Assessment of Practical approaches to disaster management in Nepal - YOUNG SCINTISTS CONFERENCE ON INTEGRATED RESEARCH ON DISASTER RISK, FUTURE ...

YOUNG SCINTISTS CONFERENCE
ON INTEGRATED RESEARCH ON DISASTER
RISK, FUTURE EARTH AND SUSTAINABILITY

     Assessment of Practical approaches
      to disaster management in Nepal

                      Pramila Khatri Chhetri
                   Ecological Services Centre
                                       Nepal

DISASTER IN NEPAL
¢   With its uniquely varied geology, topography and climate, Nepal is
     very familiar with a range and frequency of hazards. About 30 per
     cent of total population lives below the poverty level and the majority
     of the population are considered to be particularly at risk of a hazard
     because of location and/or socioeconomic factors (Practical Action
     Nepal, 2009).

¢   Between 1971 and 2009 about 133,000 people were affected annually
     and 9350 houses destroyed. During the last 24 years epidemics
     claimed over 10,000 lives followed by flash flood that took 6584 lives.
     At least 4013 people were killed by landslide and floods between 1993
     and 2009. (Ministry of Information). According to the disaster loss
     record maintained by Ministry of Home Affairs, at least 1000 people
     are killed each year due to different disasters in Nepal.

¢   The most common disasters are flooding, drought inducing fire
     hazards, earthquake, glacial lake outbursts, landsides.

¢   In 2009, Government of Nepal adopted a National Strategy for
     Disaster Risk Management (NSDRM).

INTRODUCTION
¢   Practical Action works with communities to reduce
     the impacts of disasters and to alleviate poverty

¢   The existing capacities of the community, such as the
     livelihoods and assets, are the basis to enhance their
     ability to improve economic status and increase
     resilience.

¢   Practical Action Nepal along with the communities
     have initiated integrated approaches of building
     resilience by improving capacities of community and
     stakeholders to reduce hazard stresses, sensitivity
     and better preparedness such as early warning to
     reduce disaster risk.

OBJECTIVE
¢   To assess the practical approaches to disaster
     management in the area practical action is
     working and KNOWING local people’s
     understanding towards the approaches.

 Methodology
 Unstructured open ended Household questionnaire
 survey, focus group discussion, interviews with key
 Informant survey

MAP SHOWING STUDY AREA

                         Chitwan

STUDY AREA: STUDY AREA
NARAYANI ZONE (CENTRAL NEPAL) OF NEPAL

APPROACHES
The disaster management approaches under action in the study area are:
1. Traditional relief approach: one has to help others in peril. Examples such
     as collection of grains and vegetables by relatives and neighbours during
     disaster, helping disabled and building resting platforms for victims
     collecting help from each other and others.
   8/10 understands and bring this approach in action during study
   time.
    Every age group and very educated and uneducated are acquainted with this
    approach since generations in peril.
2. Sustainable development approach: This approach facilitates the adoption
     of disaster mitigation programmes at the local level including structural and
     non structural measures. It promotes the incorporation of disaster
     management in development planning. It enhances the capacities of
     communities and coping systems at various levels and sectors towards self
     reliance and self sufficiency in managing disaster effectively.
        5/10 understands this approach. Groups like young aged and mainly the
     educated understand this and there were some aged and uneducated ones to
     understand this approach.

CONTD….
3. Vulnerability reduction approach: This approach addresses both
    the vulnerability and resilience by dealing with the causes of
    stresses and disasters, and strengthening communities at risk. It
    includes a number of coordinated activities on vulnerability
    assessment, prevention and mitigation, and preparedness for
    response. This insists on the building resilience capacity of the
    communities through strengthening their livelihood capacities.

          6/10 understands this. This was understood and was thought
     useful since under this approach they were given various livelihood
     options and capacity building trainings.

4. Total disaster risk management approach: It focuses on the
   underlying causes of disasters, the existing conditions of risks and
   vulnerability of people. It also emphasizes multilevel,
   multidimensional and multidisciplinary cooperation and collaboration
   in disaster management. It is a shift from response and relief to
   preparedness.

      3/10 understood this. This was understood but not in action since
    there was not much preparation for risk management.

.

CONTD….
5. Vulnerability to resilience approach (V2R): capacitates
  vulnerable communities to absorb hazard stresses and shocks and
  bring their livelihoods back to original position. It focuses on building
  adaptive capacity of livelihood elements to enhance their resilience
  capacities. It is a two way approach of reducing hazard, exposure and
  sensitivity at one side and enhancing coping and restoration capacity
  of those vulnerable on the other.

         3/10 understood this approach. Mainly the key informants. But since
        there were trainings given many attended this and were improving
        their livelihoods but the understanding of concept was less.
       “Oh come on nothing has happened. GET UP AND MOVE ON″₺	
  
	
  
	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   But	
   since	
   there	
   is	
   no	
   op/on	
   to	
   this	
   one	
   is	
   compelled	
   to	
   do	
   this.	
  
             "LIFE	
  HAS	
  TO	
  MOVE	
  ON"

CONTD…

The local people want projects and government t
do something to manage the risk/disaster

                   BUT

The project wants to build their motivation and at
least change their attitude thssssat they should be
aware of it and should act themselves.

          DIFFICULT SITUATION !!!!!!

6. Community Based Disaster Management
  (CBDM)
     ¢ Dealing with a threat is increasing resilience.
     ¢ Based on indigenous knowledge.

     ¢ Some of the indigenous practices (Tharu community) used in

        Nepal:

  Sector               Approaches

  Farming              Use of organic fertilizers
                       Use of ‘tite-pati’ Artmisia species plant to control pest
                       Changing crop cycle
                       Use of organic fertilizer
                       Use of flood resistant rice in terai region
                       Plant crops demanding less rainfall
                       Indigenous seed saving

  Water Conservation   Rain water harvesting
                       Conservation ponds

  Flood                Building double storey house
                       Storing seeds on upper level to avoid flood damage
                       Rearing cattle on higher grounds
                       Capturing upland forest land
                       Temporary migration to upland

CONCLUSION

  The combination of these approaches is expected
 to result in communities that have the capacity
 to prepare for, withstand, and make a quick
 recovery from a hazard stress. Their livelihoods
 options do not cease during a disaster and, in non
 disaster times, increased productivity improves
 the economic situation of communities and
 strengthen their capacity to deal with future
 threats. This is a position of resilience.