Risk management

UN funds, platforms and programmes use DRR as conceptual framework

Disaster risk reduction (DDR)

The concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and manage the causal factors of disasters, including through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse events.

Why does FAO use DRM?    For FAO, DRM goes beyond DRR

Disaster risk management (DRM) is a systematic process of using administrative directives, organizations, and operational skills and capacities to implement strategies, policies in order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster.

Disasters have most severe consequences on poor vulnerable and agriculturally-dependent populations. Food and agriculture play a key role in increasing community resilience to likely threats. DRM mitigates impact of crisis and help vulnerable people adapt

What is the FAO approach? 

o   Reduce vulnerability of people before, during and after disasters

·         Continuum covers all phases of the DRM framework from pre-disaster (risk reduction), post- disaster (response, recovery and rehabilitation) to  development

·         Management perspective that combines prevention, mitigation and preparedness with response, recovery and rehabilitation – moving beyond DRR

·         Transition to development provides basis for an integrated DRM approach

What are the major common elements of FAO DRM projects and programmes?

• All phases of DRM framework incorporated
• Main aim to support national DRM planning processes to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards
• Three target audiences: local communities and small scale farmers; local Government and national Ministries
• Baseline assessment – identified good practice

Focus on national strategies and programmes

Good Practice Examples (2004-2009)

• Caribbean Region: prevention and mitigation
• Horn of Africa: preparedness
• Pakistan: response
• Indonesia: transition

Focus on Prevention and Mitigation - Cuba, Grenada, Haiti and Jamaica

Impact mitigation of climatic hazards in agriculture

• Pilot interventions at community level
• Integrated preparedness into immediate response and medium term recovery and rehabilitation in agriculture and livestock sector
• Lessons learned for small farmers to reduce effects of hurricanes, landslides, flooding and drought
• Good coping strategies:
• diversified cropping (strip and mixed)
• control soil erosion (contour)
• tree management

Focus on Preparedness - Horn of Africa

Coordination and capacity strengthening for disaster and drought preparedness

• Reduce vulnerability of agro-pastoralists in Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda
• Enhance livelihood and drought-related animal production systems
• Improve food security and early warning (linked to IPC – Integrated Food Security Phase Classification)
• Enhance community based EWS and contingency planning
• Create pastoralist farmer field schools
• Develop guidelines and training based on lessons learned

Focus on response – Pakistan

Livelihoods Baseline Assessments

• FAO developed a livelihood baseline with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) 
• Evolved into the FAO-ILO Livelihood Assessment Toolkit (LAT)
• LAT approach used to formulate effective response to 2008 floods and hazard baselines (ongoing)
• One UN – DRM Joint Programme

Focus on Transition – Indonesia

Building back better after the tsunami

• Transition to build capacities of local and provincial authorities as well as vulnerable fishing communities to jointly manage coastal fisheries in a sustainable way
• Model of post-disaster rehabilitation and transition project – demonstrates how development practices can be applied in relief settings and  emergency projects
• Develop, introduce and demonstrate good practices for longer-term sustainable development in fisheries

Food Chain Crisis Management
    Framework based on three main crisis management entities:

1. CMC - Intelligence and Coordination Unit
2. CMC - Emergency Prevention and Early Warning Unit:

            Based on the Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pest and Diseases (EMPRES). A specific EMPRES component for food safety is under development.

3. CMC - Rapid Response Unit (Animal Health, Plant Health, Food Safety)  

Food Market Risk Management

• Managing food import risks rather than trying to change global market fundamentals
• Global or national stockholding arrangements are inefficient and will not achieve much
• Reforming existing commodity exchanges is not likely to change fundamentals of commodity markets
• Unpredictability reduction can be obtained by using either future or options with reasonable cost
• To increase reliability of global food import markets need better contract enforcement mechanisms
• An Food Import Financing Facility (FIFF) could go some way to make global food import markets more reliable and avoid policies which may create more global distortions