2 drought resilience findings recommended actions

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Recommended Actions

From

Community Views on Mechanisms to Support Local Livelihoods in the Early Stages of Drought

Reference Number: KRDP/ASAL DM/P-FiM/12-13

Funded by the European Union

14th February 2013

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Purpose of the Table:

The table below is based on the actual recorded statements made by community 11 groups during the inter-agency P-FiM exercise carried out in Habaswein in Wajir County in December 2012. It should therefore be read in tandem with the exercise reports. The key findings and recommendations that emerged from the exercise are summarized here to assist in providing a succinct appreciation of the findings and recommendations made by the community groups. It is also important to note that most points made below were further endorsed by the inter-agency team that comprised 26 frontline staff from 16 agencies (government, INGOs, LNGOs, Faith Organisations, CBOs) operating in Wajir County. The generic headings were selected by the P-FiM consultants to group the findings. There is no order of importance and some repetition is unavoidable due to the varied nuance of the statements made.

No Findings from Community Statements (By Generic Heading)

Recommended Action Responsible Agent Time-frame Management Response

1.0 Importance of P-FiM Process 1.1 P-FiM action worked well (16

agencies; 36 staff; 170 people in 11 groups)

Continue to capture community voice in open inter-agency process to inform wider context and priority issues

NDMA in support of County Teams & Operating Agencies & Community Structures

Every year in varied parts of the county

1.2 P-FiM ‘goal free’ & ‘focus question discussion’ provided depth of understanding of context including key sectors and services from the community perspective

Use P-FiM type approaches to properly understand context, gain in-depth insight into key sectors and services from the community perspective

Emphasis on sustainable, cost-effective outcomes


Every year in varied parts of county

1.3 Ensure community participation in strategy / policy development in newly devolved structures

Use P-FiM type approaches to properly understand context, gain in-depth insight into key sectors and services from the community perspective

Emphasis on sustainable, cost-effective outcomes


Every year in varied parts of county

2.0 Good Communication 2.1 Communication with communities Agree criteria for community NDMA in support of Every year in

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by agencies is very poor, resulting in poor planning, negative results, waste of money and increased poverty

engagement at county level

Carryout regular in-depth consultative procedures

Agencies address fundamental problem of poor communication

County Teams & Operating Agencies & Community Structures

varied parts of county e.g. as part of each new intervention

2.2 Lack of full engagement with communities leads to corrupt practices.

Adopt community based open and transparent processes

Information should be shared openly and transparently and be two-way


Ahead of expected drought During planning process

2.3 Communities to elect / select those to represent them in agency, government meetings

Community representatives elected / selected by community groups e.g. women, elders, youth, pastoralist dropouts, disabled, SMEs, children

Representative group hold regular meetings with government, agencies

Regular referral to the wider community


Ahead of expected drought During planning process with donors

3.0 Issues with Cash Transfers

3.1 Cash alone is not the answer. It must engage the community and be integrated with long-term development programmes

Cash transfer programmes be integrated into long-term community based development strategies and programmes



3.2 The community identifies destitute and seasonally vulnerable but stresses that handouts create dependency – agencies must focus on building resilience

All interventions must encompass long-term sustainable results.

Avoid giving handouts in isolation

Engage communities first



3.4 Amount of cash required Adopt a flexible approach in line with varied local conditions, varied needs

In line with immediate/recovery needs

And with severity, duration of drought

NDMA in support of County Teams, Agencies, Community Structures

Programme planning and design

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3.5 Cash to be given at onset of drought

Cash to be used to mitigate the impact of drought

Given with due regard to livestock markets and other income strategies

Cash should be ceased once normal food / income is restored (note 3.7)


Programme planning and design

3.6 Cash transfers for the most vulnerable is long-term. But even these groups should be working themselves out of poverty not becoming dependent.

Most vulnerable groups should also be supported to develop alternative livelihoods.

Avoid creating dependency


Programme design

3.7. Locally processed milk and meat to preserve food and extend income from sales – save excess milk/ meat during rains to offset drought, create local jobs

Focus value addition such as food/milk processing plants.

Marketing of animal products locally and abroad – job creation

Household food storage systems


Programme design

3.8 The end of cash transfers should occur when livestock (shoats) begin having young as it is only then that milk is available as food and income – the beginning of rains does not mean the end of drought or that livelihoods are back to normal.

Cash transfers should be timed to coincide with return to family food and income

Essential to understand local context to know when drought starts and ends


Programme design

3.9 Focus on cash distribution through wives on the home is leading to domestic conflict Lack of proper engagement is causing other problems

Adopt community based M&E where communities identify and monitor the use of cash for basic needs

Avoid creating further problems through lack of understanding of context and failure to fully utilize community capacity on M&E


Programme design

4.0 Engagement with Donors 4.1 Communities to elect / select

those to represent them in Community representatives elected /

selected by community groups e.g.

