(f) Linkages and coordination among and between institutional levels: The issues of coordination, communication and collaborative linkages between institutional levels constitute a crucial topic to be addressed in the overall assessment. Key questions to identify strengths and weaknesses of vertical and horizontal linkages and proposals for improvement should be incorporated into the studies at each level.
A specific session to discuss these issues across levels and with a variety of key stakeholders is essential. The best moment to call such a joint stakeholder meeting to discuss vertical and horizontal coordination, communication flow and integration of DRM issues between levels, is once the raw data from the individual levels have been screened and some hypotheses drawn to serve as a basis for discussion. While the primary roles and functions that DRM organizations have or should have at the national, district and community levels will be covered in more depth in modules 3-5, an example of key roles and functions of each level are given in Table 2.1 in order to provide the basis for comparing the complementary contributions of each level.
(g) Sector-specific diagnosis: Many DRM functions overlap/coincide with the mandates of sectoral ministries or agencies. For instance, Ministries of Agriculture and/or Water Resources often address DRM-related challenges such as sustainable water and soils management, and sustainable natural resource management. It is therefore crucial that the assessment also takes account of these sectoral ministries’ DRM-related mandates and programmes and the specific sectoral issues. These aspects need to be carefully analyzed to understand how coordination mechanisms with the formal DRM system are set up and function is equally important. By way of illustration, this Guide provides some insights into the issues in the agricultural sector with a view to highlighting the disaster risks inherent in agriculture, and the roles and contributions which agriculture should make to a fully functioning DRM system. It is important to stress that a sector-specific diagnosis should be integrated with the analyses of the national DRM system and institutional structures.
3. Data analysis, report writing and wrap-up meeting(s)
(h) Data analysis and report writing: A draft report dealing with the overall findings and recommendations should be prepared for presentation during a wrap-up meeting with representatives of the national government organizations, NGOs and donor organizations. One possible approach to analysing, integrating and structuring the findings from the field studies is described in Module 6. At least three to four days will be needed for the analysis and report-writing.
Table 2.1 Primary roles and functions of various organizations15 at different levels by DRM elements (illustrative example)
Pre-disaster Disaster/emergency Post-disaster
Level Actors
Prevention Mitigation Preparedness Response Recovery Development
International International agencies
Raise awareness on DRM
Ensure quality in donor funded infrastructure
Fund Food For Work and rehabilitation programmes
Declare a disaster and state of emergency
Set up emergency and recovery fund
Prepare Codes of Conduct in relief and development. for promotion of risk- reducing technology
Implement Food For Work or other distribution of sector specific inputs
Provide training to local NGOs national & local level
Set up rehab. projects to restore lost assets
Promote local institutional development
Local government Develop local disaster prevention plan projects for public goods
Prepare local risk maps and disseminate information Community Local leaders/
representatives
Act as advisory focal points
Advise how to reduce local vulnerability
Local-level NGOs Provide training to local CBOs
Define local priorities to reduce vulnerability and other special activities
Integrate DRM in
Provide moral support and advice
15 The roles and functions described in this table are only indicative.
(i) Wrap-up meetings: A single or separate wrap-up meetings should be organized with the intermediary- and national-level organizations to share the team’s indicative findings and to discuss the implications of the findings and recommendations with national stakeholders. A separate wrap-up meeting may also be held with national-level project partners and donor agency representatives. The decision as to whether to hold joint or separate meetings with different stakeholder and interest groups will need to be taken in the light of local circumstances and sensitivities.
(j) Consolidating the final report: Final meetings before completing the assessment report may be required with the national DRM focal points to clarify facts and interpretations of the team’s findings and the feasibility of the proposed recommendations.
In conclusion, the various steps outlined above are summarized in Box 2.1 in order to highlight the logical sequence of these steps and the coherence of the approach.
Box 2.1 Flow chart for a diagnostic study of DRM institutional systems
Step 4: Provincial/regional/district institutional profile 9 Hold meetings/brain storming sessions with administrative officials 9 Interview selected district government/county/municipality officials 9 Discuss with district NGOs / Civil society organizations
9 Interview cooperative society and agri-business consortium officials 9 Interview private sector staff (e.g. input suppliers, traders, transporters)
Step 5: Community profile and local institutions
9 Hold key informant interviews with local institutional representatives 9 Hold group meetings with community representatives, religious leaders,
farmers’/producers’ groups and associations
9 Conduct PRAs and focus group meetings in selected villages 9 Undertake community profiling and local institutional assessments 9 Assess opportunities to and constraints to proactive DRM
Step 1: Initial preparations and literature review
9 Collect and analyse information about the national hazard context and existing DRM systems
9 Identify key DRM project design/implementