drawn from experiences in other cyclone-prone regions. There is also a component of sustainability and capacity building in the training the villagers in carpentry. The cyclone shelters have multi-purpose uses; they can serve as schools for young children and community information centres for older people. The implementation of local level EWS consists of water gauges marking the three levels of high water. Villagers can issue warnings to the local authorities when the water level increases, approaching dangerous levels. Two additional good practices are the use of local media and journalists for mobilizing communities and the creation of participatory risk mapping.

Figure 23: Satellite image of a cyclone

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Lessons learned

The key lessons learned from this practice stem the next cyclone season. Another challenge is the from the valuable groups of interventions accessibility; remote communities have access adopted by CARE, from cyclone shelters to a EWS difficulties which delay project implementation. with dissemination of warnings. These obstacles Furthermore, the high turnover of local authorities, are related to the length of the project, a project already trained in DRR, means that capacity life of 15 months. A cyclone prototype shelter building and training efforts are lost. On a positive cannot be tested within this period, since if the note, combining scientific information with folk time of project initial implementation activities art in communities at risk has been proven as an is taken into account, the project will end before effective communication strategy.

Figure 24. Floods in river banks

Potential for replication

This project would be very easy to replicate, provided that organizational funds are available to expand the best practices to the at-risk coastal (see Figure 24) zones of the east coast of Madagascar.

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Code of minimum standards for house construction

“Below are some recommendations for building in Madagascar also has developed a number of in cyclones hazard zones derived from the minimum standards for areas prone to cyclones. experiences of UN-Habitat in Mozambique. These For example, cyclones shelter is made of of local minimum standards were compiled from various materials, the roof has been designed in such an sources, where there was a need to make houses angle to resist to high winds, and the interior of more resistant to wind storms and cyclones. It is the building is reinforced. important to mention that CARE International

Some recommendations for building in cyclone hazard zones in Mozambique. 1. Do not let the wind enter the house.

2. The building plan is better when a regular form like circular plan or square plan is used. House plan with irregular forms could create a purse of wind.

3. As the roof is the most vulnerable part of a building, the most appropriate form is the conical and the four-sided style, as this type of design conducts the wind over the building instead of creating a 'wall'.

4. Roof gradient should be between 30 and 45 degrees at least.

5. The heavier the material used for roofing, the better will be its resistance to the wind. For example the use of ferrocement channels as roofing material helps a building becoming cyclone resistant, as it adds a lot of weight to it.

6. As more and more corrugated iron is being used for roofing, its thickness should never be less than 0.4 mm, provided of course it is well fixed to the house’s structure.

7. For this, space between purlins should be no more than 60 cm, and nails have to be placed always in the upper part of the corrugation.

8. Traditional walls and roof should be reinforced to the house’s structure with special cyclone hooks or other available materials. If not available, use metal straps, diagonals and wooden sticks or wire.

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9. Especially important is the junction between roof and walls, which should be reinforced with metal straps, wire or other. No open spaces should be left in this most vulnerable point of the construction.

10. Gutters can be an added protection as they protect the edge parts of the exposed roof materials.

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11. Additional/annex roofs to a building should be constructed with a separate structure.

12. As doors and windows represent most probable entries for wind in the house, they should be well covered with metal or wooden shields.

13. In the case of traditional housing, special attention should be given to foundations which prevent the possibility of the whole building being taken by the wind.

14. The lighter the construction is, the stronger its junction with the foundations has to be.

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Best practices on local level risk management

3

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Best practices on local level risk management

As discussed in a UNDP1 report on local level capacities for disaster preparedness and response. risk management, communities are often faced Local level preparedness, early warning systems with the consequences of national policies, (EWSs) and risk reduction have been promoted and regional and global trends that have an by many international organizations, national impact on their environment and increase their institutions and community-based organizations. vulnerability to disasters. Communities are the These interventions were derived from first lines of response to events of a localised recommendations of the International Decade for nature and have the potential to better recognise National Disaster Reduction (ISDR) in 2005, and and address disaster risk and to handle these risks subsequently revised in 2007 and 2009. Currently, in their respective habitats. The importance of a critical risk driver in Africa2 , as mentioned in the active participation of the local population the introduction, is the hazard risk originating has been widely recognised and efforts have from hydro-meteorological phenomena, better been systematically made to strengthen local understood by changes in climatic patterns.

Conceptual approach

Local Level Risk Management (LLRM) is a term other regions and stakeholders. A watershed associated with community-based disaster management approach focuses on establishing risk management. It is a process that involves multi-district level coordination bodies, which geographical areas and actors that transcend undertake collaborative strategy planning to the strictly defined political/administrative solve the problem. It would be of little impact to boundaries of a municipality or of a community. consider local risk management in only one of Risk reduction is at the core of the concept of these municipalities or villages. The contemporary LLRM, and since it is not possible to approach alternative discussed in expert fora is an integrated disaster reduction from a central government and/or watershed management approach for vast level, it has to be decentralized with communities river basins3. In the context of risk management, empowered to deal with their own risks. Capacity, thus, ‘Local Level’ may have a rather extensive at local level, needs to be strengthened in terms territorial implication. An ideal scenario for local of both knowledge and tools. As mentioned, it level risk management is when risk management is not the territorial extension of a community strategies are fully integrated and adopted that defines either the ‘local level’ or its political by the local communities themselves, with or delimitations. A river basin may include one or without external assistance from NGOs or other several local authorities (or municipalities) as in stakeholders. In such a situation, ownership and the case of the Zambezi River Basin, which involves understanding of the root causes of risk is likely seven countries. Applying a LLRM intervention in to develop capacities, ensure sustainable actions, this case, should follow a watershed management and promote risk management as a cross-cutting approach, since the problem of flooding issue in the local development process. cuts across administrative and international boundaries. The local level administration cannot Disaster risk is in many cases the consequence resolve the problem without collaborating with of unsustainable or inadequate development

1 (2006) Plutt, E. Local level Risk Management: A draft report, UNDP. New York and Geneve 2 (2006) Plutt, E. Local level Risk Management: A draft report, UNDP. New York and Geneve 3 WMO (2009). Maputo, December 1-5. (National Consultation on integrated forecasting of floods and early warning systems for the Zambezi River basin)

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practices, where a large part of the population level’ are used. In Africa, both ‘local level risk is excluded from the opportunities and benefits management’ and ‘community-based disaster of development. LLRM should, therefore, not be management’ are terms in use. limited to corrective or protective measures but should also include measures to avoid new risks The projects and their respective best practices through future development. It aims at avoiding displayed below are drawn from Comoros, dependency on risk management interventions of Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique. Some of external actor, and to develop capacity and make the initiatives are funded by Disaster Preparedness advances in poverty reduction, improvement of European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid the quality of life, and the population’s security. Department (DIPECHO), others are funded Throughout the documentation available in by different donors. Projects, which were just risk management, several terms indicating local started, such as the United Nations Development level are used: In the Asian countries, reference Programme (UNDP) Madagascar initiative in is made to village and ward/cluster committees, capacity building in risk reduction at national and and ‘district level’, whereas in Latin American community levels, are excluded since there is not municipalities, ‘municipal level’ and ‘community enough length of project life to report on.

Strengthening Local Risk Management and Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), UNDP Mozambique and Bureau of Crises Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) and Joint Programme Strengthening DRR and Emergency Preparedness

Abstract The UNDP Strengthening Local Risk Management Management Institute see Figure 25) and with and Mainstreaming DRR was approved by the other UN agencies (UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA,FAO, United Nations (UN) Humanitarian Country WHO, WFP, UN-HABITAT and IOM), with UNDP as Team, under the ‘Delivering as One4 ’ United the lead agency. It was developed in recognition Nations Framework in Mozambique. The that disaster preparedness, mitigation and risk programme represents UNDP’s contribution to reduction, as well as vulnerability reduction, are the Joint Programme Strengthening DRR and fundamental factors contributing to development Emergency Preparedness, which is implemented in Mozambique, a country frequently affected by in cooperation with INGC (the National Disaster natural hazards.

4 (The ‘Delivering as One’ initiative has been testing, in eight ‘One UN’ pilot countries, how the UN – with its many and diverse agencies – can deliver in a more coordinated way at country level. The objective is to ensure faster and more effective development operations and accelerate progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in short, a UN development system that delivers more and better for the poorest and most disadvantaged. The following countries: Albania, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uruguay and Viet Nam – volunteered to become ‘One UN’ pilots2 (2006) Plutt, E. Local level Risk Management: A draft report, UNDP. New York and Geneve

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Figure 25: The National Institute for Disaster Management, Mozambique: INGC 2009 Main Report: INGC Climate Change Report: study on the impact of climate change on disaster risk in Mozambique

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The initiative

Disaster risk and poverty are interrelated and achieved through (i) regular participation in the poor suffer most the effects of damage and coordination meetings, at UN and Government losses caused by intense exposure to natural levels, as well as (ii) delivery ‘as one’ of emergency hazards. As much as 25 percent of Mozambique’s preparedness activities, in collaboration with population faces a high mortality and morbidity other UN agencies. risk from natural hazards, and it ranks as the second most geographically exposed country in Information management has been prioritized Africa. This fact is already reflected in the country’s within the programme, with the establishment poverty reduction strategy (PARPA II) and in of a database (Incorporated Research Institutions the United Nations Development Assistance for Seismology - IRIS) for monitoring of activities Framework (UNDAF) 2007-2009. These priorities during emergencies. Also established is a national are also highlighted by the commitment of the data loss observatory, DesInventar, a disaster Government of Mozambique as a signatory to database, which has been validated as a best the Hyogo Framework. The programme is being practice worldwide, and has been successfully implemented (60 percent completed) over a implemented in the Caribbean, central America, three-year period (2008-2010) and it has a direct the countries affected by the 2004 Sumatra contribution to the UNDP-ECHO Regional Initiative tsunami and the rest of Asia and South Pacific named Enhancing Knowledge Management countries. in Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction, the core outputs of which, is this best practices Additionally, many successful capacity building guideline, a set of audio visual materials. initiatives have been supported, including the training of local risk management committees, This project has also considerably strengthened and their subsequent involvement in national the coordination and collaboration among UN emergency simulation exercises. Agencies, in provision of support to INGC/CTGC

Figure 26: Simulation of evacuation in Tete (Mozambique)

5 INGC, 2009, Main Report: INGC Climate Change Report: Study on the impact of climate change on disaster risk in Mozambique [Asante, K.; Britto, R.; Bruntritt, G.; Epstein, P.; Fernandes, A.; Maques, M.R.; Mavune, A.; Metzger, M.; Patt, A.; Queface, A.; Sanchez del Valle, R.; Tadross, M.; Brito, R.; (eds)].INGC Mozambique.

