isdr informs the missing link…...disaster reduction in africa - isdr informs issue 2/november 2003...

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1 Disaster Reduction in Africa - ISDR Informs Issue 2/November 2003 From the editor Disaster Reduction in AFRICA ISDR INFORMS produced by the Africa Regional Office of the UN/International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) UN/ISDR Senior Regional Officer for Africa Feng Min Kan . Editor Alain Valency R. General Production Noroarisoa Rakotondrandria Design & Layout Mario Barrantes Timothy Ojore Photographs ISDR, DMCN, New People & East African Standard Circulation Pamela Mubuta Printed by Don Bosco Printing Press, Makuyu, Kenya DISCLAIMER The information and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the policies of the UN/ISDR Secretariat. Find more about disaster reduction with UN/ISDR Secretariat UN Palais des Nations, CH 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland Tel: +506-224-6941, 224-6395, 224-6690 Fax:+506-224-7758 [email protected] www.unisdr.org UN/ISDR Africa UNEP HQ, UN Complex, Gigiri, P.O. Box 47074 Nairobi, Kenya. Tel (254-2) 624568 or 624119 E-mail: [email protected] www.unisdrafrica.org Regional Unit for Latin America & the Caribbean PO Box 3745-1000 San José, Costa Rica Fax (506) 224-7758 Tel (506) 224-1186 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.eird.org www.crid.or.cr For free subscriptions please send your full name, institution or organization for which you work (not essential) and address to the following address: ISDR- [email protected] The missing link… Disaster reduction is drawing growing attention in Africa: National platforms are in place in Djibouti, Madagascar, Uganda; more countries are seeking to form theirs. Disas- ter reduction laws were voted in Madagascar and South Africa, Uganda is finalizing a bill. A hazard and vulnerabil- ity atlas is now available in South Africa. The AU and NEPAD are launching a major initiative; African women plan a “gender” one. The list is not exhaustive, and it is getting longer… day after day. Is such a growing attention mere accident? Surely not: 1. For the first time, an organization devoted exclusively to disaster reduction in Africa is available on the continent (UN/ISDR Africa). 2. Disasters in Africa are often a matter of “life and death”, so disaster reduction generates human and social interest and solidarity, as well as result-oriented action. Disaster reduction therefore makes human and social senses. 3. Disasters often result in heavy economic losses. Disaster reduction therefore makes economic sense. 4. Disasters in Africa are generally linked to environmental factors. Disaster reduction therefore makes environ- mental sense. 5. As disaster reduction makes human, social, economic and environmental senses, it should then simply make “developmental” sense. Indeed disaster reduction makes “developmental” sense. By sustaining (through disaster reduction) whatever little progress has been achieved (through development efforts), one grows bigger and stronger. “Sustainable” development is also development “sustained”, and disaster reduction is poised to be a key “sustainer”. But what about the basic causes of vulnerability to disasters in Africa ? Mr. Martin Owor from Uganda’s Ministry of Disaster Prepared- ness and Refugees, says (see article, p. 16): “Risk reduction is a developmental imperative for achieving sustainable growth, as well as a strategy that protects the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable, and hence a poverty eradication factor.” Ethiopia’s National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission won a UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction Certificate of Distinction in 2000 for its efforts to address the root causes of disasters and communities’ vulnerability, and for including disaster prevention activities in the development process. Disaster reduction expert, Mr. Kenneth Westgate (see article, p. 13) has monitored Ethiopia’s story very closely. He says: “Disaster reduction should go hand-in-hand with poverty alleviation”. This is the… missing link. Alain Valency R. [email protected]

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Page 1: ISDR INFORMS The missing link…...Disaster Reduction in Africa - ISDR Informs Issue 2/November 2003 3 IN THIS ISSUE 1 From the Editor 1 The missing link… 2 Correction 4 Disaster

1Disaster Reduction in Africa - ISDR Informs Issue 2/November 2003

From the editorDisaster Reduction in AFRICA

ISDR INFORMS

produced bythe Africa Regional Office

of theUN/International Strategy

for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR)

UN/ISDR Senior Regional Officer for AfricaFeng Min Kan

.

Editor Alain Valency R.

General ProductionNoroarisoa Rakotondrandria

Design & LayoutMario BarrantesTimothy Ojore

PhotographsISDR, DMCN, New People & East African Standard

Circulation Pamela Mubuta

Printed byDon Bosco Printing Press,

Makuyu, Kenya

DISCLAIMERThe information and opinions expressed in this

publication do not necessarily reflect the policies of theUN/ISDR Secretariat.

Find more about disaster reduction with

UN/ISDR SecretariatUN Palais des Nations,

CH 1211 Geneva10 Switzerland

Tel: +506-224-6941,224-6395, 224-6690Fax:+506-224-7758

[email protected]

UN/ISDR AfricaUNEP HQ, UN Complex, Gigiri,

P.O. Box 47074 Nairobi, Kenya.Tel (254-2) 624568 or 624119E-mail: [email protected]

www.unisdrafrica.org

Regional Unit for Latin America& the CaribbeanPO Box 3745-1000

San José, Costa RicaFax (506) 224-7758Tel (506) [email protected]

[email protected]@eird.orgwww.eird.org

www.crid.or.cr

For free subscriptionsplease send your full name, institution or organization for

which you work (not essential) and address to thefollowing address: ISDR- [email protected]

The missing link…

Disaster reduction is drawing growing attention in Africa:

National platforms are in place in Djibouti, Madagascar,Uganda; more countries are seeking to form theirs. Disas-ter reduction laws were voted in Madagascar and SouthAfrica, Uganda is finalizing a bill. A hazard and vulnerabil-ity atlas is now available in South Africa. The AU andNEPAD are launching a major initiative; African womenplan a “gender” one. The list is not exhaustive, and it isgetting longer… day after day.

Is such a growing attention mere accident? Surely not:

1. For the first time, an organization devoted exclusively todisaster reduction in Africa is available on the continent(UN/ISDR Africa).

2. Disasters in Africa are often a matter of “life and death”,so disaster reduction generates human and socialinterest and solidarity, as well as result-oriented action.Disaster reduction therefore makes human and socialsenses.

3. Disasters often result in heavy economic losses. Disasterreduction therefore makes economic sense.

4. Disasters in Africa are generally linked to environmentalfactors. Disaster reduction therefore makes environ-mental sense.

5. As disaster reduction makes human, social, economicand environmental senses, it should then simply make“developmental” sense.

Indeed disaster reduction makes “developmental” sense.

By sustaining (through disaster reduction) whatever littleprogress has been achieved (through development efforts),one grows bigger and stronger. “Sustainable” development isalso development “sustained”, and disaster reduction ispoised to be a key “sustainer”.

But what about the basic causes of vulnerability to disasters in Africa ?

Mr. Martin Owor from Uganda’s Ministry of Disaster Prepared-ness and Refugees, says (see article, p. 16): “Risk reduction is adevelopmental imperative for achieving sustainable growth, aswell as a strategy that protects the lives and livelihoods of themost vulnerable, and hence a poverty eradication factor.”

Ethiopia’s National Disaster Prevention and PreparednessCommission won a UN Sasakawa Award for DisasterReduction Certificate of Distinction in 2000 for its effortsto address the root causes of disasters and communities’vulnerability, and for including disaster prevention activitiesin the development process. Disaster reduction expert, Mr.Kenneth Westgate (see article, p. 13) has monitoredEthiopia’s story very closely. He says: “Disaster reductionshould go hand-in-hand with poverty alleviation”.

This is the… missing link.

Alain Valency R. [email protected]

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2Disaster Reduction in Africa - ISDR Informs Issue 2/November 2003

CorrectionIn our previous issue (Issue 1, 2003; p. 37), we attributed the following quote to John Twigg, a world-renown disastermanagement expert:

“Strictly speaking, there are no such things as natural disasters, but there are natural hazards. Adisaster is the result of a hazard’s impact on society. So the effects of a disaster are determined bythe extent of a community’s vulnerability to the hazard (or, conversely, its ability or capacity to copewith it). This vulnerability is not natural, but the result of an entire range of constantly changingphysical, social, economic, cultural, political, and even psychological factors that shape people’slives and create the environments in which they live. ‘Natural’ disasters are nature’s judgment onwhat humans have wrought.”

After seeing the “quote” (picked from the ISDR publication entitled “Living with Risk - A Global Review of Disaster ReductionInitiatives”), John Twigg drew ISDR’s attention on the exact rendering of his statement which should read as follows:

“Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a natural disaster, but there are natural hazards, suchas cyclones and earthquakes. The difference between a hazard and a disaster is an important one.A disaster takes place when a community is affected by a hazard (as we have seen, it is usuallydefined as an event that overwhelms that community’s capacity to cope). In other words, the impactof the disaster is determined by the extent of a community’s vulnerability to the hazard. This vulner-ability is not natural. It is the human dimension of disasters, the result of the whole range of eco-nomic, social, cultural, institutional, political and even psychological factors that shape people’slives and create the environment that they live in.”

Twigg, J (2001), Corporate Social Responsibility and Disaster Reduction: A Global Overview(London: Benfield Hazard Research Centre), p.6

We regret the misquote. Editor.

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IN THIS ISSUE

1 From the Editor1 The missing link…2 Correction

4 Disaster Reduction in Africa4 AU/NEPAD, ISDR Africa embark on major disaster reduction initiative for Africa – Dr. Hesphina Rukato6 AU disaster prevention, preparedness, response activities in Africa – Mr. Foday Bojang8 Somalia workshop urges ban on charcoal exports to Gulf states – Mr. Ali Warsame Nagheye10 Pastoral communities seek drought resilience – Mr. Mahaboub Maalim12 Botswana is “highly” vulnerable to climate change – Mr. David Lesolle

13 Views & Reviews13 Why poverty alleviation should go hand in hand with disaster reduction – Mr. Kenneth Westgate16 Why Uganda is keen to link disaster management with sustainable development – Mr. Martin Owor19 Disaster hazard, vulnerability atlas needed in Africa – Dr. Dusan Sakulski20 Traditional knowledge, use of climatic information for development activities in Kenya – Prof. A.B.C. Ocholla–Ayayo23 Africa needs to develop its water resources for socio-economic progress – Dr. Stephen Maxwell Kwame Donkor26 Lessons from 1997-98 El Nino – induced floods in Kenya – Prof. Francis Mutua

29 UN/ISDR Africa National Platforms in Action29 Madagascar: Disaster management bill passed by Parliament, ISDR national platform launched – Mrs. Lucile Randrianarivelo31 Uganda: Uganda launches national platform, drafts disaster management bill – Mr. Martin Owor34 Djibouti: Plan of action adopted, district support units formed – Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Madar35 News from national platforms – Mrs.Noroarisoa Rakotondrandria

36 2003 International Day for Disaster Reduction36 Message for the International Day for Disaster Reduction – UN Secretary General37 Message for the International Day for Disaster Reduction – UN/ISDR Director38 International Day by ISDR national platforms

40 African policy makers talk about disaster reduction40 Hon. Abdoulkader Doualeh Waiss, Minister of interior and decentralisation, Djibouti41 Hon. Rt. Lt Gen. Moses Ali, First Deputy prime minister and Minister for disaster preparedness and refugees, Uganda42 Hon. Jean Seth Rambeloalijaona, Minister of interior and administrative reform, Madagascar43 Interview with Hon Jean Seth Rambeloalijaona, Minister of interior and administrative reform, Madagascar – Mrs. Noroarisoa Rakotondrandria

45 UN/ISDR World in Action

46 UN/ISDR Africa in Action46 Major ongoing and upcoming activities for 2003 – UN/ISDR Africa48 African’s active preparation for the Second World Conference on Early Warning – UN/ISDR Africa51 Soroptimist International world convention discusses gender, disaster reduction – Mrs. Alice Kirambi & Mrs. Mariam Alambo

53 UN Sasakawa Award53 African lady wins major international award for disaster reduction – UN/ISDR Africa

55 Partners in Action55 Dushanbe Water Appeal – UN/ISDR Africa57 Resource mapping body contributes to early warning in Greater Horn of Africa – Mr. Ambrose Oroda

59 Information Resources59 Web sites on water-related disasters

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The AU, NEPAD and UN/ISDR Africahave agreed to develop an AfricanRegional Strategy for DisasterManagement, to be followed by anAfrican Regional Programme onDisaster Risk Management. Thisemerged from a consultative meetingorganized by the NEPAD Secretariat.The following is a report on themeeting. (Original text edited by UN/ISDR Africa for wider circulation; intro andsub-headings inserted editorially)

A “Consultative Meeting on Disaster RiskManagement in Africa” was held inNairobi on 25 June 2003. The meeting wasorganized by the NEPAD Secretariat,chaired by AU, and supported by UNEP,UNDP and UN/ISDR Africa.

The meeting was attended byrepresentatives from UNEP, UNDP, UN/ISDR, AU (African Union), NEPAD,COMESA (Common Market for Easternand Southern Africa), IOC (Indian OceanCommission), IGAD (Inter-GovernmentalAuthority on Development), SADC(Southern African DevelopmentCommunity), ECCAS (EconomicCommunity of Central African States),USAID and InWent.

Meeting objectivesThe objectives of the meeting were toenhance regional cooperation in disasterrisk reduction and disaster response; toprovide a forum for regional and sub-regional organizations in Africa to shareviews and experiences related to disasterrisk reduction; to achieve a shared visionof a regional approach in disaster riskreduction and disaster response ; and todiscuss the necessity of developing anAfrican regional framework and guidelinesfor cooperation in disaster risk manage-ment.

Background and contextIn his introductory statement, the AUrepresentative said the AU has alwaysbeen seized with the issue of disaster and

AU, NEPAD, UN/ISDR Africa embark onmajor disaster reduction initiative for AfricaDr. Hesphina RukatoAdvisor, Environment and TourismNEPAD SecretariatJohannesburg, South Africa

disaster risk management on thecontinent. In this respect, the thenOrganization of African Unity (OAU), ontwo occasions between 1999 and 2002,sought the assistance of UN/OCHA(Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs) to organize regionalconsultations to discuss and possibly lay

the foundation for a regional mechanismfor disaster and risk management. Bothattempts however failed for variousreasons.

The AU representative welcomed theNEPAD initiative as it provided anopportunity to follow on the earlier failedattempts of the OAU. He expressed hishope that the institutions and agenciesgathered around the table would giveevery possible support to NEPAD in itsattempt to ensure a viable disaster anddisaster risk management mechanism forthe continent.

The consultative meeting started with apresentation by Dr Hesphina Rukato ofthe NEPAD Secretariat on “NEPAD’sApproach to Disaster Management”. Thepresentation summarized the outcomes ofthe first NEPAD-led workshop on disastermanagement (held in Johannesburg inApril 2003) as background and context of

the discussions at the consultativemeeting. She also outlined the expectedoutputs and way forward of thisconsultative meeting. The presentationended with NEPAD extending itsappreciation to UNEP, UNDP and UN/ISDR Africa for their collaboration on thismeeting.

The main points of Dr Hesphina Rukato’presentation on “NEPAD’s Approach toDisaster Management” were as follows:1. Food security, poverty andvulnerability were the drivers for NEPAD’sintervention. A most pressing issue inAfrica is food security, which was a majorconcern at the first NEPAD-led workshopon disaster management held inJohannesburg in April 2003.2. A list of recommendations from threeworking group discussions at the April2003 Johannesburg workshop,recommendations underlining the need forfurther strengthening of capacity building,networking, strategy and policydevelopment, partnership andcoordination, early warning systems,hazard mapping, vulnerability assessment,and food security assessment at variouslevels.3. As a follow-up of the first NEPAD-ledworkshop on disaster management,

Disaster Reduction in Africa

From the right to the left, Dr. Hesphina Rukato from NEPAD secretariat and Mr. FodayBojang from African Union

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participants requested to focus on : (1)modalities for the development of anAfrica Strategy for Disaster Management,(2) modalities for development of an AfricaProgramme for Disaster Management, and(3) suggestions on mechanisms forsharing views and experiences on disastermanagement at the continental level.4. Expected results of the one-daymeeting to be : (1) a draft outline of aprocess to develop an Africa Strategy onDisaster Risk Management, (2) a draftproposal for a task team on developmentof an Africa Programme on DisasterManagement, and, (3) proposals forcontinued and consistent mechanismsfor information and experience sharingon disaster management.

Consultation discussionsThe participants exchanged views on anumber of issues, based on theoutcomes of the first workshop held byAU/NEPAD in Johannesburg in April2003. The discussions included foodsecurity, strategy and policydevelopment, and relationships betweenenvironment and disasters, and betweenconflict and risks. Other issuesdiscussed involved the clarification ofterminology such as disastermanagement and disaster riskmanagement, capacity building andcapacity strengthening.

Sub-regional presentationsSub-regional organizations wererequested to provide information ondisaster risk management in theirrespective regions.

The IGAD representative stressed thata sub-regional mechanism had alreadybeen developed bearing in mind theneed for integrated approach. TheCOMESA representative said thethrust within the COMESA was oneconomic integration, on setting up acommon market, but COMESA wantedto move towards disaster riskmanagement. The ECCASrepresentative said it had put in placea peace and security system, an earlywarning system, and a multinationalforce in central Africa, but disastermanagement was still very weak, withonly 2 of the 11 member countrieshaving taken initiatives on the matter.ECCAS asked for support for thesetting up of a disaster managementsystem, especially in its French-speaking countries. Such systems arealso needed at national levels.

The way forwardThe AU, NEPAD Secretariat and ISDRAfrica agreed to embark on a jointinitiative on disaster risk managementin Africa, and that the joint initiativewould consist of two parts.

Part One involves the development ofan African Regional Strategy forDisaster Risk Management. Part Oneculminates in a consultative meeting atcontinental level - including govern-ment experts - in April 2004, and thesubsequent adoption of the strategyby the AU.

Expected outcomes of AU/NEPAD – UN/ISDR Africa initiative(Part One) – in chronological order

• Review of existing policies, bills, strategies related to disaster risk management at national, sub-regional andregional levels;

• Inventory of existing capacities and mandates of expansion; Regional Economic Communities and UN agencies;• Analysis of inter-relationships between risk reduction, poverty alleviation, sustainable development;• Review report with major findings and “who-is-doing-what-and-where” inventory;• Outline of African regional strategy for disaster and disaster risk management (which helps to mainstream

disaster risk management into development process);• Draft African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Management and regional review submitted to AU Commission,

NEPAD Secretariat for circulation among sub-regional organizations;• African regional consultative meeting – including government experts - to discuss the draft African Regional

Strategy for Disaster Risk Management (April 2004);• African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Management approved by NEPAD Secretariat, AU Commission;• Adoption of African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Management by African Council of Ministers, AU summit

(presumably in July 2004).

Based on Part One, Part Two will focuson the development of an AfricanRegional Programme on Disaster RiskManagement, the subsequentapproval of the programme by the AU,NEPAD and RECs (Regional EconomicCommunities), and its implementation.

Ongoing follow-upThe AU Commission, NEPADSecretariat and ISDR Africa are nowworking together to push the processforward - in cooperation with regional,sub-regional and national authoritiesin Africa.

Indeed the three bodies believe thatdisaster risk management is a sharedresponsibility among national, regionaland international communities. Andthat multi-level and multi-disciplinarycoordination and collaboration istherefore the key to facing thechallenges in disaster riskmanagement, challenges that are oftenare beyond the capacity of a singlegovernment or organization.

Meanwhile, two African disasterreduction experts have been selectedto carry out the main tasks of the firstpart of the initiative (development ofan African Regional Srategy forDisaster Risk Management) on aconsultancy basis. The two Africanexperts began their work on 20October 2003.

Disaster Reduction in Africa

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AU disaster prevention, preparedness, responseactivities in Africa

The following is a presentation byAfrican Union Senior Policy OfficerMr Foday Bojang at a “RegionalWorkshop on Environmental Disas-ters” organized by UNEP Africa from28 to 30 July 2003 in Nairobi. (Originalversion abridged and slightly edited byUN/ISDR Africa for wider circulation;intro and some sub-headings insertededitorially)

IntroductionNatural events that result in disastershave increased in frequency in Africaover the past 30 years. While thecontinent’s principal concern was withdrought and related humanitarian crisesin the 1970s and 1980s, its concern withother climate-related events such asfloods and tropical cyclones hasincreased since mid-1990s.

The Sahel region has been the principalvictim of drought-related disasters,while the eastern and southern Africanas well as Indian Ocean regions sufferedthe impacts of floods and strong windsin the recent past.

Need for culture of disasterprevention, mitigation at conti-nental levelIn 1997/98, floods devastated parts ofKenya, Tanzania and Somalia. In 2000-2002, southern African countries,particularly Mozambique, Malawi andZambia, were afflicted with the devastat-ing effects of floods which claimed livesand property and caused extensivedamage to infrastructure and, conse-quently, the economies of these coun-tries. Madagascar suffered the impactsof strong winds, cyclones and down-pours that destroyed houses and otherproperties in her rural communities.The loss of life, property and livelihoodresulting from natural and man-madecalamities, and the need to mitigate

Mr. Foday BojangSenior Policy OfficerAfrican UnionAddis Ababa, Ethiopia

these in the future, call for a culture ofprevention and mitigation at thecontinent level.

African union’s response todisastersPrior to 2002, the Organization ofAfrican Unity (OAU), while seized withthe issue of disasters on the continent,concerned itself primarily with post-disaster responses. Only during the1990s did the OAU make anyattempts to addressthe issue of disasterand disaster riskmanagement(prepared-ness andpreven-

tion). Even though these attempts didnot result in concrete mechanisms, theylaid the foundation for the activities ofthe successor African Union (AU) andits programme - the New Partnership forAfrica’s Development (NEPAD) - in thearea.

Special Emergency AssistanceFund for Drought and FamineThe OAU had established a SpecialEmergency Assistance Fund (SEAF) forDrought and Famine in Africa in 1985.The purpose of the Fund was to provideemergency relief assistance to OAUmember states affected by unfavourableclimatic events, mainly droughts andrelated famines. The Fund is adminis-tered by the ADB (African DevelopmentBank) and a Policy Committee ofAmbassadors in Addis Ababa isresponsible for its management.

Since its creation, SEAF has providedemergency relief and development(prevention) assistance to about 33 AUmember states amounting to over 31mUS dollars. The Fund also providedfinancial assistance - to the tune of840,000 US dollars - to the Secretariat ofthe UN Convention to Combat Desertifi-cation (UNCCD) for cross-borderdesertification and land degradationcontrol activities in the Sahel-Maghrebborder regions, as the Union’s contribu-tion to prevention activities on droughtand desertification-related emergencies.Emergency relief provided to memberstates included provision of food aid,

potable water, transportation andprocurement of basic commodi-ties. Prevention and mitigationactivities that have so far beenfunded through the Fund includelocust control, early warning,disaster management, foodsecurity, reforestation and treeplanting, bush fire control,agrometeorological rehabilitation,post-emergency reintegrationprogrammes, creation of emer-gency reserves and provision ofequipment, water conveyance for

small-scale irrigation, food storage,orchard development, general environ-ment rehabilitation, emergency pre-paredness, dam construction andrepairs, and sinking of boreholes.

