Community Based BP

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 Mozambiques 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
Lessons Learned 64
Care Madagascar 65
Abstract 65
The initiative 66
Outcomes and activities 67
Lessons learned 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
Lessons learned 82
ICCO Madagascar 85
Abstract 85
The initiative 85
Outcomes and Activities 86
Lessons learned 87
Institutional support and community 88

Abstract 88
The initiative 88
Best practice 89
Lessons learned 90
Community-based disaster preparedness project 91

Abstract 91
Lessons learned 93
Community-based disaster risk reduction 94

Abstract 94
The initiative 94
Project objectives 95
Lessons learned 96
Sustainable natural DRR through policy change 97

Abstract 97
The initiative 98
Lessons learned 99
Challenges 99
Key success and failure factors 100
Community risk management 101

The Initiative 102
Overview of steps 104
Lessons learned 105
Community-based disaster preparedness projects 107

Abstract 107
The initiative 107
Lessons learned 109
Institutionalization of risk management 110

Abstract 110
The initiative 111
Lessons learned 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

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.

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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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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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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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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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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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
15

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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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 elements 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.
17

18

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
19

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.
20

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 Commissions 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
21

22

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,
23

24

Risk, hazards and vulnerabilities
1
25

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 hazardprone 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 peoples 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 worlds 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
26

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)
5Climate 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 OBrien 2008; P.J. Milly, et al. Stationarity Is Dead: Whither Water Management? (Science, 319 (5863), 573574, 2008); Z.W. Kundzewicz, M. Radziejewski and I. Pinskwar.
Precipitation extremes in the changing climate of Europe. (Climate Research, 31, 5158, 2006).)5Climate Change and Water, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2008 IPCC
Technical Paper VI - June 2008
27

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
28

Figure 3: Low lying areas below 20 meters contour line in Mozambique (in green)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mozambique_Topography.png
29

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 Banks Natural Disaster Hotspot
30

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
Mozambiques 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 countrys 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 countrys
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 governments action plan for reducing
and indirect losses estimated at $488 millions. As the impact of disasters and includes activities
much as 25 percent of Mozambiques 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
31

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
32

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.
33

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 flooding may 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.
34

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
35

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 ltimos 12 meses

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Niassa Cabo Nampula Zambezia Tete Manica Sofala Inhambane Gaza Maputo
Delgado
De s a s tr es na tur a is R e du o de fontes de a limentos e pode r de c ompr a

A umento de pr e c os , pr a ga s e doe n a s e m a nima is e c ultur a s R e du o de fonte de r e ndimento
Source: Ministry of Agriculture released to the UN Forum, 18 November 2009, Maputo.
16 Care Mozambique Six Month report: February to July 2009.
36

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 le en malagasy.
Source : Systme des Nations Unies Madagascar.2000. Prsentation de Madagascar la Session du Conseil Economique et Social Assemble Gnrale
des Nations Unies - Juillet 2000 - New York
Source : Institut National de la Statistique Antananarivo, MADAGASCAR (Direction de la Dmographie et des Statistiques Sociales) / Macro International Inc.
Calverton, Maryland USA. 1997. Enqute Dmographique et de sant Madagascar.
18 UNDP, 2009 HDI Human Development Index. Madagascar.
37

Figure 8: Madagascar hazard risk map
38

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 countrys 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)
39

Figure 9: Mortality risk index
Source: www.preventionweb.net
Cyclones
2008. Also, the countrys 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)
40

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
41

Figure 11: Map of the Comoros Islands
42

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 islands 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. Coopration inter agences sur le Relvement aprs les catastrophes aux Comores
43

Figure 12: Le Karthala Volcanoe crater
Source: NASA Earth Observatory (2009)
44

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 Oprations 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
45

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 notification 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
46

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

No. of events: 16
No. of people killed: 146
No. of people affected: 407,114
Economic Damage ($ X 1,000): 42,804
Source : www.proventionweb.net
47

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 countrys GDP. Agricultural is at 11.9 percent23, which both fuels and is fueled
exports also account for over 70 percent of the by poverty.
countrys foreign exchange earnings, with tobacco
accounting for approximately 65 percent of the
countrys export earnings. The population is over
Figure 16: Map of Malawi
22 UNDP 2009 Global Human Development Report, New York
23 UNAIDS, 2009
48

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, peoples 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.

No. of events: 41
No. of people killed: 2,596
No. of people affected: 21,656,445
Economic Damage ($ X 1,000): 59,789
Source : www.proventionweb.net
24 Phiri, M.A.R Strategy Paper for the Second DIPECHO Action Plan for Malawi, Lilongwe. Draft version.
49

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 Malawis 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
50

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).
51

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 .
52

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.
53

54

Building in hazardous zones
2
55

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;
56

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
57

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.
58

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.
59

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.
60

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).
61

Figure 20: Manual of building with the winds and catalog of low-cost cyclone-proof building solutions
62

After Cyclone Fvio 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.
63

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
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
64

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 populations 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
65

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.
66

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
67

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
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.
68

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 houses 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 houses structure with special cyclone
hooks or other available materials. If not available, use metal straps, diagonals and wooden
sticks or wire.
69

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.
70

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.
71

72

Best practices on local level risk management
3
73

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)
74

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 Commissions Humanitarian Aid
the quality of life, and the populations 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 UNDPs 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
75

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

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 Mozambiques 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 countrys 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.
77

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).

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
78

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
79

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
80

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.
81

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.

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)
82

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.
83

84

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
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. Its 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
86

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.
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.
87

Institutional Support and Community-based Early Warning System for Volcanic

Eruption Croix-Rouge Franaise, 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
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.
89

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

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
90

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 Malawis 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.
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.
92

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
93

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 peoples 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
94

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.

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
95

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.
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.
96

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
countrys 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
97

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 Malawis most and disaster management structures to increase
disaster-prone districts by the Malawi Churches their resilience to disasters.

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.
98

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 projects 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
peoples 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
99

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 EIs 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

The greatest indicator of EIs 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 EIs 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
100

Community Risk Management/Gesto de Risco Nvel

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 households 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
101

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
102

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 communitys 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;
Zambzia, 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 peoples
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 communitys 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
103

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).
104

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.

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,
105

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.
106

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 Zambzia provinces. The co-responsible for securing their community
objectives realised for the 2002-2005 period were against damaging effects of natural disasters;
107

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

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 Zambzia 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 Zambzia 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 CVMs 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 programmes 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.

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.
109

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 Bzi 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.
110

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 Bzi, 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
111


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 Bzi 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 atrisk districts and the development of community-
based trained teams to undertake the risk management activities, are key elements of the methodology.
16 PESOD (Plano Econmico e Social e Oramento Distrital) Annual District Development Plan
112

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 projects 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

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.
113

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
114

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 UNDPs 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 cprp-net@groups.undp.org for support.
115

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 Reduo 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 Preveno e Mitigao das Calamidades Naturais Approved by Government of Mozambique 2006
116

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.
117

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
118

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COMMUNITY-BASED

BEST PRACTICES FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Prepared under the United Nations Development

Regional Initiative in Disaster Risk Reduction

The Union of Comoros 41

Institutional support and community 88

Community-based disaster preparedness project 91

Community-based disaster risk reduction 94

Sustainable natural DRR through policy change 97

Community risk management 101

Community-based disaster preparedness projects 107

Institutionalization of risk management 110

Moving forward 114

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

UNISDR terminology on disaster

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Comment: A crisis or emergency is a threatening Comment: Environmental impact assessment is a

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Comment: In meteorology a forecast refers to a Hydrometeorological hazard

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Land-use planning events as well as the latent hazard conditions that

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Risk Comment: Risk management comprises risk

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Comment: Common structural measures for dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures

Sustainable development Vulnerability

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Risk, hazards and vulnerabilities

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Risk, hazards and vulnerabilities

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Figure 2: Low lying areas in Africa

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

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Multi-hazard approach in the

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

11 Source: UNDP 2009 Global Human Development Report. New York.

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Disaster risk profile

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Figure 4: Vulnerability of Mozambique and neighbour countries to cyclones

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

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

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

Figure 6: Storm surge in normal and cyclonic conditions

Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique

In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture of Mozambique

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

Choques nos ltimos 12 meses

De s a s tr es na tur a is R e du o de fontes de a limentos e pode r de c ompr a

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