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Figure 27: Local level risk management: simulations of post disaster assistance, Nacala (Mozambique)

Goal and objectives

The overall goal of the Programme is to strengthen an overall vulnerability reduction perspective. It national capacities at all levels, to reduce the also serves as a catalyst in coordinating support risk of disasters and mitigate their impacts on from three global initiatives: the vulnerable populations in the country. This • The Global Risk Identification Programme in programme builds on the ten-year National Master Mozambique (the objective is to establish a Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction to strengthen National Information System for disaster risk institutional frameworks and systems for reduction); preparedness, response and disaster risk reduction. • The Global Mainstreaming Initiatives; and These interventions are taking place at national, • The Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiatives. provincial, district and community levels within (see Figures 26 and 27). Outcomes and activities Because this initiative follows a programme disaster risk in Mozambique has been carried out, approach rather than a project with a small number partially funded by UNDP. Key recommendations of outcomes, the results of the programme can be will be addressed in the master plan on DRR. distributed across the categories: Climate change and disaster risk considerations 1) Mainstreaming of DRR; have also been incorporated into the poverty 2) Capacity building; and reduction strategy in Mozambique, through 3) Strengthening information systems. national development plans. The revision of a In the area of mainstreaming of DRR, the first Disaster Management Act is underway under the phase of a study on the impact of climate leadership of INGC. variability (considered as a best practice) on Additionally, a socio-anthropological study on

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resettlement, a Hyogo Framework assessment The strengthening of information systems of progress in DRR, a study of DRR at centralized included support for training of INAM (National level in Mozambique, and a baseline study on Meteorological Institute) personnel in use of gender and drought (in collaboration with United radar for weather forecasting; and support for a Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), study, developed by an academic team from two were completed under this programme. The universities, on the establishment of an EWS for early recovery component of the Inter-agency the Licungo River basin. An awareness raising Contingency Plan has also been updated (UNDP workshop was organized for district administrators is the cluster lead for early recovery). on Licungo River basin in relation to an early warning system. Capacity building activities within the programme included training of district level officers and local GRIP (see Figure 28) was launched in 2008 in risk management committees. The committees Mozambique and thus far, has seen the initiation were also equipped with emergency kits. Flood of the National Disaster Observatory (using and cyclone simulation exercises also took DesInventar database) activities, country situation place and a manual for simulation and local risk analysis work and seismic risk assessment activities management committees is under review for in Maputo. immediate publication (a best practice).

Figure 28: GRIP training in Mozambique

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Best practice

The programme is comprised of a number of good practices because it builds on the government and institutional capacity in the country, and because it emphasizes and supports coordination among UN agencies, and places a focus on information sharing systems and processes. There are three key best practices: (i) A climate change report (INGC Climate Change Report on the impact of climate change on disaster risk in Mozambique) has been produced, pointing out the urban and rural coastal areas, which will be most affected by cyclones and raising of sea level; (ii) A risk information management and assessment system (GRIP) is in process of implementation with a database that allows intercountry comparisons; and (iii) A large scale disaster simulation has been conducted in 29 districts and 10 provinces of the central and northern regions of Mozambique, testing the level of readiness and response of the INGC and all players in the management of national emergencies caused by floods, cyclones and earthquakes, with the purpose of strengthening the national disaster risk management system. Simulations can detect and eliminate problems before an actual emergency occur, with corrective actions being integral part of exercise design, evaluation, and follow-up.

Some of the best practices are well tested and have been used by UNDP with national governments already been validated in other countries under in Iran, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Thailand, and global UNDP initiatives such as the GRIP. GRIP is Indonesia, and has been used in more than 20 a multi-stakeholder initiative that directly aligns countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)’s and tsunami-stricken countries in 2004. The second priority: risk identification, assessment and DesInventar methodology (see Figure 29) consists monitoring. The DesInventar database is a best of a software tool6 and a systematic approach to practice under GRIP and has been widely used in a data collection7, entry and analysis. large number of disaster-stricken countries. It has

Figure 29: Spatial distribution of houses burned in Dili (Timor-Leste) in 2006 crises

6 http://www.desinventar.net (open source software download) 7 Basic facts about DesInventar (UNDP perspective in Asia): http://www.undp.org/cpr/disred/documents/news/2006/Some_basic_facts_about_DesInventar_ENG.pdf

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Through consideration of small and medium scale disaster events (particular fields include spatial disasters, the methodology allows aggregation of and temporal data, types of disaster events, causal localised views into a national picture, providing factors, type of damage), and an analysis module an integrated and comprehensive insight into which provide relational analysis between the disaster typologies. The methodology contains fields (see Figure 30). a data entry module which allows capture of

Figure 30: Wild card of data entry of DesInventar

Source: UNDP, DesInventar Operations Manual

This enables time-series and spatial analysis and charts are generated by the database providing representation of hazards, vulnerabilities and the tools for local officials to use the information risks in both retrospective and prospective ways. and the inferences as inputs for the preparation of Additional uses are in risk analysis, mitigation as country’ reports on disaster risk, its impacts and its well as in supporting EWSs. It is a data collection linkages with development. Of critical importance and analysis methodology which uses a set of for early recovery is to identify and map early open-sourced software programmes to help to relationships among damaged sectors, allowing record, and address disaster trends, as well their immediate remediate actions by governments impacts on communities. Reports, maps and and international community.

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Lessons learned

This initiative has produced excellent results and stretched and this has been addressed through best practices. However, lessons learned highlight the appointment of support personnel. key issues such as: (i) The importance of establishment of trust Other areas of improvement which have been between government and partners, through observed are: allocation of human and financial resources, and • The need to bring to international standards establishment of open dialogue with partners; the emergency communications protocols; (ii) The important role of a DRR working group • Improved warning messages with adequate involving donors and government partners Standard Operations Protocols (SOPs) are especially in integrating DRR concerns into the needed; national Poverty Reduction Strategy; • Post disaster damage and needs assessment (iii) The cluster approach, with early recovery does not follow any written protocol, thus a cluster led by UNDP. One positive experience has rapid assessment sheet should be used and been that early recovery is now addressed within transmitted via radio or telephone according the inter-agency contingency plan; to international communication protocols for (iv) INGC human resource capacity is over- language and meaning of words.

Potential for replication

Many of the points listed under good practice demonstrating the potential for replication. It is could be easily replicated in countries with similar hoped that Mozambique, as the first country in institutional arrangements. Some of the activities Africa using this methodology can act as a model under GRIP are in fact best practices from other for other countries in the region with similar countries (Figure 4) replicated in the region, thus profiles (see Figure 31).

Figure 31: DesInventar as used in India to compare reduction of fires incidents

The darker colors represent a high density of burned houses at the rate of 118 houses per square km. Source: UNDP 2006, East Timor Crises, DesInventar application, (J. Mocellin, 2006)

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Simulations can easily be replicated in other within emergency assistance. countries with similar conditions and are essential The climate change report was the first of its kind in for tuning emergency operations after a disaster the region. Since climate change is acknowledged strike. The training of local risk management to be a problem globally, and is particularly committees is an important basis for these crucial for many developing countries, the study simulations, to increase community awareness could provide a template for other countries who of early warning procedures, and to bring to wish to analyse and highlight the climate change the surface any gaps in the communication impacts in order to develop more appropriate information chain from operational view point disaster risk reduction interventions.

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Supporting communities to reduce the impact of hazards, increases the resilience of populations and better prepares local authorities to provide an emergency response in the first days after a natural disaster, in the coastal area of the region Vatovavy Fitovinany in Madagascars

Abstract

The project is focused on strengthening the common problems since fences and walls of emergency assistance at community level. It has houses are made of wood and other flammable been supporting communities to reduce the local materials. There are some challenges related impact of hazards locally, increasing resilience of to the poor understanding of risk reduction the community members to disaster shocks. The concepts and knowledge of individual roles during approach is to provide local authorities within emergency assistance. Also, there is no clear local communities with local level risk management or district policy that guides the populations at risk tools and procedures, improving their capacities to engage in effective emergency management. when faced with a local emergency. This is Therefore, full involvement of the population and directly aligned with the conceptual framework of local authorities to adopt risk reduction measures is local level risk management. As a result, response not observed. The set of emergency preparedness will be more effective with more lives and assets interventions (e.g., how to build more safe houses, saved, during first days following the impact how to deal with water scarcity and contamination of a natural disaster. The vulnerabilities of the of wells after flooding) are some examples of population to natural disasters in the Vatovavy typical risk reduction measures. Fitovinany region are related to the impact of storm weather. Also, bush fires are mentioned by The best practice is the introduction of techniques local authorities and traditional leaders as one of to be used during emergency assistance.

The initiative The project has been conducted under DIPECHO representation in Madagascar. The project also support within the region of Vatovavy Fitovinany, in has a management team and community workers eight towns in Nosy Varika and Mananjary districts. in the field. The main funding for this pilot project The region is highly vulnerable to cyclone damage focused on disaster preparedness was secured and consequent flooding. Furthermore, the region from the European Union with co-financing from is also subjected to bush fires that destroy housing ICCO. The follow-up activities will also be financed and material assets. The project's technical team by ICCO and will take place once the pilot phase is is composed of a steering committee based in complete, to integrate the results in the ongoing the capital, members of which are the national development projects in the region. coordinator for emergency relief, the project director of the local NGO SAF/FJKM and the ICCO

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Goal and objective

The primary objective of the project was to support the impact of future disasters on the Vatovavy strategies that enable communities to be better Fitovinany region by increasing resilience of prepared for natural disasters, mitigate disaster vulnerable populations and institutions. Figure effects, and to respond appropriately during an 32 displays graphically the cycle of disaster risk emergency. The secondary objective is to reduce management in the context of this project.

