Disaster Risk Reduction at Mercy Corps

Disaster Risk Reduction is essential to Mercy Corps’mission to build secure, productive and just communities.What is DRR?For NGOs, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is the systematic development andapplication of policies, strategies and practices designed to minimize the vulnerability ofcommunities to the risks of disasters. DRR activities prepare communities and minimizethe adverse effects of hazards within the context of sustainable development and goodgovernance.What principles guide Mercy Corps DRR strategy?We focus our efforts to reduce disaster risks on three levels — at local communities, atnational and international DRR policy, and at programming within our own agency.A. Strengthening communitiesWe incorporate DRR in our work to help communities become more resilientto hazards and less likely to have their progress undermined by a disaster. Thisincludes analysing the impact of climate change and minimizing its compoundingeffects on current hazards through appropriate adaptation strategies.• We engage communities and local partners to increase their own resilienceMeaningful and inclusive participation in DRR assessments, planning and decisionmaking at the household, community, and local government levels is crucial toempower communities to ‘own’ their solutions and to identify and protect theirmost vulnerable members (e.g., children, people with disabilities).• We use a multi-hazard approach (including considering climate change)Communities reduce more risk and benefit most by preparing for several hazardsthey are likely to face (rather than just one). Often preparations are similarfor different hazards. Before DRR programs are implemented, the communityassesses its situation by completing a hazard, vulnerability, and capacityassessment (HVCA) which includes risk analysis and planning.• We aim to strengthen local DRR capacitiesLocal needs and priorities are the starting point for strengthening communitiesand their institutions. We strive to increase community’s capacities to leadrisk assessments (e.g., local hazard mapping, HVCAs), local action planning,preparedness activities (e.g., community-wide disaster drills), and to developbudgets and proposals.B. We advocate DRR-supportive policies and funding to multilateraland bilateral donorsChange at the community level will not be sustainable without supportingadjustments at the national and international levels. The Hyogo Framework forFlood Evacuation bridge in Tajikistan.Action 1 is the international platform for DRR and we organize our work to achievethe HFA’s 5 priorities:1. Ensure that DRR is a national priority2. Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning systems3. Build a culture of safety and resilience by using knowledge, innovation and education4. Reduce underlying risk factors5. Strengthen disaster preparednessC. We advance our DRR agenda by integrating a DRR perspective into existing programsOur goal is to integrate DRR in all our programming, but especially in areas with ahigh hazard risk.• We respond to natural hazards and complex emergencies by ‘building backbetter’ and adapting to climate change risks to create more resilient communities.In programs after the earthquake in Haiti, participants cleaned rubble anddrainage canals to prevent flooding during hurricanes.• In countries experiencing economic transition, we aim to build economicresilience by protecting livelihoods and diversifying the economy. In Georgia, ourwork developing the meat and dairy market includes emergency plans for floodingand forest fires.• In conflict-afflicted countries, we use DRR to bring groups togetherand we try to ensure that natural hazards do not intensify differences. In Ethiopia,farmers are more resistant to drought AND conflict through veterinary care andaccess to weather-related information.1 The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) is a ten-year action framework, 2005-2015. An agreement reachedby 168 member states after the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe (January 2005), it aims tosubstantially reduce the loss of life as well as the social, economic and environmental losses suffered by communitiesand nations as a result of disasters. UN-ISDR implements the HFA agenda.Constructing a bamboo spur toreduce the impacts of flooding.Case StudySonu Ram Chaudhary, memberof the disaster preparednesscommittee in Bishanpur knowsthe Mohana River like the backof his hand. He’s been swimmingand fishing along its banks for thelast 40 years and not all his memories are positive. The river has changed its course morethan 4/10s of a mile and cut off more than 86 acres of productive land while floodingcommunities and eroding riverbanks.During the monsoon season, heavy rainfall upstream triggers flash floods fordownstream communities. The floodwater carries huge amounts of sediment causing theriverbed to rise, undercutting one bank and depositing sediment on the other. The situationis further aggravated by back water when tributaries meet the bigger Mohana River in thesouth because there are stable and confined banks on the India side of the river.Before the bio-engineering DRR project, Sonu Ram, said: “We have tried everythingfrom constructing raised embankments parallel to the river flow to planting besarmi plantsalong the bank, and nothing has worked. Soon, we will be history.”But to solve these problem, bamboo walls were built to protect the sloping riverbanks,and trees and shrubs were planted on the banks and nearby land. This protected andstabilized the riverbanks by preventing erosion and reducing shallow landslides. The typeof vegetation planted was carefully selected to catch debris, reinforce the soil, anchorthe surface layer, support the slope and facilitate drainage. The bamboo structures arestrong at the beginning and as their strength gradually decreases, the plants and their rootstructures are get stronger.After the monsoon season Sonu Ram said: “This year’s flood was the biggest in 30years and where we did the bio-engineering work we didn’t lose any land to river erosion.We are impressed and plan to continue this work.” Bishanpur has now replicated more than550 meters of bank protection and are planning for 200 meters more this year.DISASTER RISK REDUCTIONSupporting Communities/Building ResilienceFor more information contact:DRR@mercycorps.orgCover: Nepal — Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps; Inside: Tajikistan — Jason Sangster for Mercy Corps; Poster, from top Left to Right: Nepal — Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps,Pakistan — Julie Denesha for Mercy Corps, Haiti — Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps, Tajikistan — John Strickland/Mercy Corps; Backcover: Nepal — Mercy Corps0811