Development/Prevention activities“scaled down”Due to increased demands on the limitedresources of the Fund, the OAU Councilof Ministers decided in 1998 to limit theuse of the Fund to the financing ofemergency activities. Funding ofdevelopment/prevention activities wastherefore scaled down in line with thisdecision. Consequently, mainly food-security-related activities such asrehabilitation of severely degradedrangelands and small-scale irrigation forlocal food self-sufficiency continued toreceive support from the Fund.

Disaster Reduction in Africa

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OAU/AU attempts to instituteprevention, preparedness, re-sponse mechanismsGiven the scale and magnitude of recentnatural calamities, and realizing the needfor a viable prevention, preparednessand response mechanism at the conti-nent level, the OAU approached the UN/OCHA (Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs) and the UNDP fora joint activity to raise awareness on theneed for a disaster management mecha-nism with the ultimate goal of establish-ing one on the continent.

A continental conference was plannedin 1999 but abandoned due to unfore-seen circumstances. The joint venturewas renewed in 2001, following thesevere floods in southern Africa, withthe view to using experience gained inthe region during response coordinationto advise the way forward. Again thisprocess could not be concluded due tolack of funding amongst other reasons.

NEPAD an opportunity for AUdisaster management activitiesThe coming into being of NEPAD and itsenvironment portfolio now provide theCommission of the AU the opportunityto pursue further the issue of disasterpreparedness, prevention and responsein the context of disaster and disasterrisk management.

The Commission and the NEPADSecretariat held consultations with someUN agencies, including the Secretariat ofthe UN/ISDR, UNDP and UNEP as wellas other stakeholders, in June 2003 inNairobi, to plan the way forwardtowards the realization of this objective.

The AU Commission and the Secretariatof NEPAD will henceforth take leader-ship in coordinating the resultingplanned activities, which will entailconsultations with Regional EconomicCommunities (RECs), national govern-ments and development partners. TheRECs will play a central role in therealization of the activities that will beplanned in the future.

Towards a development/preven-tion windowThe Commission of the AU has prepared

a proposal for the creation of a develop-ment/prevention window (RegionalFacilitation Fund) in the SEAF (SpecialEmergency Assistance Fund) to enablethe funding of developmental activitiesto enhance disaster preparedness andprevention on the continent. Theanticipated area of focus of the Facilita-tion Fund will be drought mitigation,land degradation and desertificationcontrol.

The proposal will hopefully be examinedby the SEAF Policy Committee ofAmbassadors at its next meeting beforethe end of this year. The Policy Commit-tee may decide to expand the focus tocover other disaster preparedness andprevention activities if it approves of theproposal. Finally, pending the SEAFPolicy Committee’s support, the pro-posal will be submitted to the AUCouncil of Ministers for consideration.

Conflict early warning systemConflicts have become common featuresof Africa’s political scene. The humani-tarian prices of these conflicts havebeen high, especially on children,women and the elderly of the affectedareas. Mass population movementswithin and away from conflict haveresulted in acute hunger, the spread ofcontagious diseases and unwarrantedloss of human lives, which could beenavoided had adequate early warning andpreparedness mechanisms existed on thecontinent.

The Conflict Management and Resolu-tion Office in the Commission of the AUis currently working on a conflict earlywarning system that hopefully will helpto prevent humanitarian catastrophesrelated to conflicts. Once in place theearly warning system will provideinformation that can be used to preparefor the settlement of refugees anddisplaced people in such a plannedmanner as would prevent undue humansufferings.

Continued political supportAs a member of the Inter-Agency TaskForce of the UN/ISDR (IATF/ISDR), theCommission of the AU will continue toplay its policy advisory role at bothinternational, regional and national

levels to advance the institutionalizationof safety measures in the face ofdisasters, especially those that arerapid-setting in nature.

To this end, the AU will continue to givepolitical support to internationalinitiatives as necessary, while, within thelimit of its resources, collaborating withrelevant organizations and agencies atregional levels to ensure the protectionof Africa’s populations against theadverse effects of both man-made andnatural disasters.

Views on current disaster man-agement initiatives on the conti-nentThere have recently been a number ofinitiatives related to disaster prepared-ness, prevention and response atcontinental and regional levels.Many of the RECs (Regional EconomicCommunities) have their ownprogrammes of disaster managementalbeit weak financial and institutionalclimates. The UN/ISDR Africa Officerecently held consultations withregional and sub-regional organiza-tions, agencies and institutions onearly warning with the view to improv-ing the situation on the continent;NEPAD initiated consultations ondisaster risk management, and now thepresent UNEP’s initiative on environ-mental disasters.

Need for unified approach - withNEPAD as frameworkWhile all these initiatives are wellintentioned and welcomed, there isneed for collaboration and coordina-tion to present a unified approach todisaster and disaster risk managementon the continent.

To this end, the AU would like to seethat the NEPAD initiative is acceptedas framework for a comprehensive andcoordinated approach to dealing withthe challenges of disaster and riskmanagement, and wish to invite all toliaise with and provide support to theNEPAD Secretariat, backed by the AU,to present a united front to the chal-lenge.

* For more details about the abovearticle, please contact UN/ISDR Africa.

Disaster Reduction in Africa

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Somalia workshop urges ban on charcoal exportsto Gulf states

The most severe impacts of defor-estation, land degradation, defores-tation and desertification are due tolack of awareness in Somalia. Apublic awareness workshop washeld by the country’s NationalDisaster Risk Management Unit.The participants said large-scalecharcoal exports to Gulf statesought to be banned. The following isa report on the workshop. (Originaltext edited by UN/ISDR Africa for widercirculation; intro and sub-headingsinserted editorially)

Land degradation directly affects orputs at risk people’s livelihoods inSomalia, especially the agro-pastoralist community that consti-

Mr. Ali Warsame NagheyeExpert in Disaster ManagementSomalia

tutes 70 per cent of the country’spopulation.

However, the most severe impactsof land degradation, deforestationand desertification, in many parts ofSomalia, are due to lack of environ-mental conservation awareness.

Environmental awarenessworkshop heldIn the light of the above, a three-day“Workshop on EnvironmentalProtection Awareness in Somalia”was held from 27 to 29 April 2003in the capital, Mogadishu. Theworkshop was organized by theNational Disaster Risk ManagementUnit (NDRMU) and funded by itspartner, Bani’ Adam Relief andDevelopment Organization (BRDO).Increasing public awareness of

natural and related technologicalhazards and the risk they pose toenvironment, society and economyis indeed one of the key objectivesof NDRMU.The workshop was attended by 80delegates from 7 regions (Hiiran,Lower Shabelle, Lower Juba, MiddleJuba, Bay, Bakol, Banadir) selectedfrom the 18 highly deforestation-prone ones that include the capitalcity.

Charcoal workers, tradersinvitedThe delegates were from localNGOs, youth groups, women’sorganizations, community elders,environmental activists and localmedia. Facilitators and specialguests also attended a full session of

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the three-day workshop. Charcoalworkers and traders were alsoinvited at the workshop.

The workshop’s objectives were:• − To convey knowledge anddiscuss about possible solutions thatcan reduce vulnerability and buildcommunities dedicated to makingrisk and disaster reduction anaccepted public value.• − To make people living in hazard-prone areas (degraded land) realizeand understand that they are livingin risk areas, become aware of thespecific dangers they are exposedto, learn the meaning of warningsissued, and take part in policy anddecision-making processes forappropriate risk reduction actions.• − To introduce the policy of theNDRMU and the role of UNInternational Strategy for DisasterReduction, UN/ISDR.

Participants urged to helpfight charcoal burning, forestdestructionSpeaking during the openingceremony, Mr Mohamed Amin AdanAbdi of the Environment Ministryand also member of the NDRMU,emphasized the importance of theworkshop and the currentenvironmental degradation inSomalia that exacerbates the impactof natural disasters and increaseshuman vulnerability.

He then welcomed the minister ofenvironment, HE Dr Abokar AbdiOsman, who made a brief speech onthe importance of environmentprotection, and urged theparticipants to promote preservationof life in the ecosystem which, hesaid, was a God-given responsibilityfor all mankind. He also stressed thatenvironmental awareness was a toolto reduce disaster risk.

Bani’ Adam Relief and DevelopmentOrganization chairman Mr MohamedAbshir Hassan, for his part, made an

introduction speech about thesituation in Somalia. He urged thedelegates to become involved in theenvironmental protection processthrough rehabilitation and peacebuilding.

He said they were duty-bound to bepart of ongoing attempts to mobilizecommunities against evils likecharcoal burning, forest destruction,etc. He also called on the delegatesto air their views on the themes ofthe workshop, and suggest sometangible resolutions.

“Peace, environmental protectioncosely interconnected” - elderAfter electing the conferencechairman and presenting theenvironmental situation prevailing intheir respective regions, thedelegates commented, discussed anddebated on the topics outlined in thethemes of the workshop, assisted byfacilitators.

After three days of discussions andexchange of views and experiences,the workshop delegates selected asub-committee to prepare theworkshop’s resolutions.The chairman of the workshop,Ibrahim Mohamed Dhay, who is oneof Somalia’s prominent traditionalelders, said environmental protectionand peace building were keys toorderly social life.

He said peace and environmentalprotection were closelyinterconnected.

“Complete ban” on exports of“black gold”After the three-day session, theparticipants made the followingconclusions and recommendations:• Public awareness campaign is theprimary element of environmental riskreduction.• Pledge to stress the importanceand take up the responsibility ofpreventing further deforestation

activities in their respective areas byinforming local communities of therisks presented by environmentaldegradation and its impact in termsof human and economicvulnerability.• To introduce disastermanagement in the current Somaliformal and non-formal educationcurriculum which is beingimplemented by UNESCO, disasterrisk management being a subjectthat needs great attention in Somalia.• To develop poverty alleviationprojects which would help toprevent “clanism” and mutualhostility between Somalicommunities from aggravatingconflicts and deforestation whichhas become an escape from poverty.• To seek complete ban on ongoinglarge-scale charcoal exports fromSomalia to Arabian Gulf countries,which causes tremendous landdegradation and increases human,environmental and economicvulnerability. This should be attainedunder the umbrella of internationalorganizations like UN/ISDR, UNEPand UNDP.• To introduce environmentalsustainable charcoal productionsystems for local use and alsopromote alternative energy resources.• To create a NationalEnvironmental Protection Policy/Strategy and establish baseline datafor future monitoring.• Strengthening the institutionalcapacity of NDRMU and its partner,Bani’ Adam Relief and DevelopmentOrganization (BRDO).• To create income-generatingactivities or job opportunities forthose involved in tree cutting andcharcoal burning. Indeed, suchpeople, who are generally illiterate andunemployed while catering for bigfamilies, constitute over 80 per centof the adult population (working agegroup) and find themselves forced toresort to the business of charcoalwhich they call “black gold”.

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The Kenyan government, localcommunities and foreign donors haveembarked on drought disasterpreparedness, mitigation andprevention measures in 11 ariddistricts. One such initiative is the AridLands Resource Management Project.Negotiations are under way to extendthe project to 11 semi-arid districts.(Original text edited by UN/ISDR Africafor wider circulation; intro and sub-headings inserted editorially)

The Arid and Semi-Arid Lands(ASAL) of Kenya cover an area of477,000 sq.km (80 per cent of thecountry’s land area) and is home to5.8 million people (20 per cent of thetotal population). Low, erratic andunpredictable rainfalls that vary in timeand space characterize these areas.High temperatures accompanied byhigh evapo-transpiration result innegative water balance inadequate forplant growth, livestock production andsustainable livelihoods. Frequentdrought occurrences, civil conflictsand occasional flooding - resulting inloss of lives and livelihoods - furtherexacerbate the situation. It is furtherdaunted by population growth thatexerts heavy pressure on the finitenatural resource base.

Community survivalmechanismsFragmented macroeconomic, socialand environmental frameworks - bothlocally and globally - are otherdimensions inhibiting sustainable useof natural resources therein. As aresult of all of these factors, ASALpastoral communities have evolvedsurvival mechanisms to bolster theirresilience accordingly.

Over the past decades, theGovernment of Kenya (GoK) anddonor communities have embarked ondisaster preparedness, mitigation andprevention measures to enable pastoral

Mr. Mahaboub MaalimProgramme CoordinatorArid Lands Resource Management ProjectKenya

communities to better cope withfrequent recurrence of droughts. Onesuch initiative is the Arid LandsResource Management Project thatruns a community early warningsystem alongside community-drivendevelopment activities centred onlivestock and non-livestock income-generating activities in 11 arid districtsof Kenya.

All these initiatives are tagged to theconstraints, potentials and existingtraditional natural resourcemanagement institutions.

Arid Lands ResourceManagement ProjectThe development objective of theproject is to reduce chronic povertyand enhance food security in the aridlands. The medium term objective isto build arid land communities’capacity to better cope with droughts.This was done through a participatorybottom approach responsive toinstitutional structures that enablepeople to determine and prioritize theirown development. The project wasalso to enable participating linegovernment ministries to adapt their

service delivery systems to the aridland populations.

Institutional arrangementsThe main food security-relatedinstitutional structures are : NationalFood Security Executive Committee(chaired by the president of therepublic); National Food SecurityCoordinating Committee (chaired bythe minister of provincialadministration and national security);Kenya Food Security Meeting (co-chaired by the Office of the Presidentand World Food Programme, WFP);Kenya Food Security Steering Group(chaired by the Relief andRehabilitation Department in theOffice of the President); workinggroups and sub-committees; district-level data gathering/ analysis/reportingstructures; communities.

Key responsibilities at each level ofthese structures include strategicplanning and management of droughtsand famine, managing early warningsystems, coordinating implementationof rapid response, and supportingcommunity capacity-building activities.

Pastoral communities seek drought resilience

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AchievementsThe project addressed three mainthematic areas to achieve its statedobjectives:• Drought management includingthe operation of an early warningsystem, preparation of droughtstrategic and contingency planning,and response.Achievements. A total of 539.7million Kenyan shillings was spenton development of water sources,small-scale agricultural schemes,emergency livestock vaccinationsand purchase and construction ofemergency animal and human healthinfrastructures. A total of 1.8million people in 10 ASAL districtsbenefited. Additionally, GoK anddonor agencies spent 28 billionKenyan shillings on food and non-food items to combat droughtemergency during the 2000-2001period. This was made possible byestablished food security structuresat community, district and national

levels, structures that were crucialin galvanizing timely support todrought monitoring and managementefforts countrywide.

• Livestock Marketing including thedevelopment of strategic livestockhandling facilities, training of livestockmarketing groups, animal healthactivities, apiculture, and emergencylivestock off-take.

Achievements. A total of 73 millionKenyan shillings was spent, benefiting333,000 people. At the height ofdrought, livestock worth 10 millionKenyan shillings were saved orsalvaged.• Community development includingcapacity building for communitygroups, implementation of diversifiedlivelihood micro-projects, policyadvocacy, and lobby to ennoble theenvironment for pastoral policydevelopment.Achievements. A total of 183.4 millionKenyan shillings was spent onsupporting community groups involvedin income-generating activities,rehabilitation of educationalinfrastructure, capacity building forparticipating community projectmanagement committees on projectcycle management, conflict resolution,pastoral land tenure, and control andpolicy advocacy activities.

Experiences and lessons learnt• A drought management systemmust include all key stakeholders in amulti-agency approach led by thegovernment, within its establishedstructures but collaborating closelywith donors, NGOs, local civilsociety and pastoral groups.• Effective early warning and quickdissemination of information to all keystakeholders needed to elicit quick

response to emergencies.• Early warning should cover semi-arid and marginal agricultural areas.• Collaboration needed with otherearly warning systems in the region.• Responses to be linked withphases of the drought cycle.• System requires long-termfunding from diverse sources, flexiblebudgeting and rapid financialprocedures at all levels withdecentralized decision making andeasy access.• Community capacity buildingshould be facilitated in all droughtmanagement aspects.• Aid needed in food aid targetingand management, and comparesavings made with ad hoc activities.

The way forwardBased on the above experiences andlessons learnt and concretising ongains so far made to enable long-termsustainable development to take root,the GoK and the InternationalDevelopment Association (IDA) haverenegotiated a second phase of AridLands Resource Management Project.This second phase not only would bea continuation of the work donepreviously in 11 northern ASALDistricts but also would cover anadditional 11 semi-arid districts.Greater emphasis will be put on theoverarching natural resourcemanagement upon which vision,strategy, information and awareness,land tenure and control and institutionaldevelopment for future ASAL policyand programme development will bebased. A community-driven approachand support to local developmentinitiatives will further give credence tothe whole project concept.Innovative community-based naturalresource efforts shall be enhanced totake cognisance of the currentnational and global debate ondevolution of power to local levelsresponsible for nurturing sustainabledevelopment.

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Mr. David LesolleDepartment of Meteorological ServicesGaborone, Botswana

Botswana is “highly” vulnerable to climate change

Botswana is a landlocked, arid tosemi-arid southern African countrycovering a land area of 581,730sq.km. and inhabited by 1.5 million.Its economy is based on mining(particularly diamonds), lightmanufacturing, tourism andlivestock, and its per capita GDP in1994 was 2,800 US dollars.Botswana has a proud record ofsteady improvement in the quality oflife of its people, and a stabledemocratic political system.

Rainfall decrease expectedThe country experienced severe andprolonged drought periods duringthe 1960s and 1980s. The droughtof the 1980s left a third of thealmost 2.5 million national herd ofcattle dead. Memories of thedrought are still fresh in people’sminds.

The welfare of the people ofBotswana, its economicperformance, and its environmentare all very closely linked to theclimate. The available climatechange projections and impactstudies suggest that Botswana ishighly vulnerable to climate change.The overwhelming majority ofgeneral circulation models predict arainfall decrease in the country.

Predicted impact of climatechangeThe predicted impact of climatechange on various socio-economicsectors is as follows:• Grazing and livestock:Livestock production, a socially andculturally important activity inBotswana, has been severelyaffected by recurrent droughts overthe past century, which wouldbecome deeper, longer and more

frequent under a dryingscenario. Desertification is amajor concern in Botswana.• Crops: Under a scenario ofa hotter, drier future, potentialcrop yields are predicted toreduce by about 30 per centfor both maize and sorghum –two basic foods.• Woodlands and forests:Under a dry future scenario,the thorn and shrub savannahis predicted to expand at theexpense of grasslands andmoister forests andwoodlands. There is greatuncertainty with thesepredictions, not only withrespect to future climates butalso the effects of rising CO2on plant growth responses.• Water resources: Watersupply is a critical issue forthe future of Botswana,regardless of climate change,but it will become an evengreater challenge if the future climateis warmer and drier.• Human health: A warmer climate,especially if it is also wetter, will leadto a doubling of the populationexposed to malaria to over 1 millionpeople by 2021. Several otherdiseases (dengue fever, ricketsia,yellow fever, bilharzia) could also beaffected by climate change.

No dedicated policy yetThere is no dedicated policy torespond to climate change inBotswana, but the potential forfuture climate change and theassociated environmental threats isacknowledged in the NationalDevelopment Plan.

Climate change issues are addressedin a combination of different policyareas. Specific climate adaptation andmitigation policies are already in place insome sectors, such as the stronggovernmental support for solar energy

in the energy sector. Similar realizationslead to the establishment of localcommittees or “natural disaster”response groups.

Public awareness, educationneededBased on the country’s droughtrecords, it is now an acknowledgedchallenge that indeed some of thenatural disasters may have to besystematically addressed.

It is necessary that an integratedapproach to disaster reduction isexplored through a betterunderstanding of the causes andoptions available.

The best solution may well be summedin the old wisdom saying: “If you wishto plan for one season, plant food; butif you have to plan for a lifetime,inform and educate people.”

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Why poverty alleviation should go hand-in-handwith disaster reduction

“To succeed in disaster risk reductionin Africa, the basic causes of vulner-ability have to be tackled.” This is themessage conveyed by KennethWestgate of UNDP’s Bureau for CrisisPrevention and Recovery in thefollowing article. (Intro and sub-headings inserted editorially by UN/ISDRAfrica)

Global understanding of disaster risksand their context has increased signifi-cantly over the past 15 to 20 years. Notlong ago, phrases such as “Act of God”were prevalent in discussions and in themedia, and disaster risks were facedwith a high degree of fatalism.When disasters occurred, populationspicked themselves up, industry andinfrastructure were rehabilitated andrestored, and life was got on with untilthe next time.

Disaster risk reduction per-ceived as luxuryIn terms of official policy and strategy,disaster risk reduction, in many coun-tries, has not been high on the agenda.Too many other priorities have impingedto ensure that it is relegated to a luxuryto be enjoyed if ever resources areplentiful. This has been particularlypertinent in less developed countrieswhere more and more people are facedwith disaster risks but with few toolsavailable to address them.

Meanwhile, for people living on theurban and rural margins, waiting untilthe next time disaster strikes is a veryrisky business indeed. Each time adisaster strikes leaves them less able todeal with the next crisis.

Because there is no disaster riskreduction, assets, options, and re-sources are eroded and not replaced,

Mr. Kenneth WestgateRegional Disaster Reduction AdviserUNDP/BCPR (Bureau for Crisis Preventionand Recovery)Nairobi, Kenya

people’s vulnerability is compounded,and the disasters they are faced withneed no longer be on a large scale. Asvulnerability increases, smaller andsmaller “disasters” leave people increas-ingly debilitated.

For instance, an Ethiopian farmer wholoses all his assets because of droughtand desertification, has nowhere to go.Even feeding him and his familythrough the dry period will not helponce the feeding stops. His lack ofassets means that he is unable to beginagain, and that he is exposed to even themildest of shocks.

The emergence of “mitigation”Throughout the 1990s, a realisationgrew that perhaps the focus shouldchange. Development agencies such asUNDP were acutely aware that muchof their development investment wasbeing destroyed or severely disrupted.The UN, as a whole, declared thedecade to be the International Decadefor Natural Disaster Reduction(IDNDR), based on the knowledge thatunless something was done about tryingto reduce the potential for disasters tooccur, then development gains would

be increasingly exposed to destructionand disruption.

Climate change and climate vulnerability(through the increasing understandingof, for example, the El Nino phenom-enon) have added urgency to thisunderstanding. Climatic extremes andtheir meteorological manifestation mayno longer be rare events.

The response to this understanding wasto encourage “mitigation” - to talk in thelong term about reducing the risks frompotential disasters, so that fewer andfewer people are exposed over time.Disaster mitigation, it was felt, ought tobe the insurance policy for develop-ment. If you had good mitigationprogrammes, then these would protectthe process of development.

Indeed, disaster mitigation could beseen as a development “add-on”, amechanism to be used when develop-ment programmes were implemented inareas of known disaster risks to ensurethat potential gains are sustained.The broad assumptions that are neededfor this assessment are that develop-ment is generally “positive” and disaster

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is most often “negative”, and thatdisaster mitigation will protect thepositive results of development.

Mitigation unworkable underdevelopment failuresThis is a simplification just as themodels are that define a continuedprocess of actions from response (to anemergency) to rehabilitation andrecovery, to preparedness, mitigationand development – a sequential pathwaythat is unhelpful.

Indeed the assumption that reacting todisaster involves an ordered sequenceof actions through response to develop-ment, and that these activities neatlydovetail, is largely a fiction.

Also the assumption that development isalways in the “positive” - in the contextof disaster risk - is one that is difficultto justify, given the evidence. Theincreasingly hazardous living conditionsexperienced by millions of peoplecannot be the result of positive develop-ment: these conditions are moreindicative of development failures oreven the absence of development.In this context, applying disastermitigation as a development add-on toprotect development gains clearly is

unworkable. Equally, the integration ofdisaster mitigation or risk reduction asan element of failed or failing develop-ment will only serve to support negativeresults. The more that disaster riskreduction itself can be defined as apositive development goal, the moreeffective that risk reduction will be.