Figure 32: The risk management cycle

Outcomes and activities

The main outcome is the use of a number representation in the intervention zone. of educational and participatory tools using ICCO has a long-term partnership with SAF/FJKM technical agents locally recruited as conveyors of in capacity building. Existing approaches, tools, the learning. The structure of preparedness and and documents, in disaster relief, preparedness, response is therefore strengthened. mitigation and prevention were made available to SAF/FJKM and the project team benefitted from SAF/FJKM is the implementing agency of the training sessions, advice, and monitoring. project. It’s a well known Malagasy NGO with All target communities were trained with ancillary experience in emergency relief and a permanent materials using multimedia and posters. Hazard

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vulnerability of the target communities has been diminished, and the impact of hazards reduced. The beneficiaries were the local authorities, the traditional chiefs and religious leaders, the target population and their children in schools.

Best practice

This empowerment of communities for better emergency assistance is a best practice because it has used a participatory approach. ICCO is convinced that a participatory approach is required because local NGOs and stakeholders are the best informed and best able to adapt the interventions to the specific context and local requirements.

SAF/FJKM works closely together with local stakeholders (teachers, doctors, traditional leaders, religious leaders, local authorities and beneficiaries etc): in order to facilitate the transfer of competencies and the local ownership of the activities and results. ICCO and SAF are integrating the disaster preparedness activities within the local development activities and ongoing projects such as a water and sanitation project, a food security project, an educational project and other development activities.

The participatory approach involves a vertical articulation of actors within the risk management cycle and a horizontal integration/ coordination with development actions in the local setting.

Simulations exercises in management and operation of the various tasks and equipment during an emergency have been an effective tool for integration of activities and practical methods into effective learning methodology.

Lessons learned The key lessons learned from this practice, stem mobilization, to be effective, has to be anchored from the valuable reporting from the heads of in a set of learning materials that helps with the the villages and local authorities when a different learning process. Concrete examples should be approach towards building capacity in emergency provided, and the use of local dialects improves management was communicated to them. One understanding of difficult concepts such as types point of caution is that practitioners should not of hazards and how they should be managed. It is rush to implement an educational intervention, important to minimize problems with communities but instead allow the time that is necessary for the by respecting local customs and traditional ways populations to understand the concepts. Social of doing things.

Potential for replication

The approach can be replicated, provided that and authorities is essential for the success of the the planned activities are adapted to the local participatory approach. The approach can be circumstances of the new intervention zone. replicated within Madagascar or other regions The empowerment of the local communities with similar hazard profiles.

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Institutional Support and Community-based Early Warning System for Volcanic Eruption Croix-Rouge Française, The Union of Comores

Abstract

Given that the island of Grande Comore is occupied warning system. This project began in December by two active volcanoes (Les Grilles and Le 2008 for a period of 15 months, addressing initially Karthala), its physical vulnerability to the volcanic the strength of the national policy for managing threat is extremely high. The communities located risks and disasters. It supports institutional actors on the slopes of the Les Karthala volcano, on the and communities in 45 target villages, located island of Grande Comore, experienced devastating in eight regions (Hamvou, Hamavou, Itsandra, ash fall in 2005 and 2007. It is therefore imperative Bambao, Hambou, Mbadjini West Mbadjini East that people be aware of the risk, and be prepared Wachili, Dimani) aiming to improve their response for any major eruption, through identifying risk capabilities for warning and immediate response coping strategies and means of reducing the when an eruption of the Le Karthala volcano impacts. occurs. A number of best practices arise from the Through funding from the Humanitarian Aid project, including participatory risk mapping, Department of the European Commission, the first aid training, theatre and film activities and Comorian Red Crescent and the French Red Cross simulations. are continuing their collaboration with the launch of a new project on a community-based early

The initiative

The initiative is part of a concerted effort by system, but also to build the villagers capacity to several NGOs in addressing the high risk posed protect themselves in case of a major eruption. by the two volcanoes, particular the Le Karthala. Information is the entry point in communication It is worthwhile to note that the majority of the risk and this initiative addresses risk by using villages are located by the sea, at short distance a number of awareness tools. Many aspects of (around 8-12 km) from the crater, at medium slope this project could be expanded or improved, of the volcano and very close or in the path of such as the first aid training for burn injuries and lava flows from previous eruptions (see reference respiratory ailments, both common in volcanic in Chapter 1 for Union of Comoros risk profile). hazards. The villagers also need to receive training The population of the villages constitutes 11,453 in emergency assistance search and rescue (SAR). direct beneficiaries, in addition to 45,813 indirect Because of the high risk, however, further support beneficiaries. The project has been designed to for the initiative from donors is recommended. implement a functional local level early warning

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Goal and objective

The goal of this initiative was to implement a to save lives and assets. A specific objective is that community-based EWS that receives the warning people and local actors will have improved their information issued from the Volcanic Laboratory institutional capacity on warning issues and their through COSEP (Civil Protection Operations immediate response will be effective in case of Center). Through preparedness measures the eruption of the Karthala volcano. community will be able to take appropriate actions

Outcomes and activities

This initiative was funded by both DIPECHO and the are better prepared to face the threat of a French Red Cross. As an outcome, the capacity of volcanic eruption and to respond immediately the main stakeholders in disaster risk management to this disaster. Finally, the communities have a (COSEP/ORCC) has been strengthened in terms community-based EWS operating in coordination of EWSs and coordination with the technical with the national system. personnel tasked with forecasting a potential volcanic eruption. Furthermore, the communities Best practice

The initiative is innovative since it tackles many problems (volcanic ashes and hot lava cause efficient methods of disseminating warnings and these types of injuries) for village volunteers; transferring knowledge to at-risk populations. The • An educational film for increasing volcanic best practices grouped in the initiative contain a risk awareness; strong artistic element, such as a video/film, which • Theater presentations dealing with disaster makes the delivery of the risk messages friendly. awareness and alert levels; There are a number of best practices arising from • Usage of satellite phones to disseminate the project: warnings; and • Community risk and resource mapping using • Implementation of simulation exercises in a participatory approach; 10 pilot villages, where there is a high risk of • First aid training in burns and respiratory volcanic eruption.

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The key failure/success factors include recurring Mbadjini region). The fact that the population were problems of power outages, telephone often only present in the village in the morning communication and Internet connection. Another and early afternoon also presented a problem problem was badly maintained roads, which (the majority of adults are working in the fields all became inaccessible during heavy rains, due to day and do not return to the village before 4 p.m. floods and small landslides (south of island and in the afternoon). Lessons learned

Sometimes it is difficult to use methodologies section on the Comoros. of public education and awareness in both rural The importance of drawing a map using local villages and suburban villages, e.g., megaphones materials and resources was also highlighted, as a instead of using microphones, showing film way to facilitate the learning of rural populations. images of a disaster. Rural and urban villages This mapping, done in parallel to the drawing required different media means for awareness of the paper map, can obtain better results and campaigns. Additionally, it seems that the project prolong the attention span of participants, also needs to be anchored in a full successful model saving time during learning acquisition. of a volcano EWS as discussed in Chapter 1 in the Potential for replication

The project would be very easy to replicate, phase, to anchor activities in an optimal model provided that organizational funds are available of volcano EWS, as discussed in the introductory for the various tasks. The benefits of this project are chapter under Comoros risk profile. directly linked to the context of implementation. The project design will be enhanced in a new

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Community-based Disaster Preparedness Project (CBDPP)

Christian AID in Partnership with Evangelical Association of Malawi

Abstract

Floods and drought are the most common natural Agriculture Organization/International Labour hazards in Malawi. Almost all of Malawi’s 28 Organization (FAO/ILO) Livelihoods Assessment districts experience drought and floods regularly. Toolkit (LAT). The methodology was combined However, drought, and particularly floods are with components from the Participatory Asses- usually more frequent and more severe in the two sment of Disaster Risks (PADR) developed by districts of the Lower Shire Valley, namely Nsanje Tearfund UK. Quantitative and qualitative data and Chikwawa. This project was implemented in was collected through semi-structured interviews Chikwawa district which lies along the lower flat with local government officials, Focus Group basin of the Shire River. On the eastern side, the Discussions (FGD), interviews with individual district is bordered by the Thyolo escarpment, households, and literature review. from where most rivers and streams flowing through the district originate. This is a generally The Assessment was conducted in 15 villages with dry environment, with below average rainfall. the participation of 973 people (434 men and 539 Despite this, 63 percent of the population women) through individual household interviews, depends on subsistence, rain-fed agriculture as semi-structured interviews and FGD. Through the their mainstay. Irrigation development is sub- use of hazard matrices, communities identified optimal, at only 5 percent of the potential 38,000 floods (river flooding, flash floods) and drought hectares. Although drought is a recurrent hazard, as the principal hazards. Floods were identified as the district socio-economic profile ranks floods as the hazard with the most adverse effects on lives a severe hazard. and livelihoods. Vulnerability analysis and disaster impact assessments were done and showed that An Early Needs Assessment (ERNA) was conducted community-based preparedness and EWS were in July 2008 using a detailed livelihood assessment very weak: and unexpected flooding led to big methodology adopted from the Food and losses in livelihood sources and infrastructure.

