Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and ... - GFDRR

collective suggestions to the government on livelihood restoration. Some tree crop farmers
indicated the possibility of switching to growing crops with a shorter production cycle
such as chili or basil although this would imply a reduction in potential earnings. Others are
contemplating switching to rice cultivation. The majority of fish farmers expect to continue
in their current line of activity although, similarly to what was noted for farmers, they would
prefer investing in fish species with a shorter growth cycle (so that they can start generating
income earlier). Some are, however, likely to be forced out of business as they do not
have the necessary additional capital to invest.
4.2 Social Relations and Cohesion
“Flood brings family together. We hardly spent time with our family at home. Each day we
ride motorcycles to hang out with friends in different places. During the flood we couldn’t
go anywhere, and stayed together at the house. Our parents are stressed with “money”
and debt. We never fished before but everyone learned how to fish to get more food to
eat. If there are activities to earn more money after school and help our communities, we
would join.” Youth group of Ban Tapkrit Pattana, Nakhon Sawan.
Gender and Inter-generational Relations
The team found that men and women played different roles in the response to the floods,
with no significant changes noted in gender roles or relations. Women were found in lower
paid occupations, particularly in urban areas, although the team did not observe a greater
debt burden compared to micro-businesses held by men.
At the village and community level, the team observed a small number of women leaders
actively coordinating the relief efforts. Both men and women volunteered during the relief
efforts, with their involvement being in line with traditional gender roles (e.g. women
worked in the kitchen while men took charge of security). While participating in relief activities
added to women’s work load, there was a general sense in the areas visited that family
members contributed to ease this additional burden. At the household level, men and
women in all visited sites appeared to hold similar decision making power when it came
to addressing the damage caused by the flood (this includes decisions such as protecting
houses or deciding on whether to evacuate). During the flood, families tended to remain
together either at the shelter or at their houses. Women in the rural areas indicated they
were slightly better informed than men as they were the ones primarily attending village
meetings.
Informal discussions were also held with youth (14 to 18) in two of the sites visited. As with
the remainder of the informants, young people did not report negative coping strategies
in their communities. They did, however, highlight some instances of family disputes due
to stress over finances but no incidents of violence against women and children. Youth
further reported their awareness of the difficult times being experienced by their neighborhoods
and villages and highlighted their willingness to contribute to their family’s income
through cash-for-work or other income generation activities.
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