“Dynamic development con-text” vital for successful disas-ter risk reductionIt is clear that local people, in manyparts of Africa, have a strong under-standing of the risks to which they areexposed and with which they have tocope. This knowledge has been wellrecorded whether it concerns agricul-tural practices, conventional wisdom orcultural mores. Over the centuries, forexample, farmers and other artisanshave been adjusting and adapting torisks in their environments in order tomaximise their output year on year.

Problems arose, however, when thedevelopment context became negative,eroding people’s options, depleting theirresources and assets, diluting theircapacity and causing the loss of theirassets. To restore these requires morethan applying disaster mitigation.The foundation stone for successful

disaster risk reduction is a dynamicdevelopment context that providescommunities with the security theyneed to focus on things other thanessentials. If people are hungry, the nextmeal is the priority; if people are in foodsurplus, then the focus can be otherpriorities. Populations whose develop-ment foundation is secure can focus onrisk reduction.

National poverty reductionstrategy a possible context fordisaster reductionThus, a most important component ofdisaster risk reduction is the develop-ment context in which it takes place. Inprogramme countries where UNDP andother UN agencies are working inAfrica, the components of developmentare important precursors to effectiverisk reduction. Chief among these arestrategies for poverty reduction.

By ensuring, for example, that localstructures and institutions grow and aresustained in that growth, the nationalpoverty reduction strategy can providethe context for disaster risk reduction tobe meaningful and comprehensive.

For instance, transforming ruraldevelopment and agriculture andestablishing food security, developinghuman resources through training andcapacity building, strengthening theeconomic infrastructure and markets,promoting good and proactive gover-nance, developing the private sector,building appropriate institutions atdifferent levels, tackling the debilitatinginfluence of HIV/AIDS, mainstreaminggender issues in development : theseshould all contribute to poverty reduc-tion, to the establishment of a soundeconomic and social base from whichpeople and communities can obtain theirsecurity. Effective disaster risk reduc-tion emanates from that security.

Tackling short-term remedialactions “alongside” longer-termstructural issuesStrong efforts are being made, forinstance, in Ethiopia to tackle theproblems of the most food insecure.These are people without food, without

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assets. A proposed programme will beimplemented in emergency mode in aneffort to ensure that people are able tosurvive at least in the short term.However, there is an understanding thatsuch action is not enough.

Alongside these short-term remedialactions, longer-term structural issueshave to be tackled not sequentially (afterthe short-term programme has beenimplemented) but alongside, to ensurethat the short-term measures have astrong chance of contributing to thebuilding of longer-term food security.

That is why food security is a majorcomponent of the poverty reductionstrategy in Ethiopia.

Without a focus on long-term foodsecurity goals, the short-term safetynets and income-generation projects aredoomed to have little effect.This is crucial for Ethiopia’s long-termdevelopment, it is also crucial for manyother countries in Africa.

Basic causes of vulnerabilitymust be tackledTo succeed in disaster risk reduction in

Africa, the basic causes of vulnerabilityhave to be tackled.

These cannot be tackled purely in adisaster context. Rather, disaster riskshould be tackled in a developmentcontext.

And major national developmentinitiatives such as poverty reductionstrategies are the mechanisms that canprovide the social, economic andenvironmental security that allowsdisaster risk reduction to besuccessful.

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Why Uganda is keen to link disaster managementto sustainable developmentMr. Martin OworAssistant CommissionerMinistry of Disaster Preparedness &RefugeesOffice of the Prime MinisterRepublic of Uganda

Natural and man-made disasters leave50,000 Ugandans dead, and economiclosses of at least 120m US dollarsevery year. But there is a growingawareness that improved developmentplanning and action can reduce thelosses. And that risk reduction can helpto fight poverty. (Original text edited byUN/ISDR Africa for wider circulation; introand sub-headings inserted editorially)

Drought, floods, landslides, windstormsand hailstorms have destroyed an averageof 800,000 ha of crops, making economiclosses in excess of 120bn Uganda shillings(some 60m US dollars) every year inUganda (see box on “Disaster Impact inUganda”).

Transport accidents and fire result ineconomic losses worth about 50bnshillings (some 25m US dollars) annually.

An earthquake occurs in westernUganda every 5-10 years, destroyinginfrastructure and property worth over80bn shillings (some 40m US dollars).An El Nino rain phenomenon alsooccurs every 3-5 years, followed by asevere drought, both events destroyingproperty and infrastructure worth over200bn shillings (some 100m US dollars).

Natural and man-made disasters leave50,000 Ugandans dead every year. Andbetween 1980 and 2003, 1 in 30 peoplewere affected by a natural or man-madedisaster, and fell into the povertybracket.

Improved development planning,action can reduce disaster impactTo prevent the negative effects ofdisasters on the population and the

country’s development, the governmenthas initiated various activities andestablished various institutionalstructures and arrangements aimed atreducing risk and vulnerability, and forresponding to disasters and conflicts.

Disaster management has traditionallybeen viewed as an approach to themanagement of discrete events that canoverwhelm the capacity of affectedcommunities, countries or regions, andcause severe hardship and loss. Whilethis has been the dominant approach inUganda, it is increasingly being seen ashaving limited effectiveness.

Since late 1990s, there has been agrowing awareness that disaster lossesthat drive large numbers of thepopulation into poverty, can be moreeffectively reduced/averted throughimproved development planning andaction.

Indeed by taking full account in-policy-and-in-practice of known hazards, and

the likely risks facing a community andbuilding community capacity towithstand these hazards, we can reducethe likelihood of disastrous events tooccur.

Management of frequent hazards a“development issue”Hazards such as drought, floods,landslides, earthquakes, wild fires,transport accidents and conflicts areintegral aspects of our environment. Butthe fact that they frequently occur dictatesthat their management should be adevelopment issue.

The development objective of disasterpreparedness is therefore to ensure thatknown hazards do not result into disastersand, in the event that they do, the peopleaffected can continue to meet theirminimum needs for food, water, shelter,health, and security through their ownefforts and also appropriate assistance interms of type, time, method of provisionand duration.

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From a development perspective, disasterstherefore should not be seen as isolatedrandom acts of nature. Rather disastersshould be viewed as expectedconsequences of poor risk managementover the long term.

From this perspective, both risk reductionand wider disaster management clearly aremultidisciplinary processes, engaging awide range of stakeholders includingdevelopment actors.

Risk reduction a “developmentalimperative”, a “poverty eradicationfactor”Risk reduction is therefore adevelopmental imperative for achievingsustainable growth, as well as a strategythat protects the lives and livelihoods ofthe most vulnerable, and hence a povertyeradication factor.

It is a well known fact that the cost ofresponding to disasters once they strikefar exceed the cost of disaster preventionand risk reduction activities. Indeedworldwide, a threefold multiplier has beenfound between effective disastermitigation and emergency response: onedollar for disaster mitigation saves 3dollars for disaster relief.

The saving in relief costs due to mitigationis not a one-time saving: the value ofdisaster mitigation also saves responsetime and disaster victims/workers’ lives.

“Cause-effect relationship”between disasters, developmentFor a long time in Uganda, developmentplanners have ignored the “cause-effect”relationship between disasters and socio-economic development.

Disaster prevention is an element that wasnot taken into account in the planningprocess. At best, development plannershoped that disasters would not occur and,if they did, relief from donor countries andrelief organisations would handle them.

In the past, development programmeswere not assessed in the context ofprevious disasters and/or the effects ofpossible disasters.

Neither were they assessed from the pointof view of the potential to increase either

the likelihood of a disaster or the potentialdamaging effects of a disaster.

Avoidable lossesFamine and loss of livestock, which arethe destructive effects of droughts, couldhave been greatly minimised, or evenprevented, if the population had beenprepared in advance with information onthe drought. Preparation of the populationcould, for example, include making themaware of when the rains would begin andcease, and advising them on which typecrops to plant as dictated by the amountof the expected rains.

The massive economic destruction causedby earthquakes, floods and landslidescould have also been greatly minimizedusing simple preventive measures as wasdone during the 2002 El Nino. During the2002 El Nino, with every small financialsupport from German development agencyGTZ, the population was prepared threemonths in advance and, as a result, no onedied when the El Nino and landslidesbegan later.

Cost of inadequate support fordisaster reductionIn Uganda, inadequate support foractivities related to disaster prediction,

mitigation, prevention and preparednesshave resulted into the following:1. Loss of human lives, livestock anddevelopment projects that could havebeen prevented;2. Migration of people and livestockresulting into the creation of IDPs andtribal conflicts;3. Environmental degradation andincreased poverty in some areas;4. Disasters have hampered manydevelopment projects in some flood/landslide-prone areas, as lots of fundshave been diverted from development toaddress the consequences of conflicts,droughts, floods and landslides;5. The social impact of these disasters,although difficult to measure (trauma,depression, grief as a result of losses), isstill felt long after the disaster, and suchlonger-term effects have a negative impacton community life and economic activity.

Disaster policy integrated intoUganda national development planWhereas the country has developed adisaster policy considered internationallyas one of the most comprehensive andfocused towards a coordinated strategyfor disaster prediction, mitigation,prevention, preparedness and response,

Views and Reviews

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IMPACTS OF DISASTERS IN UGANDA

the policy had not been integrated into thenational development plan before the year2003.

Indeed there is a significant relationship inthe way that disasters and developmentaffect one another. Even though thisrelationship is not clear-cut, it highlightsthe need to have a sound understandingof risks and vulnerabilities.

Disaster preparedness highlights potentialrisk areas and the existence ofvulnerability. Vulnerability assessments,hazard prediction, risk mapping/zoning ofthe country and early warning activitiesplay very important roles in povertyreduction and therefore contribute to

development.

Disaster reduction one of Uganda’skey national prioritiesFor example, development projects suchas classroom construction in earthquake-prone areas should be designeddifferently to withstand strongearthquakes, while classrooms inwindstorm-prone areas should bedesigned to withstand strong windstormsand their negative consequences.Vulnerability maps motivate policy-makersto engage in risk reduction activities.

When a disaster strikes, it can undo yearsof development efforts. A flood candestroy lives, livelihoods, property, social

services, communications structures, etc.,all of which take a long time to establish.

Disasters therefore have direct impact andinfluence in the overall production anddevelopment of the economy, therebyaffecting people’s incomes and generalperformance of the economy.

On realizing the above, the Ugandangovernment, as said earlier, incorporatedthe country’s disaster policy into thenational development plan this year, and isnow in the process of placing disasterprevention and mitigation amongst keynational goals and priorities.

Natural and man-made disasters leave50,000 Ugandans dead every year.Between 1980 and 2003, 1 in 30 peoplewere affected by a natural or man-made disaster, and fell into the povertybracket.

Drought, food insecurity. The 1993/94drought resulted into famine thataffected over 1.8 million people –driving them towards poverty, andinadequate pasture/water for a largenumber of livestock in 16 districts. The1999 drought resulted into famine thataffected 3.5 million people and a largenumber of livestock in 28 districts.

Transport accidents and fires result ineconomic losses worth about 50bnshillings (some 25m US dollars)annually.

Insecurity, conflict, internaldisplacement of persons. Civilconflicts have been the most seriouscause of food insecurity in Uganda.They disrupt food production andmarketing, which renders people morevulnerable to the effects of drought,pest infestation, epidemics andlivestock diseases/rustling. This forces

large numbers of persons into internaldisplacement and, subsequently, loss ofmany of their assets, social and economicinfrastructure, ending up becoming thedestitute poor relying on assistance tosurvive.

The 1981/86 civil war displaced over500,000 people and the resultinginsurgency caused an estimated 2.7 millionpeople to be displaced. Insecurity that haspersisted from 1886 to date has kept anaverage of 500,000 people internallydisplaced, and today the number has risento 1,300,000.

As vegetation is cleared for the newhuman settlements and firewood,unplanned extraordinary populationmovements also cause environmentaldegradation in surrounding areas, andresults in break-up of communities andfamilies.

The internal displacement of persons alsoincreases unsanitary conditions anddisease risks such as spread of HIV/AIDS,epidemics of cholera, typhoid anddiarrhoea. In a nutshell, the internallydisplaced persons are living verymiserable lives.

Earthquakes, floods, landslides. Anearthquake occurs in western Ugandaevery 5-10 years, destroyinginfrastructure and property worth over80bn shillings (some 40m US dollars). In1994, an earthquake hit 3 districts,affecting over 50,000 people withestimated losses of 70bn Ugandashillings (some 35m US dollars) at 1994prices.

An El Nino rain phenomenon alsooccurs every 3-5 years, followed by asevere drought, both eventsdestroying property and infrastructureworth over 200bn shillings (some 100mUS dollars). The 1997-98 El Nino rainssaw 35 people buried by landslides.Heavy rains in 1999 left 18 people deadand over 2,000 others in need ofrelocation. Roads, bridges and homesworth over 30bn shillings (some 15mUS dollars) were also destroyed.

Drought, floods, landslides,windstorms and hailstorms havedestroyed an average of 800,000 ha ofcrops, making economic losses inexcess of 120bn Uganda shillings(some 60m US dollars) every year inUganda.

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Disaster hazard, vulnerability atlas needed in Africa

Disasters are becoming more frequentand more dangerous. Better tools areneeded. A global disaster hazard andvulnerability atlas would be relevant.Africa should develop its own regionalatlas. A South African one has alreadybeen developed.

Natural disasters can be defined astemporary events triggered by naturalhazards that overwhelm local responsecapacity and seriously affect the social andeconomic development.The sources of risk are both natural and man-made in Sub-Saharan Africa in general, and inthe SADC (Southern African DevelopmentCommunity) sub-region in particular.Because of its various geographicalconditions, the sub-region is prone to naturalevents of severe intensity.

Huge human, economic losses dueto extreme vulnerabilityThe large economic and human costassociated with these natural events ismainly the result of extreme vulnerability.This vulnerability stems from the pattern ofsocio-economic development in the region aswell as inadequate risk management policies.Despite preventative efforts at national andregional (SADC) levels, as well as globally,the risk associated with natural events hasnot decreased. Economic costs can beexpected to increase as economic assetsaccumulate and economic interdependencereaches new levels. While the human tolltaken by disasters has remained more or lessstable, it is unlikely to decrease because ofthe persistence of widespread poverty,continuing demographic growth andmigration towards urbanized areas.Finally, preliminary evidence regardingclimate change seems to indicate that theprobability of occurrence of severe weatherevents will rise in the Africa region.

Why a disaster and vulnerabilityatlas?The increase in the frequency of disastersand their associated damage in the SADC

Dr. Dusan SakulskiSystem Integrator and CoordinatorDepartment of Water Affairs and ForestryNational Disaster Management CentreSouth Africa

region is part of a worldwide trend, whichresults from growing vulnerability and mayreflect changing climate patterns. Global risksseem to be increasing.

These trends make it all the more necessaryfor a country like South Africa to initiate thedevelopment and implementation of aNational Disaster Hazard and VulnerabilityAtlas. The main idea is to design and developa database-driven, web-enabled interactive“virtual book” (ATLAS) consisting ofvarious “chapters” such as drought, flood,cyclones, storms, etc.

Such a tool will enable users, using webbrowser, to search and select various data,images, maps, graphs, to perform differentcalculations, run certain model on-the-fly, andcopy-and-paste results to the local computerand print “their own page of the ATLAS”.

The South African modelBased on the already developed SouthAfrican model,The key tasks of the Atlas are:• To develop disaster-related hazard,vulnerability and risk assessment tools whichenable to report periodically on the global,regional as well as national exposure tonatural hazards, patterns and trends orchanges in the exposure, and whichenlighten on priorities in natural disastervulnerability reduction efforts.• To develop an integrated global,regional and national disaster hazard andvulnerability information network to providetools needed by various levels ofgovernment, the private sector, and thegeneral public. The network will also facilitatemuch-needed augmentation of educationand training.• To increase and strengthencomprehensive, hazard specific programmes.Here are, in general terms, some of the mainelements of the Atlas:• Developing a comprehensive databaseto identify hazard, vulnerability and risk-prone areas.• Understanding and addressing risks.• Assimilating and disseminatinginformation.The Atlas particularly attempts to:• Carry out research on factorscontributing to disaster hazard andvulnerability and measures to alleviate this

vulnerability.• Develop methodologies for the analysisof disaster-related hazard, vulnerability andrisk indicators, and to improve disastermanagement.• Disseminate the research results andmethodologies through national (NDMC),regional (SADC) and global (GDIN – GlobalDisaster Information Network) disasterinformation networks and other channels topromote increased awareness andpreparedness to natural and man-madehazards.

ATLAS was presented at a workshop on the“Application of Space Technology inDisaster Risk Management”. The workshopwas held in Nairobi in February 2003, andwas jointly organized by the IGAD (Inter-Governmental Authority on Development)Secretariat and UN/ISDR (InternationalStrategy for Disaster Reduction) Africa.In their comment, IGAD member countriessaid: “…With the development and imple-mentation of the integrated database IGADATLAS, participants believe that disasterreduction initiatives could be significantlyimproved and, therefore, prove moreeffective”.

The ATLAS was also presented at aworkshop establishing the “Uganda NationalPlatform Workshop”. The workshop washeld in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, from16 to 18 June 2003.

ATLAS is currently being discussed as apossible Global Disaster InformationNetwork (GDIN – http://www.gdin.org/)tools.

References:1. “Natural Disaster Management”, TudorRose Holdings Ltd, 1999.2. “Living with Risk”, UN/ISDR, 2002.

For more details, please contacthttp://sandmc.pwv.gov.za/atlashttp://sandmc.pwv.gov.za/atlas/about/[email protected] ; [email protected]

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Traditional knowledge, use of climatic informationfor development activities in Kenya

Prof. A.B.C. Ocholla-AyayoPopulation Studies & Research Institute(PSRI)University of NairobiKenya

African traditional knowledge onand use of climatic information fordevelopment activities have notbeen well documented. Thefollowing is an excerpt from anarticle written by Kenyan UniversityLecturer Ocholla-Ayayo. (Originalpaper abridged and slightly edited byUN/ISDR Africa for larger circulation;sub-headings and explanatoryemphasises - in last two sentences -inserted editorially).

The African traditional knowledgeon climatic changes and use of foodproduction is among developmentactivities not well documented in theliterature of environmental studies.This paper draws on anthropologicalresearch over 10 years from 1970 to1980 documented as “The LuoMaterial Culture Patterns”. Furtherstudies on “grassroots traditionalindicators” have been conducted(Drought Monitoring Implementa-tion Centre in Nairobi, 2002/3). Theanthropological findings of climaticchanges and food production amongthe Luo and the Abasuba communi-ties of the lower-lake region and theupland-Luo region (both referring toLake Victoria2 in western Kenya)come from some of their culturalhistory of land use and knowledgeof types of soil.

“Grassroots indicators”Traditional knowledge on climaticinformation, sometimes referred toas “grassroots indicators”, has beendefined as a measurement of signalsof change in the environment. Theknowledge derives from directobservation and practices occurringusually over an extended period of

time. This pool of information maycome from a handful of people whovary in age, gender and occupation(Ocholla-Ayayo, 1970, 1980, 2001,2002/3; Oduol 2001; Swantz1993:2).

Some communities stepped insubsistence existence learn of theinteractions and habits of otherliving creatures they share the earthwith (animals, insects, birds, etc.)through observation. Their entirelife, habits and relationships areshaped in a collage of substancesand colours of migratory baits andan organic life all intertwined in theirdaily existence and survival activi-ties.

These are the interactions andrelationships referred to asgrassroots indicators used by peopleto predict environmental changes,monitor food production systems,and plan subsequent activities forimplementation.

Observation of plant, cropsurvivalThe knowledge and observation ofplant and crop survival helped toplan for production activities. Basedon seniority of age, both males andfemales demonstrate equal experi-ence and knowledge of behaviour ofplants, which enables them to plantheir farming activities.

The knowledge base and techniquesof food production in the LakeVictoria region is poorly docu-mented. Fishing is the main foodproduction for the lakeshore inhabit-ants, but most young fishermen areunaware of the importance of thetraditional community indicators formonitoring and planning theirproduction activities.

Communities around the lake havelearnt to use bird behaviour and thedirection of winds as indicators ofplanning their fishing activities.They make use of the behavioural

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patterns of some lake/sea birds andchanging directions of winds, andalso the changing position of the sunand other creatures.

Bird, wind behavioursThe obalagwasi is a fish eagle thathas been observed to predict thedirections of the movement of the

fish in the lake and large riversnearby. The arrival of obalagwasi inlarge numbers is a sign of the arrivalof the tilapia and other larger fishfrom the deep lake. As theobalagwasi swoops towards thethick trees of the lake, the fishermeninterpret this gesture to mean astorm is approaching or building

up. A descending obalagwasi maycall loudly to inform the fishermenabout the pending storm.Fishing by “osadhi” (fish cage) isdone when rivers overflow theirbanks. Osadhi is a fish cage withone entrance only. It is fixed withlogs across the flowing water fromthe direction fish are expected.

TABLE: The table below shows some indicators of changes that determine production behaviour and theexpected economic activity. Some indicators of change in ecosystem, soil fertility, commencement ofseason, development activity (table excerpted from more comprehensive original version)

������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� �������� ���������������� ���������������� ���������������� ���������������� ��������

Commencement ofrains

Oridio (water tree) Drying upThe appearance of buds andflowers make the beginning ofplanting of some cropssometimes even before the firstrain

Rainstorm with strongor violent windsseason

Swifts (opichraten’g gi makwon)

Long distance swift (opija)arrive in the morning hoursand may leave the same daydepending on the distance ofthe rain storm behind them

People to prepare covers orshelter because of pendingstorms

Before the first rains Omonyio, redants (tho-morno)

Insects are transferringtheir eggs, or food to saferplaces

Rain makers are busy walkingaround to tell the people to becareful about lightning,thunder, hailstone and violentwinds

Atmosphericcondition beforethe first rains

Too many insectstowards the end ofthe dry season

The insects seem to bebusy doing something orlooking for something orjust chatting

People with leaking roofs areworried – they must be fitted ontime.

Look at the sky for lightning

First rains of theseason with violentwinds and thunderssometimes hailstonesexpected

Fullo (small birds)Fullo come out to open theirunderground roads blockedby the first rain. Small birdsdisappear – go for hiding

Polygynous home take their firstwives to plant crops on the firstrain

Second rains of theseason with winds andthunders and lightning isexpected

Insects of all typesdisappear duringevening andmorning times

Insects resurface only whenthe sun appears during theday

Second wies plant their cropsand third day the third wivesplant their crops according totradition

Third rainfall may benormally heavy butnot so destructive

Frogs (ogwande) Cry the whole night andevening

Planting of cropscontinue. Some latecultivation continues

Commencement ofrains

Type of plant Observed behaviour Expected

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Osadhi fishing is also undertakenduring dry season in the middle oflarger flowing rivers. The loch andosadhi fishing comes to an endwhen nyagenya wind begins toblow from the north and/or whenyandha wind blows from the lakewith strong waves.