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Goal and objective

The specific objective of the project is to strengthen local community capacity to prepare and respond to flood induced disasters. Outcomes and activities

• Rainfall and river water data collection and disseminated nationally and regionally dissemination systems set up in 2 Traditional • Four coordination meetings between Authority areas (TAs); watershed districts held; • 1,289 households, eight schools and 110 ‘first • Watershed districts include natural resource responders’ trained to anticipate floods and management in their development plans; equipped to respond; • Weekly public flood awareness sessions • Two area and 11 village Civil Protection in print and electronic media and through Committees (CPCs) trained in disaster religious institutions during rainy season; management and functional; • Community awareness levels, particularly • Flood contingency plans developed in the of children, women and the elderly, of flood two TAs by trained CPCs; management increased; • Flood control structures constructed; • 2 irrigation schemes established and • Quarterly inter-agency project review, two functional; inter district, 2 regional and one national • Increase in crop production from irrigation consultative workshops held; facilities. • Disaster management best practices widely Best practice

The project set up a user-friendly EWS for the communities. This system was utilized by the communities during the most recent rainy season. When heavy rains occurred in March 2009 in the upper part of Mwanza River, affecting people down-stream in the project area, local people responsible in the upper part where a hydrometric station was mounted, were able to warn communities down-stream using the communication equipments supplied. This helped to save lives and ensured that livestock was restricted from grazing on the riverbanks. The community-centered EWS involves community gauge readers who monitor water levels at the hydrometric system, analyse data, interpret it and disseminate it to Village Civil Protection Committees (VCPCs) using cell phones. The VCPCs then disseminate information using megaphones, whistles and community flags. This community-based and people-centered system took into account what people expressed in the baseline survey, where they said that the government EWS was ‘top-down’, frequently involving only the radio and newspapers, which in most cases were not effective enough to provide the required information in time. The project produced a telephone directory for the entire project impact area in order to provide alternative numbers, and to indicate which meter gauge-readers could use. Involvement of school children in the implementation of this disaster preparedness project, lead to long lasting impact of the project. Similarly, the involvement of faith leaders and groups in project implementation, led to efficiency and effectiveness in information dissemination in terms of saving money and time, since church groups gather at least once a week.

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Lessons learned

There was a need for user-friendly methods instill the spirit of voluntary participation. of communication and a simulation exercise, Poor cell phone network for the community-based to reach those who are not literate. There was and people-centered early warning suggests a need to spend more time and resources on that there is a need to have a back-up system for public awareness to highlight the importance communication between the water gauge readers of preparedness versus response. Preparedness and the civil protection committees. is cheaper than response and helps to save lives and property in time of calamity. Community The key success factors of the project were: structures had limited financial capacity and more • The project managed to set up an EWS which efforts need to be made towards helping the is user friendly for the communities; committees establish a sound financial base. In • The project, through training and mobilizations, a project that involved collaboration with other enhanced capacity of Civil Protection partners it was necessary to balance the time Committees – local structures responsible between coordination meetings with partners for planning, implementing, monitoring and and actual implementation of activities. Failure to evaluation disaster risk management activities. do this resulted in either of the two aspects being It also facilitated the review and development negatively affected. of Flood Contingency Plans at district, area and village level by relevant CPCs; Many challenges identified by the project are • Enhanced community ownership of project linked to high illiteracy levels, which hamper initiatives. Participating communities and dissemination of information through written structures have developed ToRs/Constitutions messages. Thus communication strategies at local for stakeholders at village level. They are level needed to be carefully designed. Villagers involved in raising funds for operational also had a poor attitude towards the disaster and maintenance costs of early warning preparedness project, because, over the years of communication equipment the project disaster relief operations, they had become used supplied i.e., megaphones batteries, air time to receiving handouts. Consequently, mindset- top up cards, sharing costs, etc. changing campaigns were necessary in order to

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR): Flood Control, River of Life Evangelical Church Development Department (ROLEC), Malawi

Abstract

River of Life is working in Nsanje district. Nsanje and infrastructure. In addition, a vulnerability district experiences diversified climatic conditions assessment showed that the community lacked every season. These conditions range from floods, preparedness and early warning, and that drought, and dry spells. In addition, the area is environmental degradation resulted in heavy silting also vulnerable to pest attacks, particularly army of rivers exposing communities to unnecessary worms. floods. This situation was compounded by the PADR was conducted in January 2007. This fact that there was limited effective planning, methodology was adopted from Tearfund UK. The coordination and implementation of disaster risk methodology provides a thorough assessment of initiatives. the impact of disasters on livelihoods and helps communities to identify opportunities and local In one community, ROLEC facilitated the dredging capacities for response and impact mitigation at of a river as well as planting of trees and elephant household and community level. The information grass along the banks of the river. The impact was was collected through FGD, interviews with almost immediate as the following year, flooding individual households. The assessment was was greatly reduced and people’s gardens and conducted in eight villages in TAs (geographical houses were not washed away as was previously and local government administration area). In the case. Tengani, 30 men and 41 women, and in Malemia, 40 people (13 men and 17 women) participated Assessment done on another river revealed that in FGD. the best form of intervention was to build a dyke in order to redirect the river towards its natural Through PADR, communities identified floods course. Although the project was still underway, and drought as the main hazards. Floods mostly the community was hopeful that at its completion, occurred as a result of heavy rains in the highlands the dyke would significantly reduce the risk of of the bordering districts of Blantyre, Mwanza flooding. and Thyolo, resulting in loss of livelihood sources

The initiative

ROLEC, in partnership with Evangelical Association objective of the project was to contribute to the of Malawi (EAM) as lead partner and also a member reduction of vulnerability to natural hazards, of of a consortium of six churches in Malawi through communities in Nsanje district. Malawi church Partnership Program (MCPP) with funding from DFID/Tearfund, is implementing a disaster risk reduction project in 26 villages of Senior Chief Malemia and TA Tengani in Nsanje district, targeting 3,000 households. The principle

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Project objectives

The specific objective of the project is to strengthen local community capacity to prepare, mitigate and respond to disasters in disaster prone areas.

Outcomes and activities

The project is focused on the following outcomes • Structural measures. Flood control structures and its activities outlined below: constructed in Group Village Headperson • Early warning systems. Communities are Kachere (Dykes) {see Figure 33); able to monitor EWS that are put in place to • Risk management. mitigate the impact of floods and drought; • Disaster management best practices widely • Coordination. Strengthen coordination disseminated nationally and regionally amongst all stakeholders at community level, through Tizidalire radio program aired on and district; radio1, Malawi Broadcasting Cooperation; • Local knowledge. Increased local knowledge in • Community awareness meetings conducted; adaptation options in disaster management; • Irrigation sites established to increase crop • Climate change. Enhance capacity of production; communities to respond, by adapting to the • Community early warning systems put in effects of climate change and environmental place through Participatory Assessment of degradation; Disaster Risk Reduction(PADRR); • Contingency planning. Flood contingency • Community knowledge on adaptations plans developed in the two TAs by trained options collected. CPCs;

Figure 33: Dyke constructed on river Chimbwimbwi

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

Best practice

The use of simple technologies such as dredging the river with local farming implements and building of dykes, out of locally available materials, was a best practice. Another was the dissemination of information on DRR through churches and community mobilization processes. In addition, although ROLEC was not solely responsible, the formation of a DRR consortium of government officials and NGOs was a best practice because it enhanced coordination of various stakeholders involved in DRR in the area.

Lessons learned

The Participatory Assessment of Disaster Risk was 1980s. Another challenge is the poor management a good process for mobilizing communities. It of the community-based and people-centered fosters self-reliance and encourages communities EWSs. An important caution point to mention is to be confident in helping themselves to solve that NGOs established parallel structures during their own problems; project implementation, instead of using the There was a need to constantly encourage community-based organization (CBOs) and CPCs communities to use the early warning systems present, in the area. that were identified, and not to sorely rely on the flood control activities that were undertaken; The positive factors are related to the enhancement There was also a need to enhance DRR coordination of capacity of communities with local structures between stakeholders at local and district level, becoming responsible for the planning, especially in view of the fact that flooding was implementing, monitoring and evaluation of generated in systems that stretched beyond disaster risk management activities. Furthermore, single communities and even districts. the usually inactive CPCs became active through their participation in the review and development A number of challenges need to be considered, of flood contingency plans at district, area and such as the dependency syndrome (a common village level, by relevant committees. Overall, issue in long-term humanitarian assistance) which the project managed to establish good working was notable in most of the people. This was due relationships with the community, the District to disaster relief operations that have been in the Assembly and neighbouring district assemblies area assisting the influx of the refugees since the through the south west DRR consortium.

Potential for replication

This is a project with high potential for replication as well as the enhancement of the capacities of because it relies on simple technologies and local structures also meant that the project built locally available materials. The involvement of in sustainability for continuing activities beyond government agencies though the DRR consortium, the life of the project.

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Sustainable natural DRR through policy change, capacity building, public education and community-based mitigation and preparedness, Emmanuel International a(EI), Malawi,

Abstract

In the recent past Malawi has experienced (EI) is working with poor communities in disaster adverse hazards such as flash floods and prone areas in Machinga district to implement droughts exacerbated by the effects of climate community climate change adaptation and change. This has had a negative impact on mitigation strategies under the Community-Based agricultural production, thereby, affecting the Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) project. These country’s agro-based economy. The situation strategies are based on structural measures such is further aggravated by vulnerability factors of as construction of dykes (see Figure 34) to control dependence on rain-fed agriculture, degraded high inundation of flood waters in mainland, environment, limited livelihoods, poverty and thereby securing fertile areas and allowing crops other cross-cutting issues such as HIV/AIDS. Poor to grow; institutionalization of village fund-raising and subsistence farming families in the rural areas mechanisms; drought mitigation activities such are always in danger of losing out in life because as the promotion of drought resistant crops; and of the negative impacts on human health, implementation of environmental conservation agriculture production, forestry management, work to address climate change concerns. Food water management, etc. Emmanuel International security is therefore maintained.

