1. BACKGROUND

1.1 The Challenge

Recurrent natural hazards such as drought, floods, storms (hurricanes/tropical cyclones, tornadoes, sand/dust storms), are major factors increasing the vulnerability of local communities and food insecurity of rural producers. They hamper sustainable rural development initiatives and aggravate other financial, health and environmental shocks, and can determine the emergence of complex political disasters.

Global data indicate that in the last decade natural hazards occurred more frequently than in the past and were more destructive. Weather-related hazards continue to increase, from an annual average of 200 per year between 1993-1997, to 331 per year between 1998-2002. Although compared to the 1990’s, reported global deaths from natural disasters have fallen (24,500 people reported killed in 2002 against a yearly average of 62,000 in the previous decade); the number of people reported affected is increasing dramatically (608 million people affected in 2002 compared with the annual average of 200 million in the previous decade)^[1].

The relationship between development and disaster risk is clearly described in the recent UNDP Report on disaster risk reduction^[2]: about 75% of the world’s population lives in areas affected at least once between 1980 and 2000 by earthquakes, tropical cyclones, floods or drought. While only 11% of the people exposed to natural disasters live in countries which were classified according to the UNDP human development index (HDI) as countries with a low HDI, these countries account for more than 53% of the total recorded deaths. In terms of economic impact, two thirds of the losses reported in 2002 (US$ 69 billion) affected countries with high human development indices. However, the latter is clearly a reflection of the value of infrastructure and assets at risk. Figures show that there is a clear link between development status and disaster impact; there is also evidence that disaster risk accumulates historically through inappropriate development interventions (for example, increasing risks related to urbanization, environmental degradation, and climate change). Disaster reduction policies should therefore include a two-fold aim to: “enable societies to be resilient to natural hazards and ensuring that development efforts do not increase vulnerability to those hazards”^[3].

1.2 Global Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction and FAO’s Related Mandate

While recognizing that assistance in the response phase of a natural disaster remains important and needs to be enhanced at different levels, there is an increasingly common understanding among all stakeholders that the ultimate aim of DRM should be to reduce the vulnerability of rural and urban people and their communities (and countries) to natural hazards, through the implementation of more effective prevention and preparedness measures, and integration of risk management into long-term development planning.

The International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) reflects a shift in focus from hazard protection to risk management and provides a framework for complementary action of different UN Agencies in disaster reduction. It aims at building disaster resilient communities by promoting increased awareness of the importance of disaster reduction as an integral component of sustainable development. The promotion of public commitment in DRM is one of the four main objectives of the ISDR. Furthermore the increased importance given to socio-economic vulnerability as a key risk factor underlined the need for wider participation of local communities in disaster risk reduction activities

The 1996 World Food Summit Plan (WFS) of Action stresses the need to develop efficient emergency response mechanisms and recommends to governments to involve communities, local authorities and institutions in implementing emergency operations to better identify and reach populations and areas at greatest risk (Objective 5.3). In the same spirit, the WFS Plan of Action also recommends to governments to “strengthen linkages between relief operations and development programmes...so that they are mutually supportive and facilitate the transition from relief to development” (Objective 5.4).

The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Plan of Implementation has reiterated the importance of the issue and called for action at all levels for an integrated, multi-hazard, inclusive approach to address vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

FAO has a crucial role to play. The vast majority of natural disasters occur in rural areas and are threatening agricultural production and food security in particular (on both temporary and long-term scales). FAO is well positioned to ensure that national and local DRM strategies include specific considerations and agendas addressing risks in the agricultural sector in a sustainable and, to the degree possible, proactive way. FAO has clearly signaled that development objectives should not and cannot be set aside during emergencies. In its Medium Term Plan 2002-2007, FAO identified “disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness and post-emergency relief and rehabilitation” as a priority area for inter-disciplinary action (PAIA). This programme is being implemented through a relief-development continuum. On the basis of the recommendations of the Programme Committee Report (Eighth Session, September 2002), FAO decided to further strengthen its technical activities and policy advisory support in countries that are especially prone to natural disasters with a view to ensuring that disaster management is a key consideration within agricultural development policies and programmes in such countries and promoting the more effective integration of post-emergency support into long-term disaster risk management (DRM) and rural development (RD) strategies. However, until to date most of FAO’s efforts have concentrated on the responsive aspects of disaster management rather than on the prevention/preparedness phases.

To this end, FAO’s Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division (TCE), together with several technical services of FAO, is promoting a more effective integration of post-emergency support with long-term disaster risk management and rural development (RD) strategies.

1.3 The Entry Point and Contribution of the Rural Development Division to DRM

The Rural Development Division (SDA) of FAO tackles the issue of disaster risk management from an institutional perspective within the context of Rural Development and Decentralization. Disaster risk management is, among other rural development activities, particularly important for lessening both sudden and chronic vulnerabilities of rural communities and households. The creation of the link between RD and DRM and the identification of the main actors/stakeholders at different levels and their roles in DRM and particularly the key role that local institutions play in implementing successful DRM strategies, describes SDA’s entry point to DRM.

SDA’s working approach builds on the basic assumption that the sound understanding of existing institutional capacities and possible gaps, and the comparative advantages of different actors in DRM, particularly at decentralized levels, is a key requirement for a successful shift from reactive emergency relief operations towards long-term disaster risk prevention and its integration into regular rural development planning.

SDA’s experience shows that the recognition, responsibilities and resources available to local organizations are often limited, and their capacities are not developed enough to enable them to fulfill their potential roles required to make decentralized operations work. A particular challenge for governments and development agencies in the context of rural development, decentralisation and DRM is the question of how to best promote local capacities and mobilize local organizations to actively participate, according to their comparative advantages, together with higher level institutions, in the design and implementation of locally adapted disaster risk prevention and management strategies.

This interim report summarises the main issues, findings and recommendations arising from the first phase of SDA’s work on DRM, including a first consolidation and comparative analysis of a literature review, case studies and the workshop discussions.