Most of the fishermen do not go tothe lake when kumadhi, misoke andnyakoi winds are blowing. Duringthese times of the year, many boatusers may be killed by storm.Kumadhi, like nyakoi wind, is anindicator of drought or dry season.In the mainland, kumadhi windsusually dry up water from crops andeven grass for cattle within a veryshort time of the drought (Ocholla-Ayayo, IDI and FGD. In Kanamkagoand Rusinga, 2002/2003).

Generally, in most parts of Kenya,fish consumption is very low orentirely absent except at the heightof rains. In some areas of thelakeshore region, fish consumptionis low during the dry season whenthe kumasi wind is blowing. Duringthe rainy season, when yandhawind is blowing from the lake inApril and May and rivers overflowtheir banks, there is plenty of fish(Ocholla-Ayayo FGD, and IDI,February 2003; Rusinga).

Migenya wind, when blowing, isaccompanied by heavy rains thatmake the lake to be rough. Duringthis period, fishing activities aresuspended, leading to low fishproduction.

On the lakeshore, fish largely takethe place of vegetables and meat asthe principal food from January toMarch which is the time when thereis, in most likelihood, grain short-age. The “hungry months” (as theLuo call them) are from January toMay when there is no ugali (maizemeal, Kenyans’ staple food) toaccompany the supply of fish. Theabsence of ugali means famine(kech) and must be mitigated. At the

same time, the absence of rechi(fish) means drought that must beplanned for in advance.

When kumadhi wind blows fromKisii highlands in the east, it bringswith it dry season. At times, whenit blows from northeast, droughtdefinitely sets in.

“Modern” and “traditional”for better resultsThe depth of knowledge of tradi-tional indicators of food productionby the respondents depended, to alarge extent, on age, their intimateand continuous interaction withnatural resources as farmers andfishermen or pastoral and cattlekeepers, over a long period of time.

In fish production, the youth dependon the luck of the draw rather thanon the use of skills and experience.Young fishermen therefore fishunder the instruction of senior (old)fishermen who own the boats andthe nets.

Even though some young peoplewith money today can afford to buyfishing nets and even a boat, theystill often operate under the supervi-sion of old fishermen. This is a clearindication of the fact that “modern”and “traditional” are not alwaysmutually exclusive, and would even,sometimes, produce better results.Not to mention another tradition ofthe Luo and Abasuba communities -which has nothing to do withclimatic information but which isindicative of some values underlyingtheir general relationship and inter-action with other living creatures:when a fisherman catches 10 fish,he should return one in the water...

1 Paper entitled “TraditionalKnowledge and Use of ClimaticInformation for Planning FoodProduction and Other DevelopmentActivities in South Nyanza”.2 Lake Victoria, Africa’s biggest lake(over 68,000 sq. km), is shared byKenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

References• Atieno Odhiambo: 1979: Religi-osity of the Boat among the Luo ofCentral Nyanza, Nairobi Departmentof History, University of Nairobi• Austin, HH 1902: AmongSwamps and giants in EquatorialAfrica, London: Cambridge Univer-sity Press• Boulanger, G.A.1907: The fishof the Nile and Lake Victoria,London• Per Safholm 1973: The RiverLake Nilotes, Uppsala, UppsalaUniversity. I & A• Ocholla-Ayayo, A.B.C. 1980:The Luo Culture: A Reconstructionof Material Culture Patterns ofTraditional African Society, Frank-furt• Ocholla-Ayayo, A.B.C. andOgutu G.E.M. 1986: Impact ofReligions and Socio-Cultural valueson Rural Transformation: A CaseStudy of Kamo/Nyakach Plains inWestern Kenya: Nairobi: PSRI,University of Nairobi• Oppong C. 1982: EconomicModel and Having Children inAfrica (52(3))• Ocholla-Ayayo, A.B.C. 1970:Evolution of Human Culture in EastAfrica, Pague, Pragne University.• Ocholla-Ayayo, A.B.C. 2001:Population, Health and Develop-ment in Africa: An AnthropologicalPerspective, Nairobi: PSRI, Univer-sity of Nairobi• Ocholla-Ayayo, A.B.C. 2002:Some Traditional KnowledgeSystems and Practices of IndigenousEarly warning for Natural Disasterin Western Kenya. Workshop paper,23-24 June, Safari Club Hotel,Nairobi, Kenya• 2002: Traditional Indicators andKnowledge on Climatic and DisasterManagement, Paper presented atNairobi workshop, 23 August 2002• 2003: A study of TraditionalIndicators and Knowledge ofSeasonal, Climatic and Hydro-metrological Disaster Managementin Migori and Suba Districts inSouth Nyanza in Kenya: ResearchReport, DMIC, Nairobi.

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Water. Over 90 per cent of all disas-ters occurring around the world arerelated to water. “There is a clear linkbetween water resource variabilityand risks of disasters,” says DrKwame Donkor of the UN EconomicCommission for Africa1 , in thefollowing article2 on water resourcesand socio-economic development inAfrica.

The importance of water for socio-economic development is well recog-nized globally. However, as a result ofincreasing population and their demandsfor various uses, water scarcity islooming in many countries of the world.

Natural, human threats on waterThe major issues in the utilization ofwater for African development arerelated to water availability and access.This is a major constraining factor infood production, health and industrialdevelopment. Water as a resource alsofaces many threats - both natural andhuman.

Among the natural threats are:· The multiplicity of transboundarywater basins;· Extreme spatial and temporal variabil-ity of climate and rainfall, coupled withclimate change;· Growing water scarcity, shrinking ofsome water bodies, and desertification.The human threats include:· Pursuit of inappropriate governanceand institutional arrangements inmanaging national and transnationalwater basins;· Depletion of water resources throughpollution, environmental degradationand deforestation;· Failure to invest adequately inresource assessment, protection anddevelopment;

Africa needs to develop its water resources forsocio-economic progress

· Unsustainable financing of invest-ments in water supply and sanitation.

New vision for water, frameworkof action neededThese threats pose challenges inmanaging the water resources on thecontinent and in meeting competingdemands for basic water supply andsanitation, food security, economicdevelopment and the environment.

It is widely recognized that the threatscannot be successfully addressed byadherence to business as usual in waterresources management at national andregional levels. For such an approachwould lead to disastrous consequences.

Such an approach would lead to a futurewhere the available water resourceswould become inadequate to supportcompeting demands for sustaining life,economic development and the environ-ment.

Addressing the threats calls for a newvision for water, together with a frame-work for action designed to ensure that

we are able to achieve the vision.

The most pressing challengesWithin the existing African frameworks(African Water Vision 2025, NEPAD andthe WSSD Implementation plan), themost pressing challenges relate tomeeting basic needs and include:· Reducing the proportion of peoplewithout access to safe and adequatewater supply and sanitation (by 50% -MDG (Millennium Development Goal) orby 70% - African Water Vision in theyear 2015).· Water for achieving food security byincreasing productivity of rain-fed andirrigated agriculture and increasing thesize of irrigated areas (by 30% and 50%respectively as desired in the AfricanWater Vision by the year 2015).· Increase in the development of thewater resource potential by 5% in 2005,10% in 2015, and 25% in 2025 as recom-mended in the African Water Vision tomeet increased demand from agriculture,hydropower, industry, tourism andtransportation at national level.· Conservation and restoration of theenvironment, biodiversity and life

Dr. Stephen Maxwell Kwame Donkor,Senior Regional Adviser, Water ResourcesUN Economic Commission for Africa,Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

A geographic distribution of the water and populations between the five continents

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supporting ecosystems through (i) theallocation of sufficient water for environ-mental sustainability (to be implementedin all countries by 2015 as recommendedby the African Water Vision), and (ii) theconservation and restoration of water-shed ecosystems (to be implemented in50 % of countries by 2015 as recom-mended by the African Water Vision).· Effective management of droughts,floods and desertification (to be opera-tional in 50% of countries by 2015 and100% of countries by 2025 as recom-mended by the African Water Vision).

All the targets and milestones discussedcan only be said to have been achievedif clear indicators of progress and auniversally acceptable (by all stakehold-ers) monitoring mechanism are instituted.These indicators must be reproducibleand must present complex phenomena ofthe water sector in a meaningful andunderstandable way for decision-makersas well as the public. They shouldrepresent benchmarks to measurechanges both in space and time, andassist particular policy makers inunderstanding technical issues and inpromoting effective water governance.

The UN System was charged withmonitoring progress made in attainingthe MDG goals at the 2002 World Summiton Sustainable Development (WSSD).All the UN Agencies involved in thewater sector and organized as UN Water/Africa have taken up the challenge byinstituting a bi-annual African WaterDevelopment Report with the ECA ascoordinator.

The major constraints in monitoringprogress can be summed up as follows:· Data availability;· Information scaling and aggregationfrom different sources;· Lack of capacity in utilizing albeit inadapted forms of existing earth systemsmodelling platforms and data;· Obsolescence of many hydrologicaland meteorological measuring systems;· Lack of readily available and usablesets of socio-economic variables toquantify the use of water especiallyamong the poorer segments of Africansociety;

· Large uncertainties in the accuracyand reliability of existing assessments.

Responding to the most pressingchallengesAfrica’s response to the most pressingchallenges should be multifaceted,participatory and will, to a great extent,require sustained and effective supportfrom its development partners.

Reducing the proportion of peoplewithout access to safe and adequatewater supply and sanitation (by 50% -MDG or by 70% - African Water Visionin the year 2015).The following approaches are suggestedfor Africa in meeting this challenge:1. Policy Shift towards better house-hold water-quality management coupledwith improved individual and familyhygiene.2. Expansion of the water supply andsanitation coverage.3. Upgraded service levels to ensurereliable supplies of acceptable quality.4. The incorporation of sound, health-based practices such as Health ImpactAssessments (HIAs) in water resourcedevelopment projects.

Water for achieving food security byincreasing productivity of rain-fed andirrigated agriculture and increasing thesize of irrigated areas (by 30% and50% respectively as desired in theAfrican Water Vision by the year 2015).Most African economies are agrarianand based on subsistence farming.Almost all agriculture, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, is rain-fed. FAO esti-mates that North Africa will be using40% of its renewable water resources forirrigation by 2030, and this thresholdrepresents the point at which hardchoices have to be made betweenagriculture and other competing uses. Inthe rest of Africa, irrigation waterdemand is very low and expected toremain so past 2030. The policy questionthis raises is the following: Why shouldthis continue on a continent facingsevere food insecurity?

Africa’s response should be emphati-cally yes to expanded irrigation develop-

ment with a focus on farmer-managedsmall-scale systems to avoid the post-independence fiascos of large-scalesocialist-oriented and government-controlled irrigation systems.

These systems should focus on theability of communities to adopt thetechnological innovations implicit inirrigation. A well thought out irrigationpolicy, as part of an Integrated WaterResources Management (IWRM)framework, is the only way to ensuresustainable agricultural production - tomeet the food requirements of Africa’sgrowing populations.

Increasing the development of the waterresource potential (by 5% in 2005, 10%in 2015, and 25% in 2025 as recom-mended in the African Water Vision tomeet increased demand from agricul-ture, hydropower, industry, tourism andtransportation at national level).

On a continental scale, most of Africa’swater resources have not been developed.Only about 4 % of the aggregate internalrenewable resources are withdrawn foragriculture, industry and community use(ECA, 1999). This does not includeextensive ground water resources whosemagnitude and availability have not beenassessed in most parts of Africa, except inthe countries bordering the Mediterraneanand Southern Africa.

A solution to this challenge for decision-makers is to mobilize the financial,technical and institutional resourcesneeded to meet the development targets.The defining constraint is financial. Atregional level, this has been recognizedand the African Development Bank(AfDB) has been requested to lead thistask.

Some of the current responses that havebeen initiated within Africa are:• The setting up of the African WaterFacility (AWF) as a funding mechanism toleverage greater investments in the watersector.• Allocation within AfDB of funds forregional projects, which was not possiblebefore the new Water Policy was devel-oped.

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• Ongoing efforts to mobilize targetedfunding for African Water Developmentwithin the NEPAD (New Partnership forAfrica’s Development) framework throughthe Canada Africa Fund, the proposed EUWater Fund and similar initiatives whichare outcome of the World Summit onSustainable Development (WSSD).

Effective management of droughts, floodsand desertification (to be operational in50% of countries by 2015 and 100% ofcountries by 2025 as recommended bythe African Water Vision).More than 2,200 major and minor water-related disasters occurred around theworld between 1990 and 2001. Themajority occurred in Africa and Asia.Africa accounted for 29% of all thedisasters whilst Asia accounted for 35%.The number of people affected worldwiderose from 147 to 211 million and thenumber of deaths were more than 665,000with 90% caused by water-relateddisasters. A disproportionate number ofthe fatalities occurred in Africa whencoping and mitigating capacities are low.

Although floods are more frequent, dueto the relative short period of time withinwhich they occur, only 15% of fatalitiescould be attributed to floods. At the otherextreme, although overall droughts

represent 11 % of disasters, they caused42% of fatalities due to their creeping andrelatively long duration.

Some of the major disasters experienced inAfrica are:• The Sahelian droughts of the 1970s;• Droughts in the Horn of Africa which areincreasing in frequency. In 1983/84,300,000 deaths were recorded in Ethiopiaalone, and the current droughts arethreatening about 14 million Ethiopians,mainly poor peasants;• Southern Africa has been suffering fromacute drought since 2001 and this hasaffected over 20 million people witheconomic costs estimated at tens ofbillions of US dollars;• The Mozambican floods of 2000 that setback the fragile economic progress madeover a decade.In terms of solutions in confronting thischallenge category, African decision-makers must consider combinations of thefollowing strategies:1. Integrating risk reduction as part ofwater resource planning and projectdesign;2. Show more political commitment whenpreventive measures have to be enforced,such as deterring people from living infloodplains;3. Investing in risk mitigation or disaster

prevention both in terms of infrastructureand social interventions;4. Pay attention to the three facets of riskmanagement; assessing the risks;implementing both structural (e.g. dams)and non-structural measures (enforcementof zoning policies) to reduce risks, andsharing risks through insurance and othertransfer mechanisms;5. Investing more in forecasting institu-tions, equipment and personnel.There is a clear link between waterresource variability and risks of disasters,and investment is needed to mitigate risks.These investments yield very favourablereturns when compared to the largeopportunity costs of countries adapting tothe effects of water-induced shocks ontheir economies.

1 The UN Economic Commission forAfrica, UN/ECA, is the coordinator of abi-annual African Water DevelopmentReport instituted by all UN agenciesinvolved in the water sector and orga-nized as UN Water/Africa.

2 Article excerpted from detailed andlengthier original paper by Dr StephenMaxwell Kwame Donkor. For moreinformation about the original paper,please contact UN/ISDR Africa.

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Prof. Francis M. MutuaDepartment of MeteorologyUniversity of NairobiKenya

El Niño caught Kenyans “by surprise”in 1997-98, causing losses worth atleast 900m US dollars. Yet, threemonths before the event, a weatherforecast had warned against wide-spread flooding. But since then,lessons have been learnt on how toreduce flood emergencies throughearly warning and preparedness.

Kenya’s short rains, which occurfrom October to December, wereextremely magnified during the 1997-98 El Niño episode. The rains, whichstarted as normal rains in October inmost parts of the country, picked upto flooding levels in early Novemberand continued at high levels intoJanuary of the following year. Theysubsided slowly and ended by mid-February 1998 in most parts of thecountry.

Forecast met with skepticism(due to alleged earlier “wrong”forecasts)Ironically, the Kenya MeteorologicalDepartment (KMD) had issued aforecast indicating widespreadflooding in most parts of the countryas early as July 1997. KMD says theforecast was sent to the Office of thePresident, Ministry of Agriculture andMinistry of Information, Transportand Communications, which areusually on their mailing list. Theinformation was also sent to theKenya Power and Lighting Companywhich uses monthly and seasonalrainfall forecasts for planning waterreleases from the country’s mainhydroelectric dams.

The forecast was subsequently widelypublished through the electronic andprint media. However, it was receivedwith skepticism due to alleged earlier“wrong” forecasts from KMD. It wastherefore not taken seriously, and no

Lessons from 1997-98 El Niño-induced floods in Kenya

mitigation and/or emergency responsemeasures were therefore put in place.In general, a sizable percentage of theKenyan population were aware of theimpending heavy rainfall in advance,but did very little to safeguard them-selves against the impending floods.

Forecast proved rightAs the heavy rains hit the country andcontinued into December 1997, almosteverybody realized that the KMDwarnings were real. The interest inand awareness of El Niño wasenhanced when its devastatingimpacts were seen throughout thecountry. The various articles andpresentations in the print andelectronic media created more interestand awareness on the subject.

Due to its uniqueness, intensity anddestructive power, the 1997-98 ElNiño-induced flooding was anintriguing phenomenon to many in thecountry, even to those involved inENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation)research.Interestingly, the 1997-98 El Niño wasblamed for almost all the problemsthat individuals, groups and theKenyan population as a whole werefacing, be it the worsening nationaleconomy, social ills and diseases,retarded national development oreven domestic hardships.

The resultant floods had wide-ranging positive and negativeimpacts on various sectors of thenational economy. The sectorsidentified as most seriously affectedwere agriculture, water resources,transport, communications andhealth.

Economic losses worth over900 million US dollarsWater resources. The waterresource sector was affected by the1997-98 El Niño induced floods.The negative impacts includedwidespread flooding that led to the

destruction of property in mostparts of the country, increased soilerosion in areas with poor land useand management practices, andincreased frequency of mudslidesand landslides, especially in hillyareas.

Other negative impacts includedsurface and ground water pollution,destruction of small storage earthdams, and increased sedimentationand siltation in rivers and streamsthat led to the sedimentation andsiltation of major water storagereservoirs. The general cost ofthese negative impacts amounted toabout 9 million US dollars.

Agriculture. The agricultural sectorwas also affected by the floods. Theabundance of rainfall resulted inincreased plant and animal diseasesthat affected the livestock and cropproduction in several regions. Theflooding also affected farms throughwater logging, leading to furtherreduction in yields and destructionof livestock water facilities.

Livestock. Several cases of death ofanimals through drowning were alsoreported. The estimated combinedloss suffered by this sector reached236 million US dollars.

Roads, road transport. The 1997-98El Niño floods devastated thetransportation sector. The floodsand landslides wreaked havoc onroads and transport infrastructuresthroughout the country. Severalbridges and an estimated 100,000km of both rural and urban roadswere destroyed, leading to a generalparalysis of the transportationsystem in most parts of the country.The estimated cost of these damagewas about 670 million US dollars.

Aviation, shipping industries. Theaviation and shipping industrieswere also disrupted through the

Views and Reviews

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flooding of the facilities. Scheduledand chartered flights were disrupteddue to poor visibility and the sub-mergence of the navigational equip-ment and runways by floodwaters.Docking facilities at shipping portswere also submerged in floodwa-ters, making it impossible to offloadmerchandise from the ships.

Telecommunications.Telecommunications were severelyaffected by falling trees thatdestroyed the communication lines.Underground cable channels werealso flooded, causing a disruption inservices. Interruptions of electricenergy supply were experienced assome equipment were destroyed byfloodwaters, falling trees andcollapsing buildings.

Health. The 1997-98 El Niño-induced floods greatly affected thehealth sector. Over 300,000families were adversely affectedby the phenomenon. The country’shealth resources were stretchedbeyond manageable levels. Severalhealth facilities were physicallydestroyed and water sourcescontaminated.

There was also an increase in thenumber of stagnant water ponds,overgrowth around homesteadsand market centres, blockage andoverflow of sewers and opendrains, and an increase in flybreeding as a result of the decom-position of refuse. These factorsled to an upsurge of diseaseepidemics and higher morbidity andmortality rates.

Education. The education sectorwas also affected, with schoolsmade inaccessible because offlooding. This led to closure or lowattendance rates in schools. Theend-of-year examinations weredisrupted.

Business. Business was seriouslyaffected through the aforementionedtransportation and energy disruptions.Political, social activities. Thegeneral elections for the country’s

parliament were adversely affectedby the generally poor conditions ofroads. The heavy rains alsointerfered with social functionssuch as weddings, funerals andchurch services.

Positive effects…However, some positive effects ofthe event were recorded:• The energy sector benefitedfrom a complete recharging ofhydroelectric dams and, therefore,enhanced electricity production.• The water resource sectorbenefited from the excess rainfall.Water pollution loads were reducedthrough the washout effect of thefloods, and water reservoirs wereadequately recharged (hence boost-

ing also the levels of the hydroelec-tric dams).• Tree planting and survival rateswere also generally increased tonearly 100 per cent.• In well-drained soils,agricultural production alsoincreased due to enhancedavailability of moisture for crops.The rains enhanced and prolongedthe time of moisture availabilityfor the biological soil and waterconservation structures toflourish.• In arid and semi-arid areas,the rains were a welcome relief

from the perennial dry situationleading to development of goodpasture and the resultant improvedlivestock performance.

No flood disastermanagement policy, noinstitutional frameworkConsidering the impacts of the1997-98 El Niño event on varioussectors in Kenya, it is evident thatKenyans were not adequatelyprepared and had no facilities inplace to cushion the adverseimpacts. Although the forecastwas available in July 1997, nomitigation or emergencyprocedures were put in place.Due to the low frequency ofwidespread flooding problems in

the country, the Kenyan governmenthad neither a flood disastermanagement policy nor aninstitutional framework to monitorand manage flood disasters prior tothe 1997-98 El Niño floods. The onlydisaster management institution thatwas in operation during the earlyperiods of the 1997-98 El Niño floodswas the National Famine ReliefProgramme whose mandate is almostexclusively related to monitoring andmanagement of the negative impactsof droughts. This programme was notwell equipped to manage the impactsof heavy rains.

Views and Reviews

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Views and Reviews

Further, an attempt by thegovernment to mitigate the effectsof the negative impacts of the 1997-98 El Niño floods was hampered bythe diversity of the impacts, whichcould not therefore be handled byany one government ministry inisolation.

Government, donors, media,private sector join handsHowever, after the effects of therains began, the government actedby setting up a National DisasterOperation Centre to oversee andcoordinate all efforts made toaddress the serious impacts.It also embarked on a publicawareness campaign through theelectronic and print media anddeclared the floods a nationaldisaster.

Despite the limitations of theprevailing economic and financialconstraints, the government spentlarge amounts of money to purchaseand transport emergency food,water treatment chemicals andmedical supplies to the worstaffected communities. It alsoapproached donor countries andagencies to help defray the costs ofrehabilitation and emergencyoperations.

The media also played an importantrole by publishing, on a daily basis,stories related to the effects of theevent. It raised the awareness of thepublic as well as that of policymakers.

Private companies responded to theemergencies by pooling theirresources together and participatingin the rehabilitation of theinfrastructure around them. Theyresorted to the use of diesel-generated power during powerinterruptions, and were thereforeable to maintain some productionlevels.Lessons learntSeveral lessons were learnt from thedevastating impacts of the 1997-98El Niño-induced floods:

• The scientific community, whichis involved with research on the ElNiño phenomenon and rainfallcharacteristics in the region, learntthat the warming (or cooling) of theIndian and Pacific oceans adverselyaffects rainfall patterns in Kenya.However, research has not revealedclearly yet the quantitativeassociation between El Niño extremesin tropical Pacific Ocean and rainfallvariations in the east African region.