Figure 34: Dykes construction using local materials

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Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices

The initiative

EI is part of the Malawi Church Partnership Program most vulnerable still struggle with food security. which is jointly implementing the Tearfund and Food security is now considered as a vital part of DFID-funded CBDRR, which started 1 July 2006. resilience against disasters and it should be noted At the commencement of the project, the country that most Malawian farmers would struggle in was still recovering from a severe food crisis that this regard to cope with any setback. The DRR lasted from the poor harvest of 2006 through to project has been working towards more resilient the reasonable harvest experienced in March/April households and communities for three years, but 2006. EI is implementing activities in Machinga even in those communities the situation for many District in the three TAs of Liwonde, Nyambi, households remains vulnerable. There is a need and Mlomba. Even if food security in the country for ongoing risk reduction intervention training in improves overall and even in the absence of any order to develop a culture of DRR and resilience. major setbacks caused by natural disasters, the Goal and objective

Disasters are a reality in the Machinga District. Partnership Program. The goal of the project is to The district has a history of droughts (one every build safer, more resilient communities in disaster- 3-5 years) and floods (every year), which, in prone areas through policy change, capacity combination with the persistent problems of building, public education and community-based poverty and HIV/AIDS, have resulted in recurring mitigation and preparedness. EI is targeting food crises and increased vulnerability of 5,000 vulnerable households in 40 disaster- people who are already living in poverty. EI is prone communities in Machinga district with DRR implementing the CBDRR project in Machinga interventions such as improved land husbandry, district as part of a DFID/Tearfund multi-country reforestation, fuel-efficient stoves, micro credit, project implemented in five of Malawi’s most and disaster management structures to increase disaster-prone districts by the Malawi Churches their resilience to disasters.

Outcomes and activities

The outputs of the DRR project are linked to the vulnerable groups, aware of risks and Hyogo Framework for Action priority actions: knowledgeable of appropriate preparatory • Increased priority given to mainstreaming and response actions; of DRR into the policies and practices of the • Underlying risk factors reduced, especially in government and aid agencies; the sectors of food security, water, livelihoods, • Communities with effective risk management and climate variability; plans, based upon thorough assessment of • Local partners and vulnerable communities risks and causative factors; with increased capacity to prepare for, respond • Safer communities, with all sectors, especially to, and recover from prevailing hazards.

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Best practice

Practical interventions that are easy to replicate using local resources or minimal inputs tend to multiply spontaneously in a positive spin-off. One example is the fuel-efficient stoves and fireless cookers, made entirely using local resources. With training, people are able to produce the stoves in their community and sell them to generate income. The crop diversification and introduction of drought tolerant crops is another example of a practical intervention. The agency provided the initial stock of cassava and sweet potato seed, but these crops are easily multiplied and shared with other households. In most cases the agency established community gardens from where the community would multiply the crops to their individual gardens, etc. Neighbouring communities have adopted DRR practices because they are easy to replicate but have significant results.

The Village Savings and Loans (VSL) concept has proven to be a tremendous tool for changing mindsets. People who embrace the concept not only overcome the dependency syndrome but also learn to take initiative for their own betterment. For VSL the agency does not provide a starter fund but the community pools its own resources. This creates a greater ownership and it transforms people since they themselves realize their own potential. They no longer look to the NGO for the disbursement of funds, and repayment rates are much higher because of the ownership and group accountability. VSL helps people to discover and access their inherent potential, using local resources and working together as a community.

Lessons learned

One of the lessons learned was that while committed to helping themselves. When others participation is encouraged, it is difficult to get see the difference the project has made for those people to work in DRR projects when they are few, they will follow. People in the village learn best hungry. In lean times DRR projects ought to be from their neighbours. Having field staff living in combined with other projects such as food or cash the communities is an attempt to meet this need, for work. It is also important that the scheduling but it is even more important to train people in the of activities must take village calendars into community who can themselves become trainers consideration so that the project’s programming among their own people, especially through the is not competing with cultural activities such as use of demonstrations. initiation ceremonies, religious observances such as Ramadan, and activities orchestrated by other It is also important to recognize that some outside agencies. interventions take some time to produce results. This means that people may not be as eager to Changing attitudes from dependency to self- participate in such activities and a long-term sufficiency is an ongoing process, and it is more commitment is required on the part of the effective to work with a few participants who are facilitating agency to see the project through.

Challenges

During the hunger period before the harvest, activities, political rallies were attractive because participation in DRR projects was affected because they often resulted in instant gratification in the the DRR project did not provide immediate results. form of cash and other handouts. This may have Elections, political rallies, initiation ceremonies, been compounded by the fact that the project and other events on the village calendar vied for beneficiaries were used to receiving handouts and people’s time and reduced participation in DRR relief aid. This experience became a stumbling activities during those times as well. Unlike DRR block for DRR projects because people were only

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willing to participate if there was a possibility There was an obvious lack of involvement of men of receiving handouts. Some of the projects in all of the DRR activities. This problem was not experienced drop out of participants because attributed to a lack of interest on the part of men they do not see the immediate benefits of their per se (although women were generally found participation. to be more willing to help themselves while men were more prone to the dependency syndrome), The shortage of government extension workers but due to inadequate numbers of men in villages resulted in additional expectations of EI’s as a result of rural to urban migration, divorce, project field staff. The project was supposed to death, and polygamy (the husband lives with one compliment the services of extension workers and wife in one village while his other wives live alone the field staff did not have the ability to make up elsewhere). for the shortfall in government resources (time, On the one hand, PADRs involved the vulnerable expectations, lack of multidisciplinary training in communities in the design of the project from the agriculture, forestry, health, etc.). beginning. The communities were empowered Key success and failure factors to identify their own specific underlying risks spread itself too thin to realize maximum impact in and capacities, which provided a platform those communities. Considering the limitation of for developing community action plans and the project, greater impact would probably have community risk management plans. The been achieved by working in a smaller geographic community-based approach fostered a sense area using a watershed management approach or of ownership and in some cases communities working with small groups of villages rather than realized that some of the underlying risks could with many individual communities. Working with be addressed using their own initiative and fewer beneficiaries who were strongly committed resources. The assessment guided the design to helping themselves through DRR interventions of the project to address specific vulnerabilities proved to have a greater impact because these in each community to increase their resilience. households and communities were able to When the DRR interventions addressed felt-needs, demonstrate the benefits of DRR and train others community participation improved. so that the project was replicated spontaneously. On the other hand, the DRR project targeted a Maximizing the impact should be more important large number of communities and households than targeting larger numbers of beneficiaries with a broad spectrum of DRR interventions, but because in the long run it will produce more considering the project resources and the reality sustainable results. of inherent challenges on the ground, the project Potential for replication

The greatest indicator of EI’s success in the DRR others suggested high potential for replication, project is the spontaneous multiplication of DRR especially if activities were to be more focused. The activities in neighbouring households and villages. demonstration effect for those who successfully Three villages joined EI’s DRR programming as adopted new interventions indicates potential for a result of seeing the benefits of DRR projects in adoption by others. neighbouring villages. The fact that people who participated in the project already began training

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Community Risk Management/Gestão de Risco à Nível da Comunidade (GERANDO), World Viasion Mozambique (WVM)

Abstract

Most of the development thinkers have The cluster of methodological approaches used already agreed that risk is key to development, by GERANDO is based on the 2004 UNDP report9 vulnerability is key to risk, and community on reducing disaster risk, which concluded that resilience is key to vulnerability. This leaves hazards and disasters took a high toll on human community resilience as the root of the spiral. development as they result in the destruction Additionally, the impact of shocks will be directly of infrastructure and the erosion of livelihoods. driven by the development characteristics of the Although GERANDO focus on sustainability, it does affected area. CARE International, a prominent not ignore the current poverty-risk trap that the NGO called this relationship a ‘poverty trap’, where poor African communities experience. As such, recurrent shocks minimize the ability to maintain GERANDO focused on empowering communities a long-term development perspective8. Although to identify and address their own problems while this agreement has been widely accepted, ensuring that they had the means to break the few humanitarian programs have addressed trap. the various interlinked and interdependent components of community resilience. Indeed, GERANDO process clearly has the potential to be most of the well-documented experiences focus an important tool in community mobilization, only on some pieces of the puzzle, failing to be development of indigenous capacity for planning sustainable and efficient in the long term. In order and execution of projects, and for empowering to fill in this gap and disconnection between relief/ local communities to be active participants emergency work and the development programs, in development activities. Additionally, this in 2006, WVM supported by a group of advisers approach has the potential to reduce the sense from Tulane University (USA) developed GERANDO of helplessness that is common in impoverished as a guideline to facilitate the implementation communities, by helping them articulate their of the complete cycle of risk management by problems and reach consensus on priorities, as communities where WV works, based on holistic well as helping them learn the human and natural views of household’s vulnerability. The aim resources that are within their reach for mitigating is to foster Community-Based Early Warning their greatest challenges. As with any new Systems (CEWS) and promote risk reduction of approach, lessons can be learned to strengthen natural and man-made hazards (slow disasters the existing programs, and make future replication such as droughts and rapid-onset disasters with of these programs more seamless. catastrophic consequences).

8 CARE (2003). Managing Risk, Improving Livelihoods: Program Guidelines for Conditions of Chronic Vulnerability. CARE Eastern/Central Africa Regional Management Unit, Nairobi. 9 UNDP, 2004. Reducing Disaster Risk: A Challenge for Development. Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery

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Figure 35: Community-based training, Mozambique

The initiative

The project has been funded by the US Office of The key issues of GERANDO have been identified Disaster Assistance (OFDA), Multi-Year Assistance by the World Bank DLC as Program (USAID), and the Australian Government 1. creation of access to resources; Overseas Aid Program (AusAID). WVM is one 2. greater knowledge and choices for of the largest serving non-governmental hazard mitigation; and organizations in the country. Operations began in 3. reduction in socio-economic vulnerability. 1984, with its national office located in the capital There is also a general agreement that any city of Maputo. Programs began fully geared to community-based initiatives have to be flexible emergency and relief assistance, particularly to and innovative.10 Furthermore, these initiatives the thousands of internally displaced people, have to ensure amongst them were children and women fleeing 1. participation; from war and scattered throughout the country. 2. inclusiveness; The Government of Mozambique and World 3. esponsiveness; Vision International formally signed an agreement 4. integrated approach; and in 1986. 5. proactivity.

10 World Bank Institute Disaster Learning, 2004. Natural Disaster Risk Management Program

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Even though this framework has in many instances 5. The first area where GERANDO approach was called to the need of both micro and macro level initiated was in the Chidenguele Administrative interventions and coordination, this section only Post in Gaza Province, approximately 250 focuses on micro level implementation at the kilometres north of Maputo. Since then community level. For setting up a community- other areas were targeted, funded by USAID. disaster management plan (see Figure 35), it is GERANDO is implemented geographically in necessary to ensure that all communities of each administrative post; 1. an incremental approach is followed; through a community committee represented 2. community-specific risk reduction by development committee, traditional measures are taken; leaders, recognized by the government, and 3. reliance on community’s resilience and elected representatives. GERANDO is actually capacity are followed; being implemented in areas with distinct shock 4. there is synergy with development and characteristics, e.g., climatic, environmental, poverty reduction; and finally external actors geologic, and epidemic prone areas. support the initiative.

Goal and objective

The main objective is to identify emerging and strategies to anticipate problems, strengthening chronic problems that affect a community's indigenous coping mechanisms and increase ability to withstand stress and reduce the level their preparedness. of risk by increasing resilience, having proactive

Overview of steps

There is an accepted and tested framework with elements and activities in a Community are at risk. the following methodology, which is considered The elements and activities to be assessed are: as a best practice. It was replicated in Gaza, 1. population; Zambézia, Nampula and Tete provinces. 2. location; 3. livelihoods; Hazard identification. This requires data collection 4. social and community services; and and analysis of natural and man-made hazards 5. critical infrastructure and utilities. from a range of information sources, including existing assessments and hazards maps, scientific Vulnerability analyses. Requires both quantitative data, historical records, and socio-economic or and qualitative analysis, and seeks people’s agricultural surveys. The data should be presented participation in the evaluation of their vulnerability. to the community level through a hazard map, However, multiple levels and dimensions make which is to be built based on a Geographical it difficult to develop common measures or Information Systems (GIS) format. The community indicators of vulnerability. Vulnerability has to be information and the scientific data should be perceived in terms of: entered into a comprehensive risk map, which 1. well being (health and nutrition); details the community’s physical, socio-economic 2. physical assets (infrastructure, self- and environmental vulnerability. The data and protection); map are both analyzed with the community, to 3. social assets (social protection and networks); conclude in a hazard assessment (see Figure 36). and 4. livelihood and resilience (economic assets). Hazard analyses. This is a phase that assesses what

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Early warning/community surveillance. Community- sable part of an EWS is to ensure that a reliable and based surveillance has three main objectives: sustainable communication scheme is developed. The systems should guarantee that information a) Strengthen communities: As part of the larger moves from bottom up, top down and within the cycle, it is the process of awareness and actions community. following the collection of indicators that makes d) Mitigation plan and implementation: Plans and community surveillance important for rural implementation should involve the community development. For example, in Thailand, the and be based on evidence from previous activities, successful nutrition improvement was the result including shock analysis, capacity and vulnerability of cohesive strategies and innovative measures analysis, and surveillance data. Plans should focus taken by the community, not the result of accurate on avoiding potential hazards, decreasing factors and statistically valid data; of vulnerability, and looking both at structural and b) Produce actionable data: As part of the integrated non-structural processes. risk management system, community information e) Preparedness and response plan: Response should guide external assistance. It has been Plans should be developed and be ready for found to be particularly useful where it has implementation. Plans should include gathered information on issues that usually fail 1. Emergency Response; out of routine monitoring systems at low-cost and 2. Relief; and rapid feedback11; 3. Reconstruction. c) Ensure information is disseminated: An indispen-

Figure 36: Community-based training in risk reduction

11 (Tonisirin and Gillespie, 1999).

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Best practice

GERANDO project is based on a unique holistic and participatory methodology focused on the full cycle of risk management. It uses several facilitation techniques to cope with specific disaster shocks, to strengthen active community preparedness, prior to an emergency, and during an emergency situation.

The tasks, approaches, responsibilities and timing for each GERANDO steps were defined based on relevant best practices. Largely advocated for is involvement of significant number of women, young and old people for increased community participation in decision- making processes and to reduce the community dependency on external support, they themselves realize their own potential. They no longer look to the NGO for the disbursement of funds, and repayment rates are much higher because of the ownership and group accountability. VSL helps people to discover and access their inherent potential, using local resources and working together as a community.

Lessons learned

1. Science and technology stakeholders must 5. For a community-based early warning and consider community people with lack of risk reduction program to be truly effective, education as the main consumer of the data it requires transparency in the process, and information produced; acknowledgment of the agency of the 2. Contingency plans should incorporate stakeholders in the process, and a sincere active community roles and be prepared for commitment to minimize dependency and involvement of community representatives. increase sustainability; 3. A focus on simulation drills may build 6. Donor and government pressures often unrealistic expectation in the community; necessitate swift action and demonstration 4. To reduce dependency and strengthen of results, which may be contrary to the sustainability, timing/actors of DRR best interests of slow community-building activities must be simultaneous/same with exercises that are important for the success of development activities; early warning programs.

Potential for replication

Although GERANDO represents a learning management used by key international agencies process being implemented and the results from like the World Bank and UNDP. the evaluation showed that communities have While governments, supported by other actors been highly involved in the whole process with such as the UN and NGOs, are key to the success noted benefits, it is now necessary to discuss how of humanitarian response, the content and feasible it would be to use GERANDO guidelines implementation of these initiatives now include as a way to ensure that humanitarian assistance communities as prime actors. The rationale for addresses risk in a sustainable manner. working directly with communities is based on the recognition that socio-economic vulnerability, Because of the tested methodology used by WVM, rather than physical hazard, explains the impact the programme can be replicated elsewhere, since of disasters. Vulnerability in turn is driven it is anchored in sound principles of disaster risk by community capabilities (physical, social,

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economic, human) and welfare. This approach of disaster. Furthermore, although accumulated which evolved in the last two decades, suggests losses from small floods, droughts and landslides that interventions for mitigating disaster risks can exceed the losses from big disasters and must aim to reduce vulnerability and increasing contribute significantly to increased vulnerability resilience at the community level. There should at the local level, these disasters attract little media also be recognition that people in high-risk attention and communities are often left on their areas have often developed their own coping own to cope with the destruction.12 mechanisms and strategies to reduce the impact

12 Extracted from GERANDO Community Based Risk Approach: Definitions, 2009.

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Community Based Disaster Preparedness Projects; Community Based Disaster Preparedness Programme, Mozambique 2002 – 2005 Mozambique Red Cross (CVM), Mozambique

Abstract

Following the floods in 2000, in Inhambane operational framework of this initiative. province, CVM and the Danish Red Cross decided to assess the possibility of linking the relief and A model for introducing a CBDP programme rehabilitation interventions. This approach will through CVM was tested and developed through have a longer term development perspective, by a seven-month CBDP pilot phase, which took introducing disaster preparedness at community place in Inhambane province during the period of level, cross-fertilized from positive experiences March to October 2001. The programme covered from the Philippines, and the expertise from altogether five locations in 2 of the districts of Phillipines National Red Cross (PNRC). Lessons Inhambane (Govuro and Inharrime) reaching a learned from the pilot project on community population of approximately 1,000 households, a based disaster preparedness testing phase in total of 4,000 to 5,000 people. In many communities Inhambane province, were also incorporated in substantial progress has been made in terms of the programme. Another component was the preparedness measures, a highly positive result of bridging of community capacities using CVM the programme. EWSs have been incorporated into volunteer network as facilitators for community- community knowledge and practise. Community based EWSs. Overall, the implementation of volunteers and local committees are well versed a community-based disaster preparedness in their responsibilities and community risk maps (CBDP) concept, including the key elements have been used in preparedness planning. of a community-based EWSs forms the core

The initiative

The programme, which ended in 2006 has at the community level, as demonstrated in produced a case study, funded by the Danish the community preparedness and response to Red Cross. It focused on the impact of the five- Cyclone Favio, detailing how the CBDP functioned year CBDP programme and its sustainability. with the cyclone-hit Vilankulos district in 2007. The study emphasised on the improved EWSs Goal and objective

The overall objective was to reduce the natural as follows: disasters vulnerability and to increase the 1. Over four years, CVM increased its capacity to capability among at-risk communities to cope facilitate CBDP schemes as well as its ability to with natural disasters, in the poorest, flood prone motivate the local population and make them areas of Inhambane and Zambézia provinces. The co-responsible for securing their community objectives realised for the 2002-2005 period were against damaging effects of natural disasters;

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2. Raised awareness and readiness among the assets in the provinces of Inhambane and local population to meet disastrous situations Zambézia. Replication in the provinces of by focusing on evacuation schemes, Sofala, Gaza and Maputo13 was successfully information sharing and securing material achieved.

Outcomes and activities

According to the CBDP evaluation report, planning that has been used at different levels the following main achievements have been and should be promoted elsewhere. identified: Vulnerability Reduction. Vulnerability was redu- Early Warning and Preparedness. In many commu- ced in social and organizational spheres. nities substantial progress was made in terms of Positive changes in social interaction among preparedness measures, a highly positive result of communities and intra-communities followed as the programme. Both the national cyclone EWS a result of increased knowledge and community and local community level EWSs are positively organization. These include aspects of hygiene incorporated into community knowledge and promotion and latrine construction completed practise. Both community volunteers and local within the programme. A key point was the test committees, particularly in Zambézia province are of all these interventions through a pilot study, well versed in their responsibilities in monitoring, which proved to be a critical factor in the success warning and initial response. Community risk of the overall programme. maps have provided a tool for preparedness

Best practice

The best practice is the implementation of a community-based EWS. The national cyclone EWS was integrated to include those at the receiving end of the warning; i.e., the communities are using, what is known as an end-to-end EWS. This system links, at one end, the scientific institutions receiving and analysing hydro-meteorological data, all the way down to the community level, or the population to be protected, at the other end. The community-based EWS was positively incorporated into community knowledge and practice. Both community volunteers and local committees, particularly in Zambézia province are well versed in what is required of them in terms of monitoring, warning and initial emergency response. Community risk maps, as tools of an end-to-end EWS have provided a key component for preparedness planning.

13 More details can be found on the CBDP Working Document, page 9 & 10.

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Lessons learned

In addition to the structural work and capacity the cyclone three days in advance; building efforts undertaken by this project, one of • In areas where the CBDP programme was the significant contributions was related to local implemented, CVM volunteers found government visibility. The District Commission communities prepared for the impact of Office was instrumental in disseminating CVM Cyclone Favio. Elsewhere, communities were messages in these districts. Volunteer visibility less aware of potential risks, children were still in the target communities has contributed to at school, despite the risk of damage to the a positive image of CVM, contributing to the building and separation from their parents; development of district commissions and the • Local disaster committees successfully used recruiting and training of community volunteers. methodologies recommended through CBDP There is no doubt that this has provided an effective training activities to convince community and significant contribution to CVM’s ability to members of the impending cyclone, and work in these districts in disaster preparedness advise communities how to minimise negative and other programme areas. The training of effects of the disaster; disaster preparedness technicians combined with • Strong community ownership of the the programme experience and management programme ensured its sustainability. The capacity developed during the programme, is also CBDP programme empowered local disaster an important outcome of the programme. Other committees to take responsibility for their own lessons learned are as follows: safety and that of the community in times of • Crude comparisons between community disaster regardless of Red Cross presence. This disaster preparedness levels before and after ownership was clearly demonstrated by CBDP implementation of the CBDP programme initiatives undertaken in response to Cyclone indicate the programme’s positive impact in Favio; increasing community capacity to cope with • Equipment and training provided through disaster; the programme (for example, provision of • Disaster committee members themselves High Frequency (HF) radios, and training recognised the importance of their role in community based volunteers) strengthened helping communities to prepare for and the capacity of CVM to effectively prepare for mitigate risk to human life and material and respond to disasters; possessions; • Radio broadcasts play an important role in • The EWS ensured that communities targeted raising community awareness of approaching through the CBDP programme knew about cyclones.

Potential for replication

The community based EWS has been already adopted by main stakeholders and partners in DRR and is a proved successful intervention aimed to reduce material losses and loss of lives.

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Institutionalization of Risk Management, PRO-GRC/ German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Mozambique

Abstract

Mozambique is one of the countries of Africa that The priority components of this project include often experiences the impact of natural disasters technical assistance, organizational and procedural such as cyclones, floods and droughts. During measures and training (by international experts) the floods of 2000 and 2003 alone, more than 4.5 on agricultural conservation techniques, at million people, one quarter of the total population regional and local level. The provision of limited of the country, were affected. Droughts in 1980 equipment in addition to assistance measures by and 1983, affected more than 6 million people. local service providers, are also important support The high degree of vulnerability of the poor is mechanisms of the project. The project is part of exacerbated by the drought effects. Traditional the poverty eradication strategy in Mozambique agricultural technologies depend greatly on (PARPA II). Important contributions have been regular rainfall patterns and fertile soil zoning. made to reducing vulnerability: This dependency, combined with the fact that • Improving agro-business; construction of houses and public buildings are • Provision of technical advice in the often inadequate, means that excessive rainfall, or implementation of a comprehensive and conversely, a lack of rain, has severe effects. The effective disaster risk prevention and disaster absence of alternative revenue sources results risk management methodology; in a feeling of helplessness among populations, • Integration of key principles of risk reduction contributing to low coping capacity when faced in the Rural Development Program; with drought events. • Assistance with capacity building within the Local governments can only react to this situation, newly structured INGC. In Búzi district, for and their response is often inadequate. The main example, the vulnerability of the population to reasons given are a lack of technical expertise for the dangers of floods and cyclones has clearly preparation of local level risk management plans been reduced by the disaster risk management and implementation of preventive measures. initiatives implemented, representing an As a result of these substantial constraints, important contribution for sustainable rural there is an absence of real-time coping capacity. development in the region. This successful Technologies for the management of disaster risk methodology adopted by GTZ in integrating reduction and vulnerability to drought are not DRR in rural development programming is widely disseminated by the state administrations clearly a best practice, especially in terms of and NGOs. Therefore, the population is exposed potential for replication in other disaster- and completely helpless, being unable to carry prone districts and poverty-stricken countries out preventive measures. of the region.

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The initiative

The German Federal Ministry for Economic the present programme framework based on the Cooperation and Development (BMZ), under following key areas: the German Government, has been one of the 1. (Dissemination of tools validated as effective most important international donors for the measures to reduce vulnerability to drought; strengthening of disaster risk management in 2. Implementation of local level risk management the country. GTZ was assigned a reconstruction within a comprehensive all-hazard approach, project that has supported rural development including the creation of local level disaster in central Mozambique since the 1990s, and in risk management committees and enabling the beginning of 2001, was supplemented by a coordination structures from the community Disaster Risk Management (DRM) component. to the national level through the functional After the flood disasters of 2000, first aid and structure of INGC; reconstruction measures were supported. In 3. Vulnerability reduction to floods and cyclones 2003, the different initiatives were combined in the Save River (Machanga and Govuro); in the common program ‘Programa para o 4. Reducing vulnerability in Mozambique to Desenvolvimento Rural’ (programme for rural wildfires and/or bush fires;15 development - PRODER), whose emphasis is the 5. Provision of organizational and technical promotion of district development plans. advice to INGC, focusing on CENOEs In 2003, PRODER integrated disaster risk (National Emergency Operation Centre(s). management in municipal development The project has reached so far a high number planning aligned with various community-based of beneficiaries in the following regions: methodologies. PRODER, in subsequent years, Southern Region – Inhassoro, Vilankulo, and maintained DRR activities, supported by technical Govuro districts, Inhambane Province and assistance, in its core set of activities. In addition to Machanga district, Sofala Province; Central PRODER activities, experiences derived from other region – Búzi, Chibabava in Sofala province, projects, were incorporated (e.g., development and Mossurize, Sussundenga (Administrative of an EWS) with the support of the Munich Re Post of Dombe) and Manica, Manica Province; Foundation and Climate Change14 Adaptation Central and Southern regions – Massange was also addressed through the GTZ Agreement in Gaza Province, Mabote, Funhalouro and Protocol for Climate Change . The overall GTZ Govuro in InhambaneProvince and Machanga, programme was refined in 2007 and expanded to Sofala Province. Goal and objective

The objective of the project were to continuously further objective is to identify arid and semi-arid provide technical assistance to communities, areas prone to droughts and bush fires, and, jointly districts and governments to implement disaster with the local authorities, to identify relevant risk management measures in priority areas mechanisms for adaptation to climate change threatened by hurricanes, floods and droughts. A and management of hydrologic resources.

14 UNFCCC SB-20 presented in June in Bona; and in the UNFCCC COP in Nairobi in November 2006; ARGE IP Institut fur Projekplanung GmbH und AMBERO Consulting Gesellschaft mbH 15 With the support of UNEP/ACTS financed by GEF

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Outcomes and activities

The main outcomes relate to: behavior change following four components which are aligned to a and attitude modification within communities; number of activities: the adoption of minimum standards for building • District development planning with hazard resistant housing; the reduction of forest participatory activities at community level; and wild fires in communities involved in the • Strengthening of local governments and project; the successful integration of disaster risk civilian population with activities related to management methodologies in PESODs16 with risk reduction and identification of relevant risk management responsibilities assumed by hazards; the district governments; and monitoring and • Adaptation of innovative technologies and supervision by local staff to ensure that the INGC sustainable use of natural resources; risk management guidelines are followed. • Disaster risk management interventions such The promotion of risk reduction methodologies as public education on impacts of wild fires on in the district development plans consisted of the food security, and conservation agriculture.

Best practice

The integration of disaster risk management into rural development existing plans is an excellent proven best practice. In the context of this project, the at-risk villages along Búzi River served as the pilot project area, receiving an integral, multi-sector and decentralised methodology. It has proven to work and already lead to important progress in the region. Furthermore, the establishment of flood EWS, including wildfires warning; the establishment of demonstration areas for testing different techniques of conservation agriculture; the creation of community networks within local level risk management in various at–risk districts and the development of community- based trained teams to undertake the risk management activities, are key elements of the methodology.

16 PESOD (Plano Económico e Social e Orçamento Distrital) Annual District Development Plan

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Lessons learned

The monitoring mechanisms in place, allow aligned with INGC strategies with simultaneous adjustments to solve problems encountered translation into local languages). Once a warning in project implementation. However, greater has been issued, the community is well organized technical follow-up from the project’s supervisory as observed by the rapid mobilization of an at- body is necessary to further strengthen local risk community and further identification of capacities. There is a need to utilize local resources, dangerous zones inside a community. Additionally, avoiding dependency on external funding (e.g., the exchange of good practices from the Buzi warning kits, with local materials; EWSs involving and Chinde districts has been identified as one local leadership; youth working in drama and mechanism to enhance coordination. theatre; games with risk management themes Potential for replication

This practice has already been replicated. It started as a pilot project using rural development projects. The practices in it have a long history of integrating disaster risk management in existing structures, dating back to projects implemented by GTZ and partners in Central America.

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Moving forward

The trends

Qualitative analysis of the DIPECHO Inventory Zambezi in Mozambique, is directly related to Forms suggests a prevalence of a set of community- climate change, and constitute important disaster based projects, targeted to address the incidence risk drivers, as suggested by the ISDR 2009 Global of specific hazards affecting the project countries. Report17(see Figure 37) . Among those hazards, the hydro-meteorological ones, such as cyclones and floods are most critical Consequently, community-based end-to-end in Mozambique and Madagascar in terms of EWSs and emergency procedures implemented frequency, intensity, damage caused and number in several communities are at the core of the of affected people. Dissimilarly, in the Comoros, selected best practices. This is followed by volcanic eruption of the Le Karthala poses community-based bio-engineering methods (a extreme risks because of the high population combination of vegetation and cement to secure density living at the slopes of the Volcano with river banks) to control river erosion and spread limited evacuation routes and means. In certain of flood waters into agricultural fields. Overall, areas of Malawi, and pockets of drought zones of the best practices were supported by good northern Mozambique, the underlying hazards programme design addressing issues of risks, are the abnormal rainfall patterns, with extreme hazards and vulnerabilities, a pilot test before a dry-wet periods, which affect the ability of the full implementation of the projects, and a good population to feed themselves, resulting in food monitoring and evaluation system that was used insecurity. River erosion and floods, caused by to adjust problems encountered during the life of the rainfall in upper stream rivers such as the the projects.

Figure 37: Early national warning system of Buzi river basin, Mozambique

Source: INGC, 2009 Presentation to UNDP

17 2009 ISDR Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction, Geneve

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Climate change, adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR)

Regarding the theoretical background presented practical benefits of an integrated approach to in the introduction, one point to highlight is that DRR and adaptation to climate change, several the 2009 ISDR global report review (ibid) argues issues discussed suggest that, rather than treating for a paradigm shift in DRR, as currently ‘efforts climate change as an environmental issue, an to reduce disaster risk, reduce poverty and adapt integrated approach is necessary. to climate change are poorly coordinated’ and hardly linked to each other. There is a need to Although the links between these two areas are link and focus policy and governance frameworks increasingly acknowledged by practitioners, there for DRR, poverty reduction and climate change is a need for greater coordination between the adaptation in a way that can bring best practice emerging climate change adaptation community local and sectoral approaches and tools into and the well-established DRR community. This mainstream development thinking on DRR. The is especially important given the increasing way forward is to promote international attention focus on climate change, its associated risks and consolidate political and economic support and potential impacts for development, and in and commitment for disaster risk reduction in at- the light of an emerging ‘One UN’ operational risk countries. context, as in Mozambique. From a substantive perspective, there are clearly large overlaps Projects undertaken by NGOs are clearly divided between DRR and (ommon Country Assessment in initiatives targeted to environmental issues (CCA). A major portion of the impacts of climate such as deforestation, bush fires; environmental change will manifest themselves through climate damage; and initiatives targeted to DRR, such variability and extremes. Thus, strategies to as methods of securing houses against extreme address vulnerability to natural hazards are a winds, flood waters and powerful storm surges. key component of adaptation to climate change. It therefore, becomes clear that climate change Additionally, changing risk patterns directly affect and DRR should be seen as one integrated disaster preparedness and prediction efforts. package. In fact, some of the work conducted in Furthermore, changes in the average climate may the field by NGOs and organizations focused on also affect disaster risk, either through changes in DRR and climate adaptation. The best practice hazards (such as forest fires becoming more likely of UN-Habitat with its elevated platforms above if the average conditions are becoming dryer) or flood level is a good example of adaptation. The changes in vulnerability (such as when reduced community-based EWS of CARE International in agricultural productivity leaves communities Madagascar, and the methodology, under testing, poorer with decreased coping capacities when by CARE Mozambique to identify strategies of disasters occur). An issue generating discussion climate change adaptation at community level, is that geophysical hazards are not addressed are all excellent initiatives. by climate change adaptation, and DRR is only concerned about trends in the average climate On a recent on-line discussion between UNDP where they have a direct implication for disaster experts and practitioners18 on the strategic and risk.

18 This e-Discussion is led by UNDP’s Crisis Prevention and Recovery Practice Network (CPRP-Net) and is cross-posted with Energy and Environment Network (EE-Net) and Disaster Risk Management Asia Network (DRM-Asia). For more information on the e-Discussion, including a list of key resources, please visit the dedicated UNDP internal webpage located at https://shp. undp.org/sites/BCPR/cspc/e-d-11-09/default.aspx. For non-UNDP participants to the e-Discussion, kindly contact [email protected] for support.

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The scientific knowledge in programme design

On the issue of bridging scientific knowledge urban areas and critical infrastructure in coastal with programming and its practical application zones of the country. The master plan of the in the field, WVM has an excellent best practice country (Plano Director de Redução de Risco in developing a methodology based on the )20 outlines gaps in risk management and risk UNDP and ISDR 2004 report Living with Risks19. reduction. Below are additional programme gaps The methodology adapted by WV is supported resulted from the recent DIPECHO consultations. by identification and analysis of hazards and vulnerabilities of the communities. These • Wildlife management to reduce human vulnerabilities are identified differently, from mortality (from animal attacks) in flooded community to community, and are translated in areas; what WV calls the Shocks. The impact of shocks • Government capacity in enforcing building will be directly driven by the development codes in urban areas at-risk (coast of characteristics of the affected area, which in the Mozambique); case of the four target countries, is that 50 percent • Expand local risk management with of the population is living in extreme poverty. appropriate funds made available; CARE International states that these vulnerabilities • Community based irrigation schemes to and hazards relationships are in fact a poverty reduce food insecurity in the areas affected by trap where recurrent shocks minimize the long seasonal drought. Conservation agricultural term goal of achieving full development, thereby techniques should be promoted in at-risk increasing vulnerabilities. In fact, in any situation areas, and this includes negative impacts of of a disaster, the most common point of discussion bush fires on depleting soil. Also important is that a medium to large scale disaster is likely to is that these conservation techniques are rollback on the development gains, pushing back utilised by communities to retain moisture in at least 15 years of development. the soil, allowing the plantation of drought- resistant crops; In late 2009, a number of national consultations • In dealing with prevention and mitigation, organized by DIPECHO took place in Madagascar, there is a need to create and/or strengthen Mozambique, the Comoros and Malawi. The aim search and rescue procedures at community- was the identification of programme gaps that based level in at-risk districts. There is also a could be funded by the international community need to formulate clear Standard Operations including DIPECHO. The results of these Procedures at regional and district centers consultations suggest that the following project aligned with international codes of conduct themes be considered for possible funding: and action; • Within local level risk management, it is critical Mozambique to implement school disaster committees, at all levels; The excellent work performed by INGC after • To reduce the drought shocks, critical themes the massive floods of 2000-2002 meant that that needs support are the construction of Mozambique became well-known as a success community-based silos and water reserves, to story. In fact, one of the best practices reported maintain food stocks and availability of clean in this document is the report on climate change water; modeling which details climate change effects in • Regarding community-based EWSs, the

19 UNDP and ISDR (2004). Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiatives. Inter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR). Geneve. 20 Plano Director de Prevenção e Mitigação das Calamidades Naturais – Approved by Government of Mozambique 2006

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continuous support is required for current • evacuation routes; initiatives based on participatory approaches • elevated platforms of multiple use; of risk mapping combined with comparisons • elevated silos; of given areas using space technology such as • social services in anti-cyclones refuges; satellite images; • use of tree barriers to reduce speed of wind. • There is a need to create better genetic seeds • Training in risk mapping with satellite images for crops in drought prone areas and to create at local level; seed banks to reduce food insecurity; • Improve existing government information • Promote small infrastructural work in technology equipment to allow optimal mitigation: use of space technology and geographical • small dykes; information systems platforms in monitoring • levated platforms; risk, and for emergency assistance.

Madagascar

Because of the skilled work conducted by the risk villages to prevent food shortages after National Disaster Risk Management Institute disasters; (Bureau National de Gestion des Risques et des • Public awareness, at local level, to disseminate Catastrophes (BNGRC)), in implementing a public warnings taking in account local dialect and education campaign on the various types of using local radio; hazards and vulnerabilities affecting the country, • Installation of weather stations in areas there was a sharp reduction in losses, damages exposed to severe weather, equipping and also mortality due to disasters (Personal with water level scales/meters in rivers and communication, BNGRC officials, October 3 2008, piezometers for wells and boreholes; and Antananarivo). training communities to use the equipment; • There is a positive impact in terms of public • Strengthening the network of HF radios and education on how to deal with the cyclone and train communities in how to use and maintain flood hazards that the country faces. However the equipment and how to update the the expansion of these initiatives are limited information available; by donor requirements and financing; • Risk mapping of localized risks; • Expand funding for existing initiatives in local • Inventory and monitoring of water points; level disaster risk management, with EWSs, • Signaling of evacuation routes for community and by including basic kits and instructions security; to retrofit and/or rebuild traditional housing • Creation of systems for collecting rainwater, after the impact of a cyclone; rehabilitation of damaged ones and building • Expand the construction of food silos in at- of new systems.

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The Comoros

• Provide the local communities with radio for all at-risk communities; communication in HF and Very High • Development of community-based emer- Frequency; training of beneficiaries on the use gency plans; of communications equipment and warning • Training all community volunteers in first aid, system is essential. The French Red Cross and management, use of emergency stock and COSEP have an EWS system in place reaching needs and damage assessments protocols; 45 communities equipped with satellite • Upgrading and rehabilitation of storage space phones (a best practice), but not sufficient for for emergency equipment; the total population at risk; • Establishment of a system for access to • Development of a local level risk mapping; water in emergencies, retrofit of the existing • Establishment and training of local committees infrastructure.

Malawi

• It will be important to develop, standardize, targeting approach; and institutionalize at national, district and • Strengthening institutional linkage for a local levels, DRR GIS (utilizing remote sensing, proper communication system (data flow); user-friendly GIS database, satellite imagery, • It is also important to collaborate with GPS tracking, etc.) combined with indigenous Department of Parks and Wildlife to assess knowledge (PRA mapping, historical timeline, crocodile and other wildlife populations and etc.); map out potential risk to human life, given • There is need to link Community-based EWS that crocodile attacks are quite common and to National EWS (government involvement in appear to be on the increase. Technical and/or local EWS), to link communication equipment logistical support to department of parks and to community evacuation plans and pre- Wildlife should also be provided to manage position evacuation and response equipment wildlife through a co-management approach; in communities; • Cholera Risk Assessment: Mapping of the • Disseminate systematic flood information in cholera hot-spots based on previous year the form of standardized DRR handbooks and/ incidences and vulnerability areas, including or youth games/activities (teacher handbooks, setting up a surveillance system and cholera games, drama clubs, etc. communities); awareness campaigns, and preparation • Stockpile emergency items, such as tents and of district preparedness plans for cholera other NFI (plastic sheets, shelter kits, tents) response with clear resource mapping and rescue and first aid kits /medical and non responsibility; medical materials in all vulnerable H/C and • Irrigation development in flood prone areas; identify/rehabilitate/equip cholera quarantine • Introduction of appropriate livestock for flood facilities within the hot spot area, especially prone areas; for those area far away; • Construction of rain water harvesting • Adopt appropriate flood resistant structures; structures and training communities on their • Develop and advocate for preparedness use, development of evacuation points; and mitigation activity package (series • Advocate for the development of national of interventions) linking upstream and policy on building codes appropriate to downstream communities, adopting a river existing hazards. basin management (RBM) geographical

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