Inter-sectoral approach to CBDRM integrating disaster preparedness with livelihood concerns and institutional development - Partners for Resilience

3.3.4 Inter-sectoral approach to CBDRM integrating disaster preparedness with livelihood concerns and institutional development - Partners for Resilience

This CBDRM approach is being developed by the Partners for Resilience (PfR) 14 , a partnership of NGOs at (inter)national level which we observed in NTT. There Caritas Keuskupan Maumere (CKM), Wetlands International, PMI and LPTP form the local partnership that implements PfR’s programme. PfR applies an intersectoral approach where each NGO select its own entry point provided that the selected communi ties are affected by the same or related hazard-type and that each NGO will be able to contribute its specific expertise to these communities.

Caritas Keuskupan Maumere (CKM) is an organization under the Diocese of Maumere district. CKM uses the Catholic network as an entry point in local communities to raise awareness on disasters. CKM, sup ported by Karina and Cordaid through the PfR, aims to reduce disaster risk through a compre hensive DRR approach, meaning combining livelihood concerns with disaster preparedness and miti gation. The com muni ty raised their livelihoods (farming) concerns which have been largely affected by hydro-meteoro logical disasters, in particular drought and floods. While the impacts were not visible during the field visits, the communities conserved seeds for next planting season and made plans in construct ing water trap and infiltration. The communities partner well with the district Agriculture Department, while its relationship with BPBD is still weak. The advantage of this approach is that it integrates disaster risk and preparedness in people’s livelihoods strategies.

Wetlands International (WI) activities in Sikka deal with a whole range of disaster reduction measures. Its entry points are existing CBO networks developed in previous projects. The communities work as farmers and fishermen and are affected by climate-related hazards like droughts and flash floods. Their settle ment is further severely threatened by coastal erosion. WI aims to restore the coastal environ ment through mangrove plantation, which serves both as mitigation of coastal erosion and as a measure to enhance people’s livelihoods since mangroves are favorite fish breeding places. Some households receive loans for running small business and in return they have to participate in the mangrove planting project. If the activities are successful, the communities do not need to return the loan.

Lembaga Pengembangan Teknologi Perdesaan (LPTP) activities in Ende are also part of the PfR alliance. LPTP uses the informal structure that exists in the communities as entry point. The communities work as farmers and livestock breeder. They are affected a lot by climate change impacts in terms of changing rainy and dry seasons causing difficulties in deciding when to cultivate their lands. However, during the discussion with LPTP, the community raised concern that they need to tackle the current environmental problems they face due to unmanaged faeces from pig husbandary. Therefore with the help of LPTP the community installed a biogas production system from pig faeces. The production of biogas also helps to reduce the number of wood used for cooking which could later reduce number of tree cutting in the forest. This will reinforce the forest to keep water and reduce run-off that could cause flash flood and trigger land slides. The approach of LPTP integrates livelihood concerns with long-term disaster mitigation strategies by indirectly protecting the environment.

14 This inter-sectoral approach is new for the PfR and subject of a learning trajectory to develop evidence-based DRR policy on how to best integrate humanitarian assistance with climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

BUILDING DISASTER AWARENESS BASED ON NETWORKS OF

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Communities affected by

CKM (Caritas

hydro-meterological disasters

Keuskupan

(floods, droughts, coastal

Seeing DRR as whole range

Maumere

erosion), tsunami, earhquake.

of activities in reducing risks, including beyond preparedness

WI Field

measures

Office

So far 1 year

PMI

Selection of key members

out of 4 years

based on existing farmers

planned

groups (Gapoklan)

LPTP

Partner for

Facilitation

Resilience (PfR)

Issues raised livelihood Netherland Red problems as DRR

Cross (NRC) enabling condition

Cordaid

Flexibility for communities in

Wetlands

raising their priorities, issues

International (WI)

and local needs

Care

Formation of CBDRM-team and division of DPT roles and responsibilities

BPBD

The inter-sectoral approach means that PfR community facilitators assist and support each other at the local level. For example, WI staff supports CKM with technical advice on seed planting. WI has knowledge and skills regarding which types of plants are suitable for conservation given the soil condition. At the same time, when it comes to community mobilization for DRM, CKM was asked to help in disaster preparedness simulations in the communities assisted by WI while PMI provided training on emergency situations. An inter-sectoral partnership approach facilitates knowledge exchange, particularly when this has been agreed upon and formalised at a national level. Such a partnership will further facilitate lobby at a local level with local government since the PfR members work closely with different sectoral (line) departments. In this way they have more entry-points to engage with government than when they would operate as single NGOs.