• A lot of effort is being madetowards the understanding of thefrequency and occurrence of extremerainfall events in Kenya, and howthese are related to El Niño. Severalresearch papers have been producedon this topic, furthering knowledgeabout it and El Niño’s teleconnectionsto Kenya. Thus, the relationshipbetween El Niño and rainfall overKenya is now relatively understoodbetter, leading to better seasonalrainfall forecasts. These forecasts arenow being effectively utilized inreducing risks associated withfrequent flood hazards of some areasnear the shores of Lake Victoria (inwestern Kenya - Africa’s biggest lakeshared by Kenya, Tanzania andUganda).

• The 1997-98 El Niño event hitthe country at a time when thegovernment had no plans, no policiesin place to deal with the associatedfloods and resulting health hazards.The country had neither a nationalplan nor a policy for responding toflood disasters. The governmentlearnt that such a plan or policy hadto be developed or added to either theNational Disaster Plans or to theNational Water Policy, with clearflood early warning, floodmanagement and flood coordinationmechanisms. This policy is now inits final stages of development.

The way forward for copingwith flood hazards in Kenya• The seasonal rainfall forecastshould, if possible, be for periodslonger than 3 months, so thateffective control measures can be put

in place.• Storm drainage systems in urbanareas should be maintained andserviced regularly.• The government should educatethe public well in advance throughproactive awareness campaigns aboutimpending flood hazards.• Efforts should be made to makethe Kenya MeteorologicalDepartment’s forecasts moreaccurate.• Settlements in disaster-proneareas, especially in flood plains,should be discouraged through cleargovernment policies.• In the future, planners in flood-sensitive sectors should alwaysincorporate climate and weatherinformation in their planning activities.• The government should institute apolicy or plan that supports floodprevention through integratedwatershed development programmesin eroded mountainous regions.• There is need to find a viableresponse to future disasters throughintervention by, for example, capacitybuilding for early warning anddisaster preparedness.

Sources:1. Once Bitten, Twice Shy. The caseof the 1997-98 El Nino InducedFloods in Eastern Africa, MichaelGlantz (ed), 2000.2. Managing the Flood Disaster of1997-98. Reports of the NationalOperations Center, Office of thePresident, 1999.

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Disaster risk management billpassed “unanimously” byParliamentSpeaking during the opening cer-emony, UN Resident Coordinator,Mr Bouri Sanhouidi, said Madagas-car could not escape the currentglobal trends of disasters, namelythe increasing number and impact ofnatural hazards.

He said disasters were among majorproblems faced by the country, butthe Malagasy government had takena big step forward by drafting aDisaster Risk Management Bill.

It is to be noted that Madagascar isalso among the first Africancountries to have incorporateddisaster risk management (DRM)into its IMF-approved PovertyReduction Strategy Paper (PRSP).Regarding the above-mentioned bill,Mr Ali Michel, chief of the Office

MADAGASCAR: Disaster management bill passedby Parliament, ISDR national platform launchedMrs. Lucile RandrianariveloFocal point, National PlatformAntananarivo, Madagascar

Disaster-prone Madagascar ismaking a drastic move to preventthe possible impact of naturalhazards. In a single year - 2003, aNational Strategy for Disaster RiskManagement has been developed,disaster reduction incorporated intoan IMF-approved Poverty ReductionStrategy Paper, a Disaster RiskManagement Bill passed by Parlia-ment, a National Plan for DisasterRisk Management in preparation,and an ISDR National Platformlaunched.

Cyclones, floods, drought, locustinvasion, epidemics: over the last 35years, 38 natural hazard events haveleft more than 4,000 people dead,some 6 million others affected, anda total economic loss of about 1.3billion US dollars in the south-western Indian Ocean island ofMadagascar.

Over 1 natural disaster peryearEscalating environmentaldegradation (deforestation affecting200,000 ha per year) has combinedwith increased human vulnerability(75 % poverty rate) to increase theimpact of disasters dramatically. Asa result, natural disasters, whoseaverage rate is over 1 disaster peryear, now constitute a real threat tosustainable development efforts andpoverty reduction initiatives.

In a bid to reduce the impacts ofnatural hazards, an informal nationalplatform named Comité de réflexiondes intervenants en cas decatastrophe (CRIC - DisasterResponse Stakeholders’Brainstorming Committee) was setup in 1996 by stakeholders indisaster risk and emergencymanagement. Even though CRIChas become central to disaster risk

management and response in thecountry, Malagasy authorities havesought to formalize CRIC as anISDR National Platform, in line withgrowing attention to “prevention”(as opposed to “response”).

To this end, a workshop was heldon 16 and 17 July 2003 in thecapital, Antananarivo, at the requestof the Malagasy Interior Ministry.The workshop, which was jointlyorganized by ISDR Africa andUNDP Madagascar - under theinitiative of Madagascar’s NationalRelief Council (CNS), was attendedby representatives of variousgovernment ministries, internationalorganizations and UN agencies.

UNDP Madagascar was representedby humanitarian affairs officer MrMichel Matera, and UN/ISDR Africaby the programme officer, MrsNoroarisoa Rakotondrandria.

UN/ISDR Africa National Platforms in Action

Participants at the workshop

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of the Interior Minister, said the billwas unanimously passed byParliament on 10 July 2003 (sixdays before this workshop).

National strategy for disasterrisk management in placeElaborating on the bill, Mr AliMichel said it was in line with aNational Strategy for Disaster RiskManagement formulated incollaboration with UNDP –following the recommendations ofthe 1990-99 International Decade onNatural Disaster Reduction(IDNDR).

Hailing the existing cooperationbetween Madagascar and UN/ISDR,Mr Ali Michel called for capacitysharing and an integrated approachencompassing other areas linked todisaster risk management - such asinsurance, resource mobilization,technical assistance, early warningexperiences, etc.His call was directed not only toIndian Ocean islands but alsomainland Africa countries.

From “relief” to “riskmanagement”Mrs Marie Lucile Randrianarivelo,permanent secretary of the NationalDisaster Relief Council (CNS),presented a number of steps takenby the Malagasy government toenhance disaster risk management:(1) vulnerability assessment byUNDP, (2) national workshop toformulate the national strategy, (3)drafting and submission of theDisaster Risk Management Bill tothe National Assembly (Parliament).

Mrs Randrianarivelo also explainedthat the Bill sought to replace theNational Relief Council (CNS) witha National Office for Disaster RiskManagement (Bureau national degestion des risques de catastrophe,BNGRC) whose role is tocoordinate disaster reduction,mitigation, preparedness, earlywarning, recovery andreconstruction activities at nationallevel.

ISDR national platformlaunchedAfter agreeing on the formation ofthe ISDR National Platform, theparticipants at the two-dayworkshop issued the followingrecommendations regarding thenational platform: • • • • • ISDR National Platformnamed Plateforme nationale desintervenants en gestion des risqueset des catastrophes, PNIGRC(National Platform for Disaster Riskand Disaster Management)• Main objectives of PNIGRC: (1)to enhance regional cooperationbetween national platforms and UN/ISDR Secretariat; (2) to buildstrong network among nationalplatforms to ensure political andcapacity support for ISDRimplementation• Specific objective of PNIGRC:to enhance collaboration betweenstakeholders in Disaster RiskManagement (DRM) to implementthe national strategy for DRM• PNIGRC membership toinclude1 : Office of the President,Office of the Prime Minister,ministerial departments, provincialgovernors, representatives fromSenate, National Assembly(Parliament), multi-sectoral bodies,international and national NGOs, UNagencies, bilateral and multilateralmissions, private sector,professionals currently working inDRM, media• ISDR national platform to haveits own secretariat and financialresources

Immediate actions to be takeninclude:- Enhancing members’ capacities- Networking- Participation in variousworkshops, conferences, etc.- Development of database indisaster reduction- Standardization of terminology- Assisting the preparation of aNational Plan for Disaster RiskManagement and the legal recogni-tion of the ISDR national platform- Inventory of regional and

international cooperation- Recruitment of national consultantto assist the establishment of theISDR national platform both techni-cally and legally- Transfer of two civil servants toISDR national platform

RecommendationsInstitutional capacity• Evaluation of a DisasterManagement Information andCommunications System to becompleted by CARE/CNS, localgovernment authorities and ISDRnational platform members• Information session for ISDRNational Platform members onPRSP (Poverty Reduction StrategyPaper)• Task force to develop nationalDRM plan to be submitted tonational workshop to be held inOctober 2003• To request government specialfunds for DRM (from increasedtaxation, for instance) to avoidbureaucratic procedures in times ofemergency• To establish a National Centrefor Emergency Operations

Advocacy• National NGOs and internationalorganizations should introducedisaster vulnerability reduction intheir activities

Regional cooperation• To join existing disaster-relatednetworks at African level• Communication and informationwith UN/ISDR Africa.

1 CRIC (Disaster Stakeholders’ Brain-storming Committee), the informalplatform now turned into an ISDRnational platform, was composed of keyministerial departments such as Interior,Health, Meteorology and Agriculture; UNagencies including the UNDP, UNICEF,WFP, WMO and FAO; internationalbodies like the World bank, USAID andinternational NGOs ; and diplomaticmissions. CRIC also developed trainingmaterials.

UN/ISDR Africa National Platforms in Action

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Mr. Martin OworFocal point, National PlatformKampala, Uganda

Uganda is among countries prone toseisme in sub-Saharan Africa. Andconcerns are growing over thepossible impact of earthquakes inparticular, and natural disasters ingeneral. A workshop has been held.Officials from various sectors forthe first time got together to discussdisaster risk management. An ISDRnational platform was launched. ADisaster Preparedness and Man-agement Bill is in the pipeline.

In addition to other natural disasterhazards faced by other east Africancountries, Uganda is known to be anearthquake disaster prone whichhave caused death and damage toinfrastructure worth billions ofUganda shillings, most of the deathsresulting from collapsing buildings.

However, compared to devastationin other countries hit by earthquakesof the same magnitudes, the toll hasbeen lower in Uganda mostlybecause most the events occurred inareas of little infrastructure and lowpopulation density.

However, as a result of the higheconomic and population growth ofthe last 17 years, infrastructuraldevelopment, such as modernconcrete housing stocks, hasdoubled in numbers. Hence growingconcerns over the magnitude of thedisaster when the next significantearthquake strikes.

ISDR national platformneededIt is in the light of the above, andother threatening natural hazards,that a “Uganda National PlatformWorkshop” took place in the capital,Kampala, from 16 to 18 June 2003,sponsored by the Nairobi-based

Uganda launches ISDR national platform,drafts disaster management bill

Africa office of the UN InternationalStrategy for Disaster Reduction(UN/ISDR).

The three-day workshop offered thefirst platform for representativesfrom major ministries anddepartments to get together todiscuss disaster risk management.The participants were from thefollowing ministries andorganizations : Ministry of Finance,Planning and EconomicDevelopment; Ministry of Educationand Sports; Ministry of Agriculture,Animal industry and Fisheries;Ministry of Local Government;Ministry of Health; Ministry ofWater, Lands and Environment;Ministry of Works, Transport andCommunications; Office of thePrime Minister; Uganda People’sDefence Forces (the Ugandannational army); Uganda Police;Uganda Prisons; NationalEnvironmental ManagementAuthority; Mulago Hospital; UgandaRed Cross; Uganda Seismic SafetyAssociation (USSA); Oxfam GB;

UN/OCHA (Office for Coordinationof Humanitarian affairs); UNDP.

Need for “strong”, “effec-tive” inter-ministerial coordi-nation, cooperationThe main objective of the workshopwas to set in motion a process forthe establishment of an ISDRNational Platform, based on the UNInternational Strategy for DisasterReduction, the 1994 YokohamaStrategy and Plan of Action for aSafer World, and the 1990-99International Decade for NaturalDisaster Reduction (IDNDR).

Its main focus was on how to makeinter-ministerial coordination andcooperation strong and effective.

“Disaster incident alwaysfinds us unprepared”Opening the workshop, Mr MartinOdwedo, Permanent Secretary inthe Office of the Prime Minister,observed that each time a disasterincident occurred in the region, itfinds them unprepared. He said

From right to left, The Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister,and the UNDP Resident Representative in Uganda at the opening of the establishment of

ISDR national platform

UN/ISDR Africa National Platforms in Action

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disasters and emergencies wererealities that come without noticeand one ought therefore to plan inadvance for them. He said it washuman action that either increasedor reduced vulnerability to disasters.He then called for proactiveapproaches such as putting in placeintegrated disaster early warningsystems.

Mr Odwedo said : “When theproposed National DisasterPreparedness Platform is set up, weshall not only be fulfilling therequirement of the National DisasterPreparedness Policy - that calls formulti-sectoral, multi-disciplinaryapproach in disaster management,but we also be able to ensure timelyearly warning information that reachboth key stakeholders andvulnerable groups of the society orcommunity concerned whenever adisaster is predicted.”

“Operationalizing” disaster riskanalysis into development strategiesSpeaking also during the openingceremony, the UN humanitarianaffairs coordinator, Mr DaoudaToure, examined the relationshipbetween natural disasters and theMillennium Development Goals(MDGs).

He noted that there was urgent needto : (1) incorporate andoperationalize disaster riskmanagement analysis into povertyreduction, development andenvironmental strategies; (2)support capacity development atnational and local levels to deal withdisaster risk reduction, response andrecovery; (3) ensure that existingplanning tools used by thegovernment and its developmentpartners reflect disaster riskmanagement.

Disaster preparedness andmanagement bill beingdraftedMr Martin Owor, the assistantcommissioner for disaster

management, presented a review ofUganda’s national policies,legislation and strategies for disastermanagement. He said the NationalDisaster Policy provided for theestablishment of an Inter-AgencyTechnical Committee (IATC) underwhich the proposed ISDR UgandaNational Platform would fall.

Mr Owor also said : “To give a legalbacking to the policy, the Office ofthe Prime Minister is drafting a billon disaster preparedness andmanagement. And with supportfrom Oxfam GB, the process ofdeveloping a strategic plan forimplementation of the policy hasalso been initiated by the sameOffice of the Prime Minister.”

Disaster reduction a “shared”responsibilityMs Feng Min Kan, the AfricaRegion representative of the UNInternational Strategy for DisasterReduction (UN/ISDR), for her part,took participants through trends indisaster reduction at global, regionaland national levels.

Her presentation focused on fiveparts: (1) Current trends in impactof disasters on development, (2)International Strategy for DisasterReduction (ISDR), (3) UN Inter–Agency Secretariat for InternationalStrategy for disaster reduction (UN/ISDR), (4) Hazards, vulnerability,disasters and disaster reduction, (5)Disaster risk management.

She said disaster reduction was ashared responsibility, and nationalgovernments had to be the drivingforce in the implementation ofInternational Strategy of DisasterReduction. Effective inter-ministerialcooperation and collaboration, shesaid, was crucial for the success ofdisaster reduction.

Ongoing disaster management,risk reduction initiativesMr Capson Sausi, disastermanagement officer in the Office of

the Prime Minister, took participantsthrough a review of the ongoinginitiatives on disaster risk reductionand disaster management in thecountry:• Very successful research on thecauses and impact of landslides onthe population of Sironko Districtcarried out by the Department ofDisaster Preparedness (Office of thePrime Minister) with support fromthe German government throughGTZ in the year 2001.• Vulnerability risk mapping ofKotido District completed, and foodearly warning network system forthe same district developed by theDepartment of Disaster Prepared-ness with support from Oxfam GB.• Together with Save the ChildrenUK, the Department of DisasterPreparedness has completed a studyon the value and effectiveness ofassessments before disaster re-sponse in Gulu District (northernUganda) and the report was beingcompiled.• Together with the InternationalOrganization for Migration (IOM),the department has initiated thedevelopment of a National Data andInformation Centre for all hazardsand disasters.• Together with the UgandaHuman Rights Commission, thedepartment has set up an inter-ministerial task force to develop astrategic plan for rolling out the IDPPolicy.• Plans to roll out the maindisaster policy being worked outwith Oxfam GB.

Topics discussedDiscussion groups were formed andthe proceedings went on guided bythe following questions:1. How to make inter-ministerialcoordination and cooperation strongand effective?2. How to ensure that appropriateenabling mechanisms are in place,including policy, structure, capacitybuilding and resources (human andfinancial)?3. How to sustain capacity-buildingeffort at national and local levels?

UN/ISDR Africa National Platforms in Action

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4. How to effectively integratedisaster risk reduction intodevelopment policies, strategies andundertakings at national level?5. How to enhance local authorities’ownership of disaster risk reductioninitiatives and sustain their efforts orthe progress made?6. How to mobilize the mass mediaand the public for a nationalcampaign on disaster reduction withthe current limited resources?

Priority recommendationsAt the end of the workshop,participants made the followingrecommendations:1. Each ministry to designate aDisaster Focal Point Officer.2. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to organize high-levelsensitization meetings for policy

makers.3. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to ensure Cabinetapproval of the newly developedNational Policy on DisasterManagement.4. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to develop guidelineson the functions of focal points(both individual and leading existingdepartments) in line ministries oragencies.5. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to encourage activeparticipation of differentstakeholders to ensure ownershipand sustainability of disasterreduction and programmes.6. Government to put functionalstructures in place at national anddistrict levels, including nationalplatform for disaster reduction.

7. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to identify disasterrisks by sectors.8. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to plan for monthlymeeting of the national platform fordisaster reduction.9. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to sensitize andeducate the district authorities ondisaster risk reduction and theirroles and responsibilities in disasterrisk reduction.10. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to develop andintegrate disaster risk reduction intodistrict development plans.11. The Department of DisasterPreparedness to invite mass mediarepresentative to the membership ofthe national platform on disasterreduction.

UN/ISDR Africa National Platforms in Action

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UN/ISDR National Platforms

Mr. Ahmed Mohamed MadarFocal pointISDR National PlatformDjibouti

Since its independence in 1977,disaster-prone Djibouti hasexperienced sub-regional conflicts,internal conflicts and a large numberof disasters triggered by droughts,earthquakes and floods. The disastersleft considerable impact on humanlives, livelihoods and an already fragilerural economy.

Before the setting up of an ISDRnational platform in February 2003,the national platform’s core teammembers were given some training,and a Disaster Reduction Plan ofAction was adopted on 25 January2003.

Other initiatives followed the adoptionof the Plan of Action. Two two-daydisaster prevention and managementcapacity building seminars called

DJIBOUTI NATIONAL PLATFORM: Plan of actionadopted, district support units formed

National Capacity Building inDisaster Management were held inmid-February.

Another four-day seminar called Principles and Means for EstablishingEmergency Operation Centres (COU inFrench) was also held in mid-Marchwithin the framework of a joint projectby the Interior Ministry and the UNDP,in cooperation with the US embassy.

Field trips were also made to thecountry’s four districts to establishsupport units, and the four units havebeen effective since early April 2003.Following all the above activities andinitiatives, a one-day workshop washeld in each region - from 25 to 28 May- to strengthen and raise awareness onregional disaster managementcapacities.

The workshops’ overall objectives wereto strengthen regional capacities notonly in disaster prevention andresponse, but also in disaster

coordination ; and their specificobjectives(1) to institutionalize the four districts’regional disaster prevention andmanagement committees,(2) enhance the understanding ofdisaster management cycles,(3) enhance the understanding ofdisaster and risk management, and(4) introduce other tools and methodsfor strengthening coordination.The four workshops were attended byparticipants from various governmentministries and local NGOS with clearlydefined roles and responsibilities indisaster prevention and response and indevelopment.

Also present during each of theworkshop was a delegation made up ofISDR National Platform nationalcoordinator Mr Ahmed MohamedMadar (of the Interior Ministry), theproject administrator (UNOPS), thehead of the Civil Defence Department,and a representative of the NationalMeteorological Department.

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Mrs. Noroarisoa RakotondrandriaProgramme OfficerUN/ISDR AfricaNairobi, Kenya

Djibouti• The Government of Djibouti is

planning to establish aDepartment of Disaster RiskManagement and Response.The new department will beheaded by the national coordinatorof the ISDR National platform.For better coordination of disasterprevention and response, theexisting Department of Civilprotection will also beaccommodated at the Ministry ofInterior and Decentralizationheadquarters.

• Djibouti is seeking to startformulating a national strategyfor disaster risk management,but there is need to conductformative and informativeevaluation by each concernedgovernment ministry. The IGAD(Inter-Governmental Authority onDevelopment) Secretariat iswilling to assist in the nationalstrategy formulation process.

• The Government of Djibouti, withassistance from UNDP Djiboutiand a national consultant on GIS(Geographical Information Sys-tems), is undertaking a vulner-ability and risk assessment inthe country. The consultant is ex-pected to submit a basic map atthe end of November 2003, andthe final vulnerability and risk as-sessment at the end of December2003.

• An ISDR National Platformmeeting was held in the capitalon 6 October 2003, attended byUNDP Djibouti , Mrs NoroRakotondrandria of UN/ISDRAfrica and Mr Kenneth Westgatewho is the UNDP/BCPR (Bureaufor Crisis Prevention andRecovery) Africa regional advisor

NATIONAL PLATFORM NEWS

for disaster reduction. Membersof the national platform stressedthe importance of communicationbetween members and the need toformalize the existence of thenational platform by decree - toallow them to work under a formalframework.

A task force was formed to draftthe related decree. UN/ISDRAfrica shared the disasterreduction and national platformexperience of other countries -like Uganda and Madagascar -with the national platformmembers who welcomed theexercise.

Madagascar• Madagascar’s ISDR National

platform is still operating underits previous name, CRIC (Comitéde réflexion des intervenants encatastrophes – BrainstormingCommittee on Disasters), pend-ing a cabinet meeting that woulddiscuss its new operational mode.

• Madagascar ’s ISDR Nationalplatform and CRS (Catholic Re-lief Services) have produced pub-lic awareness materials. The

materials were launched on 8 Octo-ber 2003 which was the InternationalDay for Disaster Reduction.

Uganda• Uganda’s ISDR National platform

was established in June 2003 underthe Office of the Prime Minister andthe Ministry of Disaster Preparednessand Refugees.

• Two members of Uganda’s ISDRNational Platform are nowundergoing training on thevulnerability atlas in SouthAfrica.

• A five-member task force has beenset up to visit each Ugandan gov-ernment ministry to seek more in-formation on activities related todisaster reduction in the country.

• A Disaster Information Centrewas established in late September2003. The Centre acts as a referencecentre for all stakeholders in disasterreduction. Uganda’s ISDR Nationalplatform appealed to governmentministries, international organizationsand UN agencies to provide the Cen-tre with material related to disasterreduction.

UN/TSDR National Platforms

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The theme of this year’s International Day forDisaster Reduction is “turning the tide on disasterstowards sustainable development”.

This theme reminds us, during the International Yearof Freshwater, that the task is not just to preservewater resources to sustain life, but also to reduce thecapacity of water to take life away. More than 90 percent of all disasters occurring around the world todayare related to water – either too little of it, in the caseof droughts, or too much of it, in the case of floods,landslides, cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons. Manycommunities suffer repeated disasters year after year.

Natural hazards are a part of life. But hazards onlybecome disasters when people’s lives and livelihoodsare swept away. The vulnerability of communities isgrowing due to human activities that lead to increasedpoverty, greater urban density, environmentaldegradation and climate change.

It is well within our power to do something about this.Better decision-making, improved planning, effectiverisk management, innovation in development andenvironmental protection activities – these are thehuman activities that can reduce the vulnerability ofcommunities. To this end, risk assessment and disasterreduction should be integral parts of all sustainabledevelopment projects and policies.