NDMA in support of County Teams &

Ahead of expected drought

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agency, government meetings women, elders, youth, pastoralist dropouts, disabled, SMEs, children

Representative group hold regular meetings with government, agencies

Regular referral to the wider community

Operating Agencies & Community Structures

During planning process

4.2 To improve accountability, communities should engage with donors e.g. through use of P-FiM

Through regular exercises such as P-FiM all stakeholders can be informed of the community perspective


Ahead of expected drought During planning process Evaluations

5.0 Primary Causes; Flexible Programmes; Early Warning

5.1 Develop flexible programmes to allow changes when context outcomes or results are negative and can be improved by timely appropriate changes

Agencies develop programmes that allow change to ensure positive results

Agency front-line staff to have much greater say in decision making

Donors support flexible programmes


Programme design and donor contract negotiations

5.2 First priority is to address the primary causes of drought as donors and agencies focus too much on the results of drought

Shift focus to addressing core problems

Understand context as basis for timely and accurate engagement



5.3 Early warning systems and issues should be practical and focused on pastoralist needs e.g. changes in livestock markets, disease etc. Disaster early warning must be practical and help pastoralists make good decisions

Change parameter of early warning to focus accurate community based information needs

Early warning directly linked to early intervention that includes; accurate information; need for and timing of support; time-frame of support etc.

Avoid abstract information that does not inform / relate to community or agency local planning and decisions


Programme design and donor contract negotiations Regular Early Warning Bulletins

5.4 Early warning should address local needs as information is critical if

Accurate market information in relation to livestock prices and trends;

NDMA in support of County Teams,

Scenario planning Early warning

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pastoralists are to plan and make the right decisions.

Variance on local drought impact; where there is pasture and water;

Scenarios that include local knowledge of implications to inform pastoralist decisions e.g. sell or retain livestock; move or stay and when; kill newly born livestock to preserve mothers; whether to vaccinate, de-worm or slaughter etc.

Agencies, Community Structures

bulletins Programme design

6.0 Accountability 6.1 Build/support peer accountability

within the community to offset abuse, ensure the right people benefit and avoid projects creating social problems within households

Beneficiaries accountable to the community who identified them

Community M&E systems to ensure cash transfers are used properly

Local penalty structures in place

Avoid creating social problems thru ill-designed programmes


On-going M&E

6.2 Accountability should operate at many levels but primarily agencies should be accountable to communities and communities should be able engage directly with donors

Establish community accountability mechanisms

Be developed and owned by communities (not agency owned)

Use mechanisms that record local views, ideas, issues that are openly shared with donors


Programme design

6.3 Build community capacity to help them participate in their own development;

Agencies re-think capacity building based on community engagement and ownership of process and outcomes

7.0 Resilience not Handouts 7.1 People want secure livelihoods,

not handouts Radical change in agency attitude that

provides support that supplements livelihood development and avoids creating dependency

NDMA in support of County Teams, NGOs, Community Structures


7.2 Cash transfers be based on full engagement with community; timeframe based on local drought

Community identifying who should benefit and criteria to be used

Transfers given with least disruption

NDMA in support of County Teams, NGOs, Community

Programme design and donor contract

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conditions (an important determining factor)

Avoid the creation of settlements based on handouts that only increase poverty

Structures negotiations

7.3 Creation of settlements that increases poverty and vulnerability

Research to determine impact of cash on new settlements

NDMA and County structures

Strategic planning and policy

7.4 Cash transfer time-frame in line with drought and recovery period

Timing is critical to ensure that cash transfers do not undermine livelihoods

Timing plans should fully engage community groups (note 7 above)

NDMA in support of County Teams, NGOs, Community Structures

Programme design and contract negotiations

8.0 Development & Emergency Programmes should produce positive long-term results 8.1. Cash is not the top priority –

sustainable livelihoods is Cash transfers should be justified

Should be integrated into long-term sustainable actions

Should not be the primary focus


Programme design

8.2 All projects (whether emergency or development) should produce positive results that build sustainable livelihoods. This is not happening

Humanitarian and development programmes should contribute to long-term solutions

Agencies re-think their emergency interventions


Programme design

8.3 Engage people in developing existing and new businesses.

Focus new business opportunities for alternative livelihoods


Programme design

9.0 Lack of Understanding of Context 9.1 Understanding context is essential

if programmes are to produce positive results. As agencies do not understand context properly they contribute to corrupt practices by only working with the local elite

Avoid contributing to corrupt practice by proper engagement with communities

Agencies understand context by engaging fully with communities.

Only working with ‘gate keepers’ is not enough – complicit corruption


Programme design

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9.2 Community entry points should have representatives of all groups especially the vulnerable.

Establish local representative forums

Cross section of community groups represented

Forum mandated by community

Establish two-way communication

Community takes the lead whenever possible


Programme design

9.3 Badly planned and unfinished projects mean that project results and impact are a lot lower than they should be.

Assumptions and risks should be based on community perspectives to avoid poor design and negative outcomes


Programme design

9.4 The pastoralist way of life is changing due to drought; changes in lifestyle; changes in youth expectations etc. pastoralists want long-term solutions that address root causes and issues

Engage pastoralists in considering changes in pastoralist way of life and the development of sustainable solutions


Programme design

9.5 Need to have manageable livestock herd sizes not just during drought but as a drought mitigation measure

At the outset of drought to consider manageable drought herd sizes.

Consider viable herd sizes as a drought mitigation action


Programme design

9.6 Health and education are essential sectors Proper infrastructure is essential for communities to develop themselves

Focus on essential services

Focus on infrastructure


Programme design

2 drought resilience findings recommended actions

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