Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction

Background

Disaster and Development are said to be two sides of same coin. These are so closely linked that disasters can both destroy development initiatives and create development opportunities, and that development schemes can both increase and decrease vulnerability. With the climate change and increasing frequency of natural hazards the progress of poverty alleviation strategies has been severely compromised.

Specifically in rural mountains development work has traditionally been focused on poverty eradication, with an attention on developing livelihood opportunities at the community level or most disadvantaged.

The devastating impact of Uttarakhand 2013 Tsunami has become a constant reminder of the vulnerability of human life to hazards, and also the disproportionate effect they have on poor people. Unless more determined efforts are made to address the loss of lives, livelihoods, infrastructures, disasters will become a serious obstacle to the achievement of any form of sustainable development.

Wherefore the need was felt to shift from a reactive approach to hazard events, to one of being more proactive in reducing our disaster risk. The principles of risk reduction combine structural, biological, and land use planning, and preparedness measures along side with insurance cover. Hazard prevention, mitigation and vulnerability reduction are achieved by building our individual capacity to survive and bounce back, and by strengthening and improving the functioning of support system in our rural mountain communities.

With this initiation, HARC is putting efforts in bringing people together within same community to collectively address a common disaster risk in a systematic way towards achieving safe and resilient community.

Goal

Himalayas may be rugged and majestic, but also have fragile environments that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Several such changes had deeply affected the agricultural practices among the local communities. Deterioration in traditional mountain food systems with a decline in agro-biodiversity has made the community more sensitive to environmental degradation. Therefore the major goal of Food from Forest is to strengthen the Himalayan people to cope with the effects of socio-economic and environmental changes through nutritional security, high value products, innovative livelihood options and rural income generation strategies through forests. Generating awareness among the localities regarding the importance of wild varieties of forests is extremely essential for the sustainability and security of the residing species in Himalayan range.

Through this HARC is aiming on the health and future of Himalayan forests, by utilizing the bit of wild produces for high value products which will provide the sustainable livelihood and ensure a better future for Himalayan community.

Outcomes

• Nutritional security to marginal people of Himalayan range.
• Sustainable forest management.
• Protected natural ecosystem.
• Promoting livelihood resilience and food and economical security.
• Protection and propagation of endangered wild species