On the International Day for Disaster Reduction, letus remind ourselves that we can and must reduce thenumber and impact of disasters by building sustainablecommunities that have the long-term capacity to livewith risk.

THE UN SECRETARY-GENERALMESSAGE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR

DISASTER REDUCTION8 October 2003

Campaign 2003 on Disaster Reduction

Mr. Koffi AnnanSecretary General

United Nations

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Dear friends,

Water – too much, or too little – plays an integral part in our lives,holds our imaginations and impacts our communities.Hydrometeorological hazards, such as floods, droughts, landslides,tropical cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons, pose a risk tolivelihoods and to the process of sustainable development.

The 2003 World Disaster Reduction Campaign looks at how wecope with water-related hazards, serving to raise awareness amongdecision-makers and the public that there is much we can do toreduce the impacts of hazards. While it is widely acknowledgedthat hydrometeorological hazards are on the rise due to humanactivities increasing vulnerabilities, there is still greater attention (andinvestment) paid to the disasters themselves and the resulting deathsand destruction.

Rather, we should be looking at the longer-term investment ofdisaster risk reduction strategies – incorporating disasterpreparedness, mitigation and prevention – that would in fact in theend significantly reduce their impacts and costs. We need to shiftour focus: from disaster relief to disaster reduction.

The World Disaster Reduction Campaign builds momentumthroughout the year, culminating in the International Day forDisaster Reduction on 8 October whereby it is celebratedworldwide. We invite you to take part in the Campaign byorganizing activities to highlight the importance of reducing theimpacts of water-related hazards.

Campaign 2003 on Disaster Reduction

Mr. Sálvano BriceñoDirector

UN Inter-Agency Secretariat of theInternational Strategy for Disaster Reduction

THE UN/ISDR SECRETARIATMESSAGE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY

FOR DISASTER REDUCTION8 October 2003

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UN/ISDR national platforms inDjibouti, Uganda and Madagascarmarked the International Day forDisaster Reduction on 8 October2003. Each country had its own wayof marking the Day.

DjiboutiStakeholders in disaster reduction andrisk management gathered at theconference room of the Ministry ofInterior and Decentralization, in thepresence of the Minister of Interior anddecentralization, Mr AdboulkaderDoualeh Waiss. They representedgovernment ministries, the IGAD(Inter-Governmental Authority on

International Day for Disaster Reduction markedin Djibouti, Madagascar, Uganda Mrs. Noroarisoa RakotondrandriaProgramme OfficerUN/ISDR AfricaNairobi, Kenya

Development) Secretariat, UN agencies,the private sector, the civil society andthe ISDR National Platform.

Interior and Decentralization MinisterAdboulkader Doualeh Waiss addressedthe gathering. He said Djibouti hadpassed the first phase of trial in disasterreduction and wished to proceed on thenext phase of formulating a nationalstrategy and setting up a solid andreliable structure for disastermanagement. He also thanked variouspartners and donors and assured thathis ministry is ready to learn from othercountries, but also share theirexperiences with other countries in thefuture.

Then the interior minister proceeded onhis speech for the day which wasfollowed by the UN Secretary General’smessage (on the occasion of theInternational Day for DisasterReduction) read by Mr Asare of theUNHCR who was the acting UNResident Coordinator, in the abscenceof Ms.Mbaranga Gasarabwe.

The theme of the International Day forDisaster Reduction this year is “Turningthe Tide on Disasters towardsSustainable Development”. MrMohamed Ismael, director at theMinistry of Water Resources, gave apresentation on water and disasters inthe Djibouti context. He said that in the

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case of floods, Djibouti had learned alesson from the 1994 floods that leftmany people died and a large number ofhouses destroyed. Regarding droughtwhich has been experienced by thecountry every year and has a negativeimpact especially on women, childrenand livestock, Mr Mohamed Ismaelsaid his ministry, in partnership withthe Ministry of Agriculture, wasconducting a pilot project on irrigationand farming in northern Djibouti.

UN/ISDR Africa was represented byits Nairobi-based programme officer,Mrs Noroarisoa Rakotondrandria. Heraddress was focused on linkingdisaster reduction with sustainabledevelopment. She said sustainabledevelopment was also development“sustained”, and that disaster reductionwas poised to be a key “sustainer” -provided that communities wereinvolved in all activities. She alsothanked the organizing committee andUNDP for supporting the InternationalDay.

The various speeches and presentationswere followed by discussions duringwhich members of the ISDR nationalplatform renewed their commitments todisaster reduction in the country.

T-shirts were also distributed to markthe Day. The Djibouti Campaign onDisaster Reduction will not stop there:the national platform will organize aschool information session at the end ofOctober 2003.

UN/ISDR Africa produced a radioprogramme is composed of 4 scripts inFrench on hazards and disasters, theimpacts of disasters, drought and UN/ISDR’s Role. The tape was launchedon that day and distributed to various

radio stations. Plans are under way totranslate the radio programme intolocal languages to be broadcast on thenational radio.

MadagascarThe International Day for DisasterReduction was marked on 8 Octoberat the CNS (National Relief Council)headquarters. Interior andAdministrative Reform Minister JeanSeth Rambeloalijaona based his speechon the Day’s theme “Turning the Tideof Disasters towards SustainableDevelopment”. He also comforteddisaster victims. The ISDR nationalplatform chose the theme “Droughtand Floods” for the day.

Public awareness materials inFrench and Malagasy on droughtand floods were launched on theInternational Day. Produced jointly bythe CNS/National Platform andCatholic Relief Services (CRS), theywere made up of posters, advicemaps, technical guides and leaflets. T-shirts and caps were also distributed.The materials are destined for use bystakeholders in disaster reduction inpublic awareness activities in thecountry after they are given sometraining. An evaluation will be carriedout on the proper use of the material.

A documentary film on “Droughtand Floods” was presented. The film,which was produced by the NationalOffice for the Environment andentitled “Water is Life”, focused ontwo regions of southern Madagascar:the flood-prone region of Morondavaand the drought-prone region ofAndroy. The 14-minute film is aneducational material on the importanceof water in daily lives both forhumans and animals, and also its

importance in local customs andculture. The film was followed bydiscussions.

Stakeholders for DisasterManagement either natural disastersor man-made disasters participated inthe exhibition.

UgandaThe ISDR National platform of Ugandaand the Ministry of DisasterPreparedness and Refugees published anews supplement on 8 October inthe local newspaper “New vision”.The minister presented the UNSecretary General’s message on localTV and radio stations.

A live phone-in radio debate ondisaster reduction was held in theevening. As, on the day before, tworoad accidents left at least 50 peopledied, and as landslides were reported inthe western part of the country, thedebate ended up focusing on thesedisasters.

The Government of Uganda on 9October held a meeting withinstitutions dealing with disastersto see how to address their causesand seek solutions to reduce theirimpacts. It is worth noting that thegovernment had formed a task forceon the root causes of disasters. Thetask force is expected to submit adraft report and will develop anotherreport to be used by the cabinet todevelop a Cabinet Paper for action.

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Dear representatives ofinternational organizations, dearrepresentatives of the NationalPlatform for Disaster Preventionand Management, distinguishedguests, ladies and gentlemen:I am very pleased to be able tomake an address on this Interna-tional Day for Disaster Reduction.The International Day for DisasterReduction is marked annually onevery second Wednesday of themonth of October, and the Interna-tional Strategy for Disaster Reduc-tion this year selected “Water” as atheme.Water plays an integral part in ourlives. It enables to us to settlesomewhere, to produce, and toensure our survival and our health.

Speech by Hon. Abdoulkader Doualeh Wais,Minister of interior and decentralizationRepublic of Djibouti

But it can also be dangerousbecause it can flood, destroy,devastate and, when polluted,transmit diseases.

In fact, water has invariably been amajor government concern sinceour country’s independence.Now, as you surely know, disastermanagement involves a wide rangeof activities including prevention,preparedness, early warning andresponse to disasters. And to date,governments and donors haveallocated huge funds to reliefassistance at the expense ofplanning which is expected toprevent, and reduce the impact andsocial and financial costs ofdisasters.

Considerable resources have beenallocated to relief assistance, yetthese resources could have beendirected to development. If such atrend persists all over the world, noresource will be left for bothdeveloped and developing countriesfor their development.

Therefore, for the sake of properdisaster management, we mustencourage the implementation ofthe International Strategy forDisaster Reduction.

Meanwhile, my ministerialdepartment will very soon establisha permanent structure in charge ofdisaster prevention and disasterrelief coordination at national level.And as from this year, disasterprevention information andawareness programmes will beimplemented through the media andin schools. This year’s programmeswill begin within the next few days.

Ladies and gentlemen, we mustinvest in disaster preparedness,prevention and early warning. Eventhough these are long-terminvestments, they will ultimatelyreduce considerably the impact andcost of disasters.

In short, we should shift from reliefto prevention.

I thank you for your attention.

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The International Day for DisasterReduction is observed on the 8th ofOctober every year the world over.

The theme of this year’s International Dayfor Disaster Reduction is “turning the tideon disasters towards sustainabledevelopment”.

This theme reminds us, that the task is notjust to effectively respond to disasters inorder to save lives, but more to reduce thechances of hazards turning into disasters,taking life away and destroyingdevelopment gains.

In 2002, some 11,000 people were reportedkilled in natural catastrophes throughoutthe world. Similarly, close to 250,000people were reportedly killed by droughtand famine over the last decade. Notappropriately reflected in these statisticsare the millions of poor people who haveseen their lives indirectly shattered by theeconomic impact of the natural disasters,their ability to raise a modest incomereduced or annihilated and the prospect toescape poverty postponed indefinitely.

In Uganda, drought, floods, landslides,windstorms and hailstorms destroy anaverage of 800,000 hectares of cropsmaking economic losses in excess of 120billion shillings very year. Economic losesresulting from transport accidents andfires is estimated at shillings 50 billionannually. Death tolls resulting from naturaland man-made disasters exceed 5,000annually. Between 1980 and 2003, 1 in 30people in Uganda were affected by anatural or man-made disaster and fell intothe poverty bracket.

At intervals of 5 to 10 years, anearthquake occurs in Western Ugandadestroying infrastructure and propertyestimated at over shillings 80 billion. Alsobetween 3 and 5 years periodically an elnino rain phenomenon occurs followed bya severe drought in Uganda, also causingdestruction to property and infrastructureestimated at over shillings 200 billion.

Speech by Rt. Hon. Lt. Gen. Moses Ali,1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister forDisaster Preparedness and RefugeesRepublic of Uganda

More than 90 per cent of all naturaldisasters occurring around the worldtoday are related to water – either too littleof it, in the case of droughts, or too muchof it, in the case of floods, landslides,epidemic diseases and pests. Likewise ahigh percentage of man-made disastersoccurring around the world today arerelated to political conflicts andtechnology. Many communities sufferrepeated disasters year after year.

Too often, natural hazards such asdrought, floods, earthquake, fire, endemicdiseases, climate change, pest infestationand livestock diseases are regarded asabnormal events, divorced from normallife. Disasters and emergencies arefundamental reflections of normal life;they are consequences of society’s socialand economic settings and therefore anintegral part of life. Hazards only becomedisasters when people’s lives andlivelihoods are affected.Disaster risk reduction therefore cannot beaddressed outside the framework ofdevelopment and the latter is futilewithout the former. If development isbuilding communities, then disaster riskmanagement is making sure that thefoundations are strong.

One of the first steps towards disaster riskreduction is the act of differentiatingbetween risks and vulnerabilities. Risk isthe probability that a hazard will occur. Itmay also be the product of a hazard andvulnerability which is the extent to which acommunity, structure, service, orgeographic area is likely to be damaged ordisrupted by the impact of a particularhazard, on account off their nature,construction or proximity to the hazardousarea.

Environmentally unsound practices,global environmental changes, populationgrowth, urbanization, social injustice,poverty, and short-term economic visionsproduce vulnerable societies.

The vulnerability of many Ugandancommunities is growing by the day due to

many undesirable human activities suchas deforestation, ecosystem degradation,environmental pollution, rebel activities inthe North and North East, bad climate inthe Karamoja region, transport accidents,urban and wild fires, and poor landuse inmany parts of the country.

It is well within our power to do somethingabout this. Better decision-making,improved planning, effective risk manage-ment, innovation in development andenvironmental protection activities – theseare the human activities that can reducethe vulnerability of communities. To thisend, risk assessment and disasterreduction should be integral parts of allsustainable development projects andpolicies.

On the International Day for DisasterReduction, let us remind ourselves that wecan and must reduce the number andimpact of disasters by building sustain-able communities that have the long-termcapacity to live with risk.

By taking full account in-policy-and-in-practice of known hazards, the likely risksfacing a community and building thecommunity’s capacity towithstand these hazards, we can reducethe likelihood of disastrous eventsoccurring. The fact that they frequentlyoccur dictates that their managementshould be a development issue.

It is a well known fact that the costs ofresponding to disasters once they strikefar exceed the costs of disaster preventionand risk reduction activities. Indeed,worldwide, a threefold multiplier has beenfound between effective disastermitigation and emergency response.Thus shillings one million for disastermitigation saves shillings three million fordisaster relief.

Finally, on behalf of the Office of the PrimeMinister, I convey condolences to thefamilies of the people who perished at theKiira Dam road accident.I thank you.

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Honourable guests; Dear friends,colleagues, representatives of the Officeof the Prime Minister, governmentministries, local government authorities,civil society organizations and NGOs;Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Government of Mada-gascar, in my capacity as the minister ofinterior and administrative reform andalso chairman of the National ReliefCouncil, I am honoured to welcome youand thank you all for attending thisgathering.

The International Day for DisasterReduction is marked every year on thesecond Wednesday of the month ofOctober, which is today 8 October 2003.Its theme this year is “Turning the Tideof Disasters towards SustainableDevelopment”.

On this particular day, our thoughts goto those who lost their lives, theirparents and friends, and their properties.They are many and they are dear to all ofus.

The disasters which hurt them urge us tobe more organized and to seek ways toreduce their increasingly harmfulimpacts. And also to prepare theadequate and appropriate preparednessmeasures and actions required torehabilitate the affected regions, help theafflicted communities to start a new life,and transform devastated areas into newdevelopment sites and centres.

Indeed, as a result of man-made landdegradation, the Greenhouse Effect andthe El Nino phenomenon, the frequencyand intensity of disasters have increasedworldwide over the last 10 years or so.Very few countries are today spared bydisasters, be they cyclones, earthquakesor floods...

In Madagascar, we have to deal with

Speech by Mr Jean Seth Rambeloalijaona,Minister of Interior and Administrative ReformChairman of the National Relief Council (CNS)Republic of Madagascar

many types of disasters. Because of thefrequency and geographical locations ofhazards in our country, at least oneregion is affected every year by adisaster. Even now, at this moment intime, as we are entering the cycloneseason, a moderate tropical storm named“Abaimba” is already reported northeastof our coastline. And every one knowshow harmful such natural disasters canbe for our economy.

How to turn the tide of disasterstowards sustainable development? Thiscan only by achieved by reducingvulnerabilities and risks through publicawareness - by making people increas-ingly aware of the fact solutions do exist,by doing this in such a way that commu-nities are determined to own risk anddisaster prevention as a common wealth.

In this connection, Madagascar hasapproached disaster issues in aninnovative way over the last few years.We are one of the few African countrieswith a national strategy for disaster riskand management, a national strategy thatwas reinforced recently by a law ondisaster risk management. We mustcongratulate ourselves for the adoptionof this law which is the culmination ofconsiderable efforts made by theGovernment of Madagascar and all ofyou - who are present here: you fullysupported us in this endeavour.

Meanwhile, as Madagascar is committedfirmly to rapid and sustainable develop-ment, we have adopted a povertyreduction strategy that is the country’smost important public policy framework.Most of the ingredients of the risksfaced by the Malagasy society and itsvulnerability in all aspects – socioeco-nomic, environmental, governance andsecurity – are covered by this strategy.

Therefore, the above poverty reductionstrategy is already a potentially powerful

tool of disaster risk and management, inaddition to the fact that disaster risk andmanagement also features on its own, asa strategic action, in our PovertyReduction Strategy Paper.

As we are marking this International Dayfor Disaster Reduction, I wish to call onthe general public to become increas-ingly aware of the fact that disasterreduction can save human lives, protectproperties and reduce disaster impacts.

On the same occasion, I also wish to callon the media to involve themselves inpublic awareness and education efforts.Their involvement in the disseminationof news and meteorological reports willenable warning messages to reachthreatened communities rapidly and willhelp to save hundreds and thousands ofhuman lives every year.

Disseminating accurate and correctinformation before, during and afteremergency situations is one of themedia’s social responsibilities becausewell-prepared and timely warnings helpto avoid losses and protect resources.

On behalf of the Government and in mycapacity as the chairman of the NationalRelief Council, I wish to express mysincere thanks to all our friends andpartners in the field of disaster risk andmanagement for working tirelessly withus. Rest assured that your much neededand valued contribution is highlyappreciated.

I also express the wish that our commu-nities become more resilient to naturaldisasters. Indeed, if they preparethemselves adequately and take all thetimely measures and actions required,they will be able to reduce the impact ofdisasters, which will also benefit ourcountry’s development.

I thank you.

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« We are fully aware of the link between disasters andpoverty, between disasters and sustainable development. »

A UN/ISDR Africa workshop was heldon 16 and 17 July 2003 inAntananarivo to launch the ISDRnational platform. Malagasy InteriorMinister Jean Seth Rambeloalijaonaon 18 July received the UN/ISDRAfrica programme officer, MrsNoroarisoa Rakotondrandria, in hisoffice. Their talks, which centred oncooperation between the Malagasygovernment and ISDR Africa, werefollowed by the interview below.

Mr. Rambeloalijaona, 64, wasalready an interior minister in 1994-95, before being appointed specialadviser to the Prime Minister andpermanent secretary in the Ministryof Civil Service. He recovered hisinterior minister’s job in 2002.

Mr Jean Seth Rambeloalijaona, Minister of Interior and Administrative Reform,Republic of Madagascar

He is also a lecturer at twoMalagasy state universities and atthe Malagasy National School ofAdministration.

[Noroarisoa Rakotondrandria] MrMinister, as the top official incharge of disaster risk manage-ment in Madagascar, what do yousay about this topic?[Jean Seth Rambeloalijaona] First ofall, I wish to stress that the just-concluded UN/ISDR Africaworkshop is for us a verysignificant event. Indeed it marked,in a concrete and tangible manner,through cooperation, Madagascar’sreturn to the big African family. As

we all know, Madagascar has justbeen readmitted officially to theAfrican Union.Now regarding disaster risk andmanagement, the Malagasygovernment is involved withdetermination in it, not only atrhetoric level but especially at actionlevel. A Law on Disaster Risk andManagement was adoptedunanimously by the NationalAssembly [Parliament] on 10 July.We can enforce it immediately asthe necessary text has already beendrafted, but in conformity with ourprocedures, it had to be referred tothe Senate first.This law stemmed from ourNational Strategy for DisasterReduction, a strategy that ourgovernment was eager to developrapidly. Why? Because we felt that itwas high time to reduce the short-term and long-term impacts of allthese successive disasters thatoccur every year : cyclones, floods,drought, locusts, etc. Another thingis that we had to put an end to allthese series of recommendationsthat had never been translated intoaction. All the more because disasterreduction features prominently inour PRSP1 . This is because we arefully aware of the link betweendisasters and poverty, betweendisasters and sustainabledevelopment.Meanwhile, the CNS [ConseilNational de Secours – NationalRelief Council] honours thegovernment’s commitments towardsdisaster prevention and response.Even though the credibility of theCNS cannot be questioned,members of the National Assembly,when examining the above-mentioned law, requested furtherclarifications on

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matters relating to information,follow-up and control. So before itsratification, this law will be slightlyrevised in the light of the concernsexpressed by our people’srepresentatives. Their concernswere mainly on the distribution ofseeds to affected communitiesduring disaster recovery periods.At institutional level, « DisasterPrevention Units » have also beenestablished at communal level ineach and every province.

N.R.- Mr Minister, you are also apolitician. Which message do youwish to convey to politiciansregarding disaster management?J.S.R.- First of all, at disasterresponse level, when people are indistress, politicians in general, thepolitical community as a wholeshould play a leading role in reliefassistance. To be able to do so, theyshould have a perfect knowledge ofthe affected region or regions, theyshould be able to sensitize thepopulation, they should bemonitoring how the measures takenare implemented – especiallyregarding relief assistancemanagement so that these can reachthe victims effectively.They should also help to identifyweaknesses and shortcomingsimmediately. Why? Because crisesinvariably result from someweaknesses, some inadequacies. Acrisis is therefore, to some extent, asource of new opportunities.Also opinion leaders like politiciansshould also help to introducechange. Therefore – I wish to stressthis – they should promote a cultureof disaster risk and management.At this juncture, I wish to note thatdisaster management is in perfectconsonance with some of ourgovernment policies. It enables us todemonstrate a heatlhy and adequateuse of foreign aid. It also boostsnational solidarity in the context ofour fihavanana2 . Indeed, asdisasters are often a matter of lifeand death - at least in Madagascar,

and as their much feared impactsare not only of material but alsomoral character, « sterile »differences are automaticallydiscarded by the resulting collectivesolidarity and patriotism.Even our artists get involved, youknow! Maybe we should also startassociating psychologists to thedisaster management process…

N.R.- What do you expect fromUN/ISDR?J.S.R.- In general terms, we expectsufficient and relevant informationthat enable us to take immediateaction. And also latest informationon ISDR as an organization and asan « international strategy fordisaster reduction ».Meanwhile, as I was not able tolaunch the just-concluded UN/ISDRworkshop personally, I still have toknow more about our obligationstowards the ISDR, ISDR’sexpectations from us, and the formsand practical modalities of ourcooperation with ISDR.

Exchange of information – bothinside and outside the country –because we still have to deal withcommunication problems inMadagascar.We also need regional cooperation :I do not know whether UN/ISDRcan assist us, or at least canfacilitate assistance for us to copewith the following very specificproblem. Before every rainy season– which, for us, means cycloneseason, we find it difficult to sendand receive information throughland lines and radio transmission,because of our country’sgeographical condition and poormeans of communications.Also on regional cooperation, wenow wish to boost our cooperationwith not only the IOC3 but also theentire African continent. Forinstance, for each and everycyclone, Madagascar has invariablydealt with them in isolation fromother countries. Yet, cyclones, by

nature, are of regional character,hence the need for increasedregional cooperation.Again on cyclone, we plan toestablish reception and supplycentres for cyclone victims. Thenecessary legal text is already inplace. I hope the ISDR can be ofsome assistance to us.

N.R.- What do you say about thefamine and drought which arestill reported in southernMadagascar ?J.S.R.- I can assure you that now,after analyzing the whole issue,these drought and famine are justfalse problems. Why? Because it hasemerged that they can be solvedthrough mere water management,for instance through damconstruction, crops adapted to theregion and other activities. Thegovernment is tackling all these so-called « problems ». Moreinformation will be made availableon this in due course.

N.R.- Thank you for thisinterview, Mr. Minister.

1 PRSP stands for PovertyReduction Strategy Paper which is agovernment framework documentsubmitted to the IMF as a referencedocument for multilateral,sometimes bilateral, funding forpoverty reduction.2 Fihavanana, which literally meansparenthood, is a Malagasyphilosophy of individual and socialaction modelled on family ties ofmutual tolerance and assistance.Most of major political claims andcrises in Madagascar have invariablybeen resolved more or lesspeacefully through fihavanana.3 IOC stands for Indian OceanCommission which is theinstitutional framework for regionalcooperation between the IndianOcean islands of Madagascar,Mauritius, Seychelles, Comores andReunion.

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UN/ISDR AfricaNairobi, Kenya

Second International EarlyWarning Conference: The UN/ISDR Secretariat and theGovernment of Germany co-organized the Second Internationalconference on Early Warning from16 to 18 October 2003 in Bonn,Germany. The theme of theconference is “Integrating EarlyWarning into Public Policy”. Some40 African disaster managers,experts and high-rankinggovernment officials attended theconference.

2003 World Annual Campaignon Disaster Reduction: The UN /ISDR launched its World AnnualCampaign on Disaster Reductionon 8 October 2003, the Interna-tional Day for Disaster Reduction.The theme of the campaign is“Turning the Tide of Disasters forSustainable Development”. Infor-mation kits on water-relateddisasters have been prepared anddisseminated in English andtranslated into French and Span-ish. To highlight the importance ofreducing the impacts of water-related disasters, activities raisingpublic awareness of disaster riskshave been organized by the UN/ISDR Geneva headquarters and itsoutreach offices in LAC (LatinAmerica/Caribbean) and Africa, incooperation and collaboration withtheir partners.

UN Sasakawa Award for DisasterReduction - 2003To promote additional public aware-ness about disaster risk reduction,every year the UN Sasakawa Awardfor Disaster Reduction is awardedduring the International Day forDisaster Reduction. This international

UN/ISDR World in Action

UN/ISDR World in Action

honour is given to an individual ororganization for their outstandingcontributions to the prevention ofdisasters and the reduction of vulner-ability, consistent with the aims andobjectives of the ISDR. The 2003Laureate and recipients of Certificatesof Distinction and Certificates of Meritwere announced on 8 October 2003, theInternational Day for Disaster Reduc-tion. Their names appear below.

LAUREATEMrs. Tadzong, née Esther Anwi Mofor,Global Centre for Compliance, Hazard andDisaster Management (GLOCECOHADIM),Bamenda, Cameroon

CERTIFICATES OF DISTINCTIONFundación para la Prevención delRiesgo Sísmico (FUNDAPRIS), Merida,VenezuelaMr. Meda Gurudutt Prasad, CoastalArea Disaster Mitigation Efforts(CADME), Andra Pradesh, IndiaMr Rafi Ahmad, University of the WestIndies, Kingston, Jamaica

CERTIFICATES OF MERITAssociation Prévention 2000, Tours,FranceGujarat State Disaster ManagementAuthority (GSDMA), Gujarat, IndiaDr. Jean-Pierre Massué, Council ofEurope, Strasbourg, France

The Award Ceremony took place onThursday 16 October 2003, coincidingwith the Second International Confer-ence on Early Warning (EWC-II) inBonn, Germany.

Fellowship Programme: UN/ISDRand UN/OCHA (Office for theCoordination of HumanitarianAffairs) have jointly launched afellowship programme. The fellow-ship programme will be implementedin partnership with eight institutionsfrom Asia, Africa Europe and LatinAmerica with the main objective offacilitating the participation of

professionals from developingcountries in short-term trainingprogrammes addressing disasterrisk reduction issues. Some 80participants from developingcountries will receive financialsupport for the short-term trainingin disaster risk reduction. InAfrica, the UN/ISDR has selectedthe African Centre for DisasterStudies of Potchefstroom Univer-sity (South Africa) and Universityof Cape Town (South Africa) forits initial phase of the fellowshipprogramme.

Euro-Mediterranean Forum onDisaster Reduction: The Forumwas co-organized by EUR_OPAMajor Hazards Agreement of theCouncil of Europe and the ISDRSecretariat in Madrid, Spain, from 6to 8 October 2003. The Forumbrought together a wealth ofexperiences in disaster reduction.Participants came from academia,government, civil society, research,civil protection, environment anddevelopment. The forum providedan opportunity to discuss principlesand policies, and to exchangeinformation and practices. TheForum emphasized that disasterreduction was one central elementof sustainable development, and thatthe associated integrated disasterrisk management was a primaryresponsibility of governments. TheForum also said such a risk man-agement ought to be based on aholistic approach to risk preventionand reduction that combinesscientific knowledge, vulnerabilityassessment and the competenciesof disaster managers. It wasstressed that the civil society, theprivate sector, including insurancecompanies, experts and academiahad to be fully involved.

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Development of AfricanRegional Strategy for Disas-ter Risk ManagementUN/ISDR Africa has developed apartnership with the NEPAD Secre-tariat and the Commission of the AUsince the first NEPAD-led disastermanagement workshop held inJohannesburg in April 2003. AU/NEPAD and UN/ISDR Africa arenow making joint efforts andsharing the costs for the develop-ment of an African Regional Strat-egy for Disaster Risk Management.AU/NEPAD will lead the strategydevelopment process and UN/ISDRAfrica will support AU/NEPAD inits endeavor to develop the regionalstrategy throughout the process.Two selected consultants started thework in late October under theleadership of AU/NEPAD andsupervision of UN/ISDR Africa.

IOC Sub-regional Consulta-tion on Disaster ReductionThe five member countries (Mada-gascar, Mauritius, Seychelles,Comoros, Reunion) of the IndianOcean Commission (IOC) are oftensubject to disasters caused bynatural hazards. The IOC Secre-tariat has decided to further itseffort to assist national authoritiesin disaster reduction. In this con-text, the IOC Secretariat requestedUN/ISDR Africa to join its effortsin disaster reduction. The IOCSecretariat and UN/ISDR Africaagreed to start with a reviewprocess so that follow-up actionswill be responsive to actual needs inthe sub-region. The IOC Secretariatwill lead the process of sub-regionalreview and UN/ISDR Africa willfacilitate the process. A Sub-Regional Consultative Meeting willbe held in the third week of Novem-

Major ongoing and upcoming activities ofUN/ISDR Africa in 2003

ber 2003 with the main objective of: (1) enhancing sub-regional coop-eration in disaster risk management,(2) providing a forum for IOCmember countries and main UNagencies to share views and experi-ences, and (3) reaching a consensuson how to address disaster riskmanagement for sustainable devel-opment in the sub-region. Theresults of the sub-regional consulta-tive meeting will lay the foundationof the sub-regional review process.The results of the review will alsoprovide input to the development ofthe proposed African RegionalStrategy for Disaster Risk Manage-ment.

Disaster Risk Management –from a Gender PerspectiveGrowing interest in disaster reduc-tion has remained largely gender-blind and has failed to considergender-based vulnerability and needsand recognize that disasters oftenimpact on women disproportion-ately. UN/ISDR Africa is workingtogether with UN Habitat, UNIFEMNairobi and Kenya’s executive andprofessional women members ofSoroptimist International to promotewomen’s active participation indisaster risk reduction and advocategender–sensitive approach indisaster risk management. The jointinitiative started in October 2003with the following three-fold objec-tives: (1) to review the status ofgender concerns in existing policies,strategies and legislations andimplementation related to disasterrisk management: the final report ofthe review will be used as back-ground paper in a Regional Women’sConference on Gender and DisasterReduction scheduled in April 2004 ;(2) to develop an African strategyfor mainstreaming gender concernsin disaster risk management, basedon the results of the review and

extensive consultations: the draftstrategy will be used as input intothe development of the proposedAfrican Regional Strategy forDisaster Risk Management and willbe finalized at the proposed RegionalConference on Gender and DisasterReduction ; and (3) to make policyrecommendations for mainstreaminggender concerns in disaster riskmanagement: the policy recommen-dations will be used as input to theSecond World Conference onDisaster Reduction to be held inKobe, Japan, in January 2005.

Mobilizing women for activeparticipation in disasterreductionAs UN/ISDR Africa has been usingdifferent forums to advocate disas-ter risk reduction among women, anincreasing number of womenexpressed interest and willingness tolearn more about disaster issues. Torespond to the needs and requests,UN/ISDR Africa will providesupport to Kenya’s executive andprofessional women members ofSoroptimist International in theirefforts by organizing a two-dayworkshop for women representa-tives from different parts of thecountry. The main objective of theworkshop is to sensitize women onissues related to disasters andmobilize women to participate indisaster reduction actively in theircommunities. The workshop willinvite Mrs Tadzong of Cameroon,the 2003 laureate of the UNSasakawa Award for DisasterReduction, to share her experience.The workshop is scheduled to takeplace on 27 and 28 November 2003.

Linking water-related disasterrisk reduction with waterresource managementThe Pan-African Implementationand Partnership Conference on

UN/ISDR AfricaNairobi, Kenya

UN/ISDR Africa in Action

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Water will be organized jointly bythe African Ministerial Council onWater, UN-Water/Africa and AfricaWater Task Force from 8 to 13December 2003 in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia. To advocate the necessarylink between water-related disasterrisks with water resource manage-ment, UN/ISDR Africa has cooper-ated with the organizers of the

conference to provide input into thetheme “Managing risks”. UN/ISDRwill address water-related disasterrisks at the event. To this end, UN/ISDR Africa is working in partner-ship with UMVOTO AFRICA (PTY) LTD(consultants for water resourcedevelopment and management) toproduce booklets under the title ofWater and Risks in Africa, one ofwhich being a “Guide for Commu-nity Leaders”, another destined to12-15 year-old school children.Meanwhile, as a follow-up to an

already published children’s booklet,Safari’s Encounter With Landslide,another booklet entitled Safari’sEncounter With Floods is beingfinalized for school children incooperation with Nairobi DroughtMonitoring Center and a local artist.Safari’s Encounter With Drought isalso under preparation.

Integrating disaster reductioninto relief assistance andsustainable developmentUN/ISDR Africa will prepareinformation kits - facts and figures,to explain the trade-offs of disasterreduction and sustainabledevelopment. Well-documented andargued facts and figures will beused to advocate how disasterreduction is a trade-off with nationaland international efforts towardspoverty reduction and economicinvestment, and how it will reduce

human suffering and mountinghumanitarian needs. The work isunder preparation and will start inearly December 2003.

Linking disaster reductionwith disaster-related issuesWith support from experts andnational governments, UN/ISDRAfrica will endeavour to produce

simplified information kits on howdisaster reduction can be linked withinitiatives related to environmentprotection, climate changeadaptation, water and povertyalleviation. The objective of theendeavour is to facilitate nationalauthorities’ and community leaders’efforts to integrate disasterreduction in routine developmentprogrammes. Preparations are underway and the work is expected tostart in early December 2003.

UN/ISDR Africa in Action

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UN/ISDR Africa in Action

UN/ISDR AfricaNairobi, Kenya

An “African Regional Consultation inPreparation for the SecondInternational Early WarningConference” (EWC– II) was held inthe Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on 23 and24 June 2003, attended by a total of47 participants from at least 32African and international organizationsand institutions.

The consultation, which was coveredby the Kenyan media, was organizedby UN/ISDR Africa - with financialsupport from the German ForeignMinistry and the UNDP Bureau forCrisis Prevention & Reduction(BCPR), and conference supportservices from the Drought MonitoringCentre Nairobi (DMCN).

As suggested by its name, theconsultation was held primarily inpreparation for the SecondInternational Early Warning

African’s active preparation for Second worldconference on early warning

Conference which took place in Bonnlast October.

But it also offered a first-timeopportunity for early warningpractitioners and some keystakeholders to interact and networkon developing the science and art ofearly warning and promoting itsintegration into public policy. The keystakeholders included politicalauthorities, regional and sub-regionalorganizations, UN agencies, bilateraldonor partners, academics and civilsociety organizations.

“Integrating EW into PublicPolicy”The consultation was one of a seriesof preparatory regional consultationsheld in Asia, Europe and the Americancontinent to provide regional inputinto EWC II. In consonance withEWC II, the theme of the Africanregional consultation was “IntegratingEarly Warning (EW) into PublicPolicy”.

Launching the consultation, KenyanAssistant Minister of State forProvincial Administration and NationalSecurity Prof Kivutha Kibwanastressed that remedial measures werenecessary to mitigate the devastationcaused by weather-related hazards.He said EW systems were thereforevital in national and regionaldevelopment, and that they had to beintegrated into development policies.

Also speaking during the openingceremony, Mr Isaac Tarirai ChivoreUNDP-Kenya decried the loss oftraditional EW systems that sustainedpeople in the past. He recommendedthat it was important not tocompletely ignore these practices inthe quest to develop modern EWsystems.

Major constraints to EW fordisaster reduction in AfricaIt emerged that the major constraintsfaced by EWs for disaster reductionwere:

UN/ISDR Africa in Action

Participants of the Regional Consultation on Early Warning

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• Inadequate technological andhuman resources for developingeffective EW systems due mainly tofinancial constraints that limit publicinvestment in development of EWsystems and disaster prevention andmitigation in general• Inadequate awareness at policylevel and among the general public onnatural disaster risk managementwhich affects sustainability of initia-tives on EWS• Poor enforcement of physicaldevelopment regulations and planningstandards• Narrow focus of EW systems onhydrometeorological disasters, withinadequate coverage of diseaseepidemics, conflicts and other hazards• Deteriorating hydrometeorologicalnetworks• Inadequate integration andcoordination of key institutionsinvolved in EW and disaster preven-tion and mitigation• Inadequate translation of EW intoresponse planning and activities• Inadequate integration of EW indevelopment planning• Inadequacies in user orientation ofEW systems• Weak transboundary and interna-tional cooperation

Successful storiesHowever, cases of successfulapplication of EW to disasterreduction were also highlighted duringthe consultation.

They include cyclone management inMauritius, vulnerability assessment inthe SADC region (with countryexamples on Mozambique and Zambia),EW on limnic eruptions in Cameroon,traditional EW practice in Kenya’s LakeVictoria region, EW in Madagascar(where disaster reduction features in theIMF-approved Poverty ReductionStrategy Paper).

SuggestionsRegarding the identification of issues tobe considered by authorities inimplementing EW systems, theparticipants suggested that this had tobe enriched by seeking to integrate EWinto the three pillars of sustainabledevelopment.

It was also noted that governments hadto make disaster risk reduction a priorityin their budgetary allocations, abandonthe project approach to funding disastermanagement, and adopt innovativeapproaches to meeting the fundingneeds of EW systems.

Some participants stressed the need toaccelerate and deepen bottom-upapproaches to disaster risk reduction.They said resources had to bedirected to local levels to inducegreater willingness of communities toparticipate in disaster risk reductionactivities, and enhance theirknowledge of disaster risk reductionby demonstrating the economic gainsoffered by EWs.

Regarding the coordination of EWsystems, particularly for drought anddesertification, it was noted that itwas essential to consider the EWsystems being developed under theUN Convention to CombatDesertification (UNCCD).Last but not least, the participantsagreed on the vital need to adoptproactive disaster risk reduction andto integrate EW into sustainabledevelopment practices such as land-use planning.

Donors “unwilling” to fundlong-term disaster risk reduc-tion activityDiscussing the issue of donorfinancing for EW development, someparticipants noted the importance ofglobal politics and its negative effects

Participants during a group discussion

UN/ISDR Africa in Action

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50Disaster Reduction in Africa - ISDR Informs Issue 2/November 2003

on donor financing for EW anddisaster risk reduction in Africa.Others, however, pointed out that itwas also important to note thatdonors needed to be induced to investin disaster risk reduction, and thatdonors do not often receive fundingrequests from national authorities intime.

It was also noted that since donorswere unwilling to finance long-termactivities in disaster risk management,a key challenge in integrating EWinto sustainable development wasthere how to transform post-disasterrelief assistance into a disaster riskreduction mechanism. Onesuggestion was that post-disasterrehabilitation and reconstructionassistance should not be limited tomerely replacing damagedresources, but should includeexplicit risk reduction interventions.

Another suggestion was thatgovernments had to maintain theirown priorities since donors weremore sensitive to disasters than tonormal development activities -because of the ethical-humanitariandimension of disasters.

Key recommendations forbetter integration of EW intopublic policy• Strengthening and establishingnational, sub-regional EWS, includ-ing through capacity building• Maintenance and enhancementof hydrometeorological networksand facilities• Establishment and developmentof operational processes for dataand information sharing and ex-change - including through network-ing, to enhance synergies betweendifferent EW stakeholders andinitiatives• Enforcement of the rule of lawfor regulations and standards,especially in the private sector• Integration of EW and disasterrisk management into national andregional policies• Establishment, at country andregional levels, of technical struc-

tures that are able to integratescientific and technical data intoplanning and decision-making pro-cesses• Inclusion of disaster preventionand management into the NEPADframework• Strengthening conflict preventionmechanisms in Africa• Support from international partners,including through financial assistance,knowledge exchanges and othercapacity development resources• Promoting African ownership andanchor for EW system developmentand support initiatives, particularlythose driven by external partner inputs

Concluding remarksIn his concluding remarks, Mr FodayBojang of the African UnionCommission, called for thestrengthening of UN/ISDR/Africa as atechnical unit to work with theAfrican Union, NEPAD and sub-regional entities in enhancing the EWand disaster risk reduction agenda inAfrica. He also called for urgentaction to support the creation of a

FROM OPENING & CLOSING SPEECHES

Mr. Foday Bojang, the AU seniorpolicy officer, stressed the highimportance attached by the AUCommission to reducing theimpacts of disasters on thecontinent. He noted the ongoingefforts by the Commission - and itspredecessor, the OAU - toinstitutionalize effective disastermanagement in the region, andhoped that the Bonn conferencewould facilitate this process.

Mr. Peter Platte of the Ministry ofForeign Affairs of the FederalRepublic of Germany said some 50million people were affected bydrought disasters in Africa, and thatit was therefore crucial to link earlywarning to effective responseinitiatives. He also reported on the

African Regional Consultation in Preparationfor the Second International Early Warning Conference (EWC II)

23-24 June 2003Nairobi, Kenya

extent and approach of the Germangovernment support for disasterprevention and early warning activitiesglobally and in Africa in particular.

Mr. Salvano Briceno, the UN/ISDRSecretariat director, said it wasessential to empower communities,facilitate gender balance andencourage collaboration and teambuilding. He also made two keypoints:(1) Disaster impacts may have beendiminishing but economic losseshave been increasing in Africa,(2) While extremes may beincreasing due to climate change,vulnerabilities are increasing at muchhigher and alarming rates. Hence, hesaid, the urgent need to focus ondisaster risk management andaddress issues of early warning orvulnerabilities.

Regional Disaster Management Centrefor Africa and the upscaling of nationaland local EW systems.

Mr Andrew Maskrey of UNDP/BCPR(Bureau for Crisis Prevention andRecovery) emphasized the need (1) to keep EW interventions simple,(2) to consider that EW was part ofrisk management along with otherequally important factors, and(3) to remember that EW was avisible investment with short-termbenefits that provide a mechanism todeal with longer-term developmentissues.

UN/ISDR Director Salvano Bricenonoted that it was important to ensureappropriate risk reduction responseaction as the end goal of EW,otherwise all efforts in developing EWwould not yield the expected disasterrisk reduction benefit. He also said itwas crucial to strengthen thecollaborative process underlying theconsultation, and work together topromote EW in Africa as an effectivetool for disaster risk reduction.

UN/ISDR Africa in Action

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With a membership of over 100,000women executives andprofessionals in 122 countries,Soroptimist International (SI) is theworld’s largest women’s serviceorganization. UN/ISDR Africa hasforged a partnership with SI Nairobiin “Mainstreaming GenderConcerns in Disaster Reduction”.Two Nairobi SI members attended arecent SI congress.

The 17th Soroptimist International1

(SI) Convention was held inAustralia from 28 to 31 July 2003.Soroptimist members, who areexclusively women executives andprofessionals, came to Sydney from113 countries to develop strategies

Soroptimist International world conventiondiscusses gender, disaster reduction in Africa

on how to achieve the organization’svision of being “A Global Voice forWomen”2 .

The keynote speaker, Dr EileenPittaway, director of the Centre forRefugee Research, University ofNew South Wales (Australia),quoted shocking statistics fromreputable UN sources, including thefact that 12 per cent of the world’spopulation used 85 per cent of theworld’s water supply.

Some of the issues discussed were:“How can we use such thought-provoking statistics for the better-ment of society?” “How then shouldUN link disaster risk reduction tothe Millennium DevelopmentGoals?”

Soroptimist attended Bonnearly warning conferenceIn this connection, SI Club ofNairobi (under the umbrella of SIUnion of Kenya) had forged apartnership (see Box) with UN/ISDR Africa and endeavoured towork on a joint programme focusingon disaster risk reduction and earlywarning systems – from a genderperspective.

Based on this, two SI Kenyan officialsparticipated in the SI InternationalConvention to share and createawareness on disaster preparednesswith a gender perspective. During aworkshop, they presented UN/ISDRAfrica disaster reduction initiativesand the important role African womencan play in any kind of natural

UN/ISDR Africa in Action

Mrs. A. Kirambi & Mrs. M. AlamboSoroptimist International, Kenya

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disasters.

Their presentation sought to drawattention on gender issues that affectdisaster risk management in Africa,with a view to collecting views andproposals which SI could share at theforthcoming Second InternationalEarly Warning Conference (EWC II)taking place in Bonn, Germany, inOctober this year.

Indeed SI Nairobi wishes to lobby forthe mainstreaming of gender issuesinto early warning systems anddisaster risk reduction.

Awareness was thus created on howgender issues should be articulated bythe delegates in their respectivecountries.

Women “uniquely” positionedas key to disaster reduction• In all disasters, African womenare the sufferers as they are left backat home to tend the children and caterfor the family’s domestic needs• Women concerns similar in bothdeveloped and developing countries• Disasters affect women and men

differently• Women key to mainstreaming thefamily unit, keeping ties withcommunity structures and meetingfamily basic needs• Women uniquely vulnerable toeffects of degraded environmentssubject to natural hazards, anduniquely positioned as key to disasterprevention• Gender inequality a root cause offashioned vulnerability to conflict anddisasters around the globe• Women’s greater vulnerability dueto lack of empowerment arising outof patriarchy, traditionally imbeddedcultural values, and (in mostcountries) lack of favourable policiesand political will

Recommendations• Need to develop early warningpolicies• Early warning systems shouldbe developed for women• Women should be trained indisaster management• Unified approach needed inareas exposed to disaster risks• Women should be considered asequal partners in disaster

UN/ISDR Africa in Action

SI Nairobi partnership with ISDR Africa

Some of SI Nairobi’s pledges:

• To seek cooperation from other African Soroptimistmembers to address some specific issues on genderconcerns in disaster reduction• To establish partnership with other SI/Europe women topromote gender concerns in disaster risk management• To identify the major constraints in mainstreaming genderconcerns in disaster management in the development ofearly warning systems• To document women suffering from disasters and howwomen play a key role in disaster prevention• To document “best practices” and “success stories” ofwomen’s role in disaster management• To develop and lobby for gender-sensitive material thathelp women in communities at risk to understand disasterrisk management

management• Youth should be prepared evenat school on their roles in disastermanagement• Policy making in disaster riskreduction and early warning toincorporate women• Identify and fully describepriority needs• Identify strategies and resourcesrequired

ConclusionsGeneral observations from theworkshop was that (1) there is needfor governments, civil societies andcommunity-based organizations(CBOs) to address the genderconcerns in disaster management/reduction, and (2) there is also needfor women’s active participation andskill mobilization in the identificationof disaster vulnerabilities.

1 Soroptimist International is theworld’s largest women’s serviceorganization. Founded in 1921 inOakland, California, USA, and nowcomposed of over 100,000 members in122 countries, it was establishedmainly to promote help and supportfor their sisters throughout the world.Deriving its name from the Latin wordssoror (sister/woman) and optima(best), the word “soroptimist” isinterpreted as “the best for women”.2 Soroptimist International has aCategory 1 (highest category) Consul-tative Status with the UN Economicand Social Council (ECOSOC) underwhich some UN specialized agencieslike WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, etc.work.

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UN/ISDR AfricaNairobi, Kenya

Mrs Tadzong of Cameroon has beennominated laureate of the 2003 UNSasakawa Award for DisasterReduction. She is not only the firstwoman to win the prestigious awardbut also the first African individual toachieve such an internationalrecognition. Indeed an Africanorganization, Ethiopia’s Relief andRehabilitation Commission, had wonthe same award in 1989. MrsTadzong’s achievement also highlightsUN/ISDR’s full recognition of women’sindispensable role in disasterreduction.

The UN SASAKAWA Award for DisasterReduction was established in 1986 by theSasakawa Foundation, later renamedNippon Foundation. The UN SasakawaAward for Disaster Reduction is one of themain mechanisms used by the UN/ISDRSecretariat to promote advocacy andawareness raising among affectedcommunities on disaster prevention issuesworldwide.

In April this year, the UN/ISDR Secretariatlaunched its 2003 Sasakawa nominationand selection process and the worldresponded positively. By 15 August, theUN/ISDR Secretariat received nominationsfrom different parts of the world, includingAfrica. In September, the UN SasakawaJury, composed of representatives fromfive continents, met in Geneva andcarefully examined each nomination andreached consensus that the laureatewinner of the 2003 UN Sasakawa Awardfor Disaster Reduction was Mrs TadzongEsther Anwi Mofor of Cameroon.

This is a great honour and pride forwomen, especially African women whoplay an important role to maintain the well-being of communities and householdsbefore, during and after disasters.

Mrs Tadzong has been working, since1986, for Global Bare-foot Farm Doctorswhich, later on, was renamed Global

African lady wins major international awardfor disaster reduction

Centre for Compliance, Hazards andDisaster Management. She stronglybelieves that one can reduce the impact ofdisasters if necessary steps and actionsare taken before they occur. She translatedher belief into long-term personal commit-ment and dedication to disaster riskreduction. She has worked tirelessly toadvocate the importance of environment-friendly practices that mitigate disasterrisks at community level. This has won hera strong and outstanding reputation indisaster reduction in Cameroon.

In the recommendation letter to UN/ISDR,one of her colleagues says: “Mrs Tadzongis the sole principled leader who providesguidance and counselling to all victimsand survivors of calamities in the region,particularly to handicapped persons afterany disasters.”

Together with her colleagues, MrsTadzong has successfully providedcomfort and restored hope for thoseaffected by disasters. For example, MrsTadzong and her colleague urges peoplenot to hide under trees or steep slopes -when it rains - because of landslide, soilcreep and rock fall. They introducedagroforestry systems to small farmers toretain soil fertility, and successfullyadvised farmers to integrate trees into

crop land to maintain soil.

They have succeeded in combiningactivities of disaster risk reduction,environmental protection and agricul-tural activities. As a result, Ms Tadzongand her colleagues have played animportant role in helping the poor tosustain their safety and livelihoodthrough their educational, social andeconomic activities at the communitylevel.

Mrs Tadzong received her laureateaward at the Second International EarlyWarning Conference which took place inBonn, Germany, from 15 to 18 October2003.

Mrs Tadzong and her colleagues plan touse the award money to continue theircommunity-based disaster reduction andsustainable development efforts whichinclude supporting women groups withrefresher courses, preparing women ondisaster prevention, and funding anongoing project on reducing hazardsthrough garbage management andcompost manure production.

* For more details, please contact TomukumChia, Head Office, Public Enquiry ResourceCentre, PO Box 110, Belo, North WestProvince, Republic of Cameroon.

UN Sasakawa Award

In the middle of the three women, Mrs. Tadzong, née Esther Anwi Mofor

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UN Sasakawa Award

The UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reductionwas administered by

• the UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs(UN/DHA) until 1988;

• the UN/IDNDR (International Decade forNatural Disaster Reduction) Secretariat from1988 to 1999; and

• the UN/ISDR Secretariat – under the directsupervision of the UN Under SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs - sinceJanuary 2000.

The ISDR Secretariat is assisted, in the selectionprocess of the laureate, by a Jury composedof representatives selected on a regionaldistribution basis by the Administrator of thePrize, the ISDR Director, who is the finaldecision-making entity.

The Jury meets once a year for a period ofthree or four days to make their decisions.

The UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reductionis awarded every second Wednesday ofOctober, within the global framework of theWorld Disaster Reduction Day.

2003: Mrs. Tadzong, née Esther Anwi Mofor, Cameroon2002: Prof Dr Serguei Balassanian, Armenia2001: Global Fire Monitoring Centre, Germany2000: Fondo para la Reconstruccion y el Desarrollo Social del Eje Cafetero (FOREC), Columbia1999: Prof Mustafa Erdik, Turkey1998: H.E. Mr Ji Cai Rang, China1997: Observatorio Sismologico del Sur- Occidente (OSSO), Columbia1996: Dr Ian Davis, United Kingdom1995: No Laureate1994: National Emergency Commission, Costa Rica1993: Dr Vit Karnik, Czech Republic1992: Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School, Ecuador1991: Mr Franco Barberi, Italy1990: Mr Julio Kuroiwa, Peru1989: Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, Ethiopia1988: ESCAP/Typhoon Committee, Philippines1987: Ratu Kamisese Mara, Fiji

Administration, Selection, NominationProcesses

Laureates

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55Disaster Reduction in Africa - ISDR Informs Issue 2/November 2003

Dushanbe Water Appeal

Partners in Action

International Fresh Water Forum30 August – 1 September 2003,Dushanbe,Republic of Tajikistan (Central Asia)

Some 53 countries and 91international organizations haveadopted an international appealknown as “Dushanbe Water Appeal”.This took place during theInternational Fresh Water Forum heldfrom 30 August to 1 September2003 in Dushanbe, capital of theRepublic of Tajikistan (central Asia,on the northeastern border ofAfghanistan).

Organized with the joint effort of UN/DESA (Department of Economic andSocial Affairs) and the TajikGovernment, with financial support

from UN/DESA, UNDP, AKDN (AgaKhan Development Network), SDC,USAID, and UNEP, the Forum wasopened and chaired by the Presidentof the Republic of Tajikistan andattended by delegates from some 53countries and 91 internationalorganizations.

Participants were able to reaffirmtheir commitment to support andimplement actions towardsmaximizing water contribution to theachievement of the MDGs(Millennium Development Goals)and to the realization of targetsagreed at the WSSD (World Summiton Sustainable Development).At the end of the three-day event,the following “Dushanbe WaterAppeal” was adopted:

Dushanbe Water AppealFreshwater is essential for daily lifeand the integrity of ecosystems, andis a key to sustainable developmentand poverty reduction. At theMillennium Summit in 2000 and theWorld Summit on SustainableDevelopment in Johannesburg in2002, world leaders recognized theimportance of freshwater andcommitted themselves to a clear andtime- bound agenda for protectingthe world’s current and future waterresources, promoting sanitation andaddressing environment issues.

The International Year of Freshwa-ter 2003, declared by the UNGeneral Assembly at the initiativeof the Government of Tajikistan,has further raised the awareness for

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freshwater problems and the urgentneed for their resolution. Using thismomentum, this year should mark atransition from commitments andpromises to actions and implementa-tion.

The vital nature of water makes it abasis for cooperation betweenpeople and nations. Integratedwater management should be used topromote stability, poverty reductionand sustainable development.Countries should share knowledge,experience and technologies for therational and effective use of waterresources, and countries sharing thesame river basin should work jointlyto protect and utilize this commonresource to improve the economicand social well-being of all thepeople living in this basin.

We, the participants of theDushanbe International Fresh WaterForum, representing governments,scientific and educational institu-tions, local authorities, non-govern-mental and international organiza-tions, private businesses,

Reaffirm our commitment tosupport and implement actionstowards maximizing the contributionof water to the achievement of theMillennium Development Goals andto the realization of targets agreedat the World Summit on SustainableDevelopment.

We call upon all stakeholders,especially those present here, tocommit themselves to achieving theMDGs and the targets and actionsagreed under the Johannesburg Planof Implementation by:

• targeting actions in wise watermanagement first of all to thereduction of poverty;• implementing integrated waterresources management, based on anecosystem approach, considering theinterests of all sectors benefitingfrom water resources (energy,agriculture, industry, environment,water supply and sanitation, etc.);• working towards developing andimplementing effective agreements

for the management oftransboundary watercourses, whilebuilding further on internationalframeworks agreed so far andmaking river basin organizationsmore effective in terms of theircapacities to implement theirmandates and functions;• enhancing the efficiency ofhydroelectric production anddistribution capacities to increasethe share of renewable energy withdue consideration of environmentaland social impacts;• pursuing innovative and pro-poorresource mobilization strategies,including the implementation ofefficient water pricing policies,charging for ecosystem services andforging partnerships, including withthe private sector, that give priority tothe needs of the poor;• promoting the sustainable use andrestoration of water-relatedecosystems such as forests, wetlandsand coastal ecosystems as acontribution to achieving the WSSDbiological diversity goal of asignificant reduction to its current rateof loss by 2010;• raising public awareness oneffective responses to the challengesof the new millennium;• promoting the exchange ofinformation with the aim of equitableand efficient use of water resourcesand reasonable resource allocationamong water users;• making use of the website networkestablished after the 3 World WaterForum in the follow up of thePortfolio of Water Actions announcedat the Ministerial Conference.

We take note of the decisions andappeals made by the Heads of Statesof the Central Asian Region withregard to various regional initiatives,including the establishment of theInternational Water and EnergyConsortium and enhancing thestatus of the International Fund forSaving the Aral Sea as UNinstitution on coordination of theprograms and projects in the AralSea basin.

We welcome the decision of theUnited Nations General Assembly to

declare 2003 as an InternationalYear of Fresh Water in response tothe resolution moved by theGovernment of Tajikistan, andexpress our appreciation for thecommendable efforts made by theGovernment of Tajikistan forhosting the Dushanbe InternationalFresh Water Forum as part of theevents of this year.

We appeal to the United Nations tofollow up the findings andrecommendations of the Commissionon Sustainable Development dealingwith water, sanitation and humansettlements by declaring the periodof 2005 through 2015 as theInternational Decade of “Water forLife”. We request the Governmentof Tajikistan to bring this proposalto the attention of the UN GeneralAssembly as a contribution to thefollow-up of the International Yearof Fresh Water.

We call upon Governments,international agencies, the privatesector and other stakeholders tomake it a decade of action bytaking concrete measures thatcontribute to:• reducing by half the proportion ofpeople without access to adequateand safe drinking water andsanitation by 2015;• improving the health conditionsto reduce the risks that lead to thedeath of 2 million children everyyear due to poor access to safedrinking water;• protecting the resource base bothin terms of quantity and quality toensure that present and futuregenerations are able to sustain theirlives on the planet;• mobilizing and investingadequate resources to financedrinking water supply andsanitation;• moving from preparation of watermanagement plans to theirimplementation, with a focus onincreasing water productivity inagriculture and water supply andsanitation.

Partners in Action

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Mr. Ambrose OrodaRegional Centre for Mapping ofResources for DevelopmentNairobi, Kenya

The Nairobi-based Regional Centre forMapping of Resources forDevelopment, RCMRD, has, since1988, been involved in early warningsystem projects in the Greater Horn ofAfrica. RCMRD’s Ambrose Orodahighlights the needs, constraints andstatus of early warning in the sub-region, and his organization’sinvolvement in the field.

The Greater Horn of Africa sub-region isan expansive land mass, more than 6million sq. km, comprising about 9countries: Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti,Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda,Rwanda, Burundi. Seven of these form theInter-Governmental Authority onDevelopment (IGAD) sub-region.

The IGAD countries (Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya,Uganda) have a total human population ofmore than 150 million (World ResourcesInformation, 1996; 1995 estimates).

Needs, constraints for earlywarning in Greater Horn of AfricaEcologically and environmentally, the areais highly precarious, more than 60 per centof the sub-region being classifiable assemi-arid or arid. Other countries such asSudan experience real desert-likeconditions with less than 250mm annualrainfall. The sub-region has experiencedvery frequent droughts and rainfalldistribution, with their intensity varyingconsiderably, spatially and temporally.

Frequent drought-related disasters includefamines as a result of crop failures and lackof grazing and browse. The famines oftenresult into human calamities such ashunger, starvation, malnutrition, massmigration of populations and, in manycases, death.

These negative impacts of famine -

Resource mapping body contributes to early warningin Greater Horn of Africa

resulting from environmental factors, areoften compounded by several socio-econo-political factors that have, over theyears, impacted negatively on the generalproduction of the area.

Because famines are often realized latemany times when it has taken its toll onthe population, the sub-region greatlyneeds an Operational Early WarningSystem (EWS) for monitoringenvironmental conditions and crop yields.

Overview of status of early warningin Greater Horn of AfricaThrough experiences, it has beenestablished that IGAD countries lack acentral operational early warning system,which would provide member states withadvance information on famines andfood security prospects. Each of thecountries has its own system that variesfrom country to country, and even thereasons for such a system also varyfrom one country to another.

The existing national early warningsystems are not adequately elaborate,which is probably why the fight againstdrought-related famines in easternAfrica has not been successful.

This inadequacy can be attributed toseveral factors including lack of facilitiesand equipment, and lack of well-trainedpersonnel in the sub-region. Lack of areliable and operational EWS has allalong caused inadequacy in food supplyinformation, a situation significantlyexploited by unscrupulous andspeculative traders, thereby denying areasonable population size access tofood.

RCMRD involvementThe Regional Centre for Mapping ofResources for Development, RCMRD,has, since 1988, been involved indeveloping an early warning system forenvironmental monitoring, famine andfood security. It helped to implementsome EWS projects funded by the

Japanese and French governmentsthrough FAO.

The following are examples of theCentre’s involvement in early warningsystem situations in Greater Horn ofAfrica countries (see Box for moredetails):

FAO/IGAD EWS Project - 1988-1993. Inthis project, the Centre (RCMRD)provided early warning information torelevant countries and agencies on a 10-day and monthly basis through abulletin. This was very instrumental anduseful information during the 1991-1993droughts in the IGAD region.

Regional Famine Early Warning System(REFEWS) - 1995-2000. In this projectfunded by the Netherlands government,the RCMRD - in collaboration with theEnvironmental Analysis and RemoteSensing (EARS), a methodologyproviding quantified end-of-season cropyields estimates was used. The reliabilityof the methodology was confirmed by thevery high degree of accuracy in predictingthe 1998-2000 droughts in eastern Africa.

Early Warning Information. Incollaboration with its partners, the Centrehas continued to provide early warninginformation on a monthly basis for GreaterHorn of Africa countries. The informationis distributed to over 3,000 individuals,including government officials andinternational agencies. The informationhas been very instrumental in monitoringdrought calamities in Ethiopia, amongother countries. The information has alsobeen useful in monitoring recent floodsand malaria outbreak conditions in Kenyain May-June 2003.

Alert Warning Information. Using high-resolution satellite data since the 1980s,RCMRD has provided alert warninginformation on forest degradation, landdegradation, pollution of water systems,cypress aphid infestation monitoring inEast Africa.

Partners in Action

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FAO/IGAD EWS Project – 1988-1993. In this project, the Centre(RCMRD) provided early warninginformation to relevant countriesand agencies on a 10-day andmonthly basis through a bulletin.This was very instrumental anduseful information during the 1991-1993 droughts in the IGAD region.The information was used for fooddonation appeal. The principal datawere rainfall estimates derived fromMeteosat Cold Cloud Duration (CCD)and NDVI from NOAA–AVHRR.

Regional Famine Early WarningSystem (REFEWS) – 1995–2000. Inthis project funded by the Netherlandsgovernment, and the RCMRD – incollaboration with the EnvironmentalAnalysis and Remote Sensing(EARS), a methodology that providesquantified end of season crop yieldsestimates was used.

The reliability of the methodology wasconfirmed by the very high degree ofaccuracy in predicting the 1998-2000droughts in eastern Africa. Theinformation derived from the projectwas used by eastern Africangovernments, especially that of Kenya,in maintaining its strategic foodreserves and deficit importation. Withtechnical and financial support fromdonors, RCMRD, and its developmentpartners such as EARS, are able toparticipate in the alleviation ofagrometeorological problems afflictingHorn of Africa countries.

EARS (Environmental Analysis andRemote Sensing) is one of theoldest and most experienced remotesensing private companies in

RCMRD & Early Warning in Greater Horn of AfricaEurope. The company has developedinnovative technology, including theMeteosat Energy and Water BalanceMonitoring System, EWBMS.

The crop yield forecasting systemdeveloped by EARS consists of twosub-systems :(1) EARS-EMS (Energy MonitoringSystem), an energy balancemonitoring system which convertsMeteosat noon and midnight thermaland visual imagery into 10-dailyimage products of actualevapotranspiration and radiation;(2) EARS-CMS (Crop MonitoringSystem), a crop monitoring systemwhich feeds the evapotranspirationand radiation data into a cropgrowth model, and generates animage product of the expectedrelative crop yield at the end of theseason. Actual expected yields at theend of the season can be obtained bymultiplying the relative yield with themaximum historical yield.

The whole system operation – fromMeteosat reception to the generationof the early warning image products -is largely automated. The crop yieldforecasting products havedemonstrated the following qualities:(1) quantitative and sufficientreliability,(2) very timely, available within oneor two days,(3) provides for a stable crop yieldforecast halfway the growing season,(4) presented as maps with aresolution of 1 Meteosat pixel(5 km).

Although the EARS Crop YieldForecasting System is operational, it

needs further research, for examplein the validation of the methodologyusing actual yield data.

Early warning information. TheCentre, in collaboration with itspartners (mainly FEWSNET, USGS,Drought Monitoring Centre - DMC,among others) has continued toprovided early warning information ona monthly basis for Greater Horn ofAfrica countries. The information isdistributed to over 3,000 individuals,including government officials andinternational agencies. Theinformation has been veryinstrumental in monitoring droughtcalamities in Ethiopia, among othercountries. The information has alsobeen useful in monitoring recentfloods and malaria outbreakconditions in Kenya in May-June2003.

Alert warning information. Usinghigh resolution satellite data sincethe 1980s, RCMRD has providedalert warning information on :(1) forest degradation in East Africasuch as through the East AfricanArc Mountains Project; (2) landdegradation such as in BaringoDistrict, Kenya;(3) pollution of water systems: forinstance, water hyacinth infestationof Lake Victoria and Lake Kyogamonitored using satellitetechnology, and also watersedimentation/siltation of Kenya’sLake Baringo and Kisumu Bay ofLake Victoria;(4) cypress aphid infestationmonitoring where RCMRD providedsatellite imageries.

Partners in Action

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Water-Related Disasters Web Sites

The Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM)http://www.wmo.ch/apfm/A collaboration between World Meteorological Organization,and Global Water Partnership, the APFM aims to incorporateflood management as a component of Integrated Water Re-sources Management; provide the necessary tools to facili-tate the above; provide a mechanism for coordinating regionalactivities on flood management and assist in the preparationof relevant projects at regional and national level.

Dialogue on Water and Climate -http://www.wac.ihe.nl/home.htmlThe Dialogue on Water and Climate aims to improve the ca-pacity in water resources management to cope with the im-pacts of increasing variability of the world’s climate, by es-tablishing a platform through which policymakers and waterresources managers have better access to, and make betteruse of, information generated by climatologists and meteo-rologists.

Southern Africa Flood & Drought Networkhttp://edcw2ks40.cr.usgs.gov/sa_floods/Sponsored by Southern African Development Community,this website aims at providing up-to-date information on de-velopment and impacts of floods, drought and adverse weatherin the Southern Africa region and to facilitate the exchange oftechnical and other useful information that can be used bythe disaster and technical communities in preparing for andresponding to the occurrence of cyclones, f loods anddroughts.

National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC)http://www.drought.unl.edu/index.htmThe NDMC helps people and institutions develop and imple-ment measures to reduce societal vulnerability to drought.Based out of University of Nebraska-Lincoln, it stressespreparation and risk management rather than crisis manage-ment. The website provides tools for drought monitoringand planning for drought. It also gives an overview of com-munity risk assessment.

National Landslide Information Centerhttp://landslides.usgs.gov/html_files/nlicsun.htmlThis site provides special information for students and pro-fessors on landslides, images, publications, recent landslideevents and projects under execution.

Natural Hazards Center and HazLito http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/o http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/litbase/litindex.htm

HazLit is the on-line library database of the Natural HazardsResearch and Applications Information Center at the Univer-sity of Colorado at Boulder. The library of the Natural Haz-ards Center houses an extensive collection of social scienceliterature focusing on how society prepares for, responds to,recovers from, and mitigates natural disasters.

PAHO http://www.paho.org/disastersThe Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is an interna-tional public health agency with 100 years of experience work-ing to improve health and living standards of the people ofthe Americas. It enjoys international recognition as part ofthe United Nations system, serving as the Regional Office forthe Americas of the World Health Organization, and as thehealth organization of the Inter-American System. Their di-sasters and humanitarian assistance web page highlightsevents and projects linking disasters and public health. Thepage also provides a topic based index on disaster issues.

Duryog Nirvaran http://www.duryognivaran.orgDuryog Nivaran net is a network of individuals and organiza-tions working in South Asia who are committed to promotingthe alternative perspectives on disaster and vulnerability as abasis for disaster mitigation in the region. Their programmes andresearch highlights case studies of community involvement indisaster preparedness and reduction.

United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)’s Fresh WaterSitehttp://freshwater.unep.net/Aside from background and information on fresh water issuesand resources, the UNEP site features a subsection on Droughtsand Floods which features articles on disaster planning and miti-gation. Various links to relevant UN documents can also befound on the site.

International Year of Fresh Waterhttp://www.wateryear2003.org/The United Nations General Assembly in resolution 55/196 pro-claimed the year 2003 as the International Year of Freshwater. Itencourages Governments, the United Nations system and allother actors to take advantage of the Year to increase awarenessof the importance of sustainable freshwater use, managementand protection. It also calls upon governments, national andinternational organizations, non-governmental organizations andthe private sector to make voluntary contributions and to lendother forms of support to the Year.

Water Media Networkwww.worldbank.org/wbi/sdwatermedianetwork/index.htmlThe Water Media Network is an initiative designed to help jour-nalists examine the social, environmental, regulatory and finan-cial issues relating to water, and experience the difference thatwater can make to the economy in your regions. The programfeatures workshops, field visits, distance learning courses andmore.

World Water Council, Third World Water Forum http://www.worldwatercouncil.orgThe World Water Council is the International Water Policy ThinkTank dedicated to strengthening the world water movement foran improved management of the world’s water resources.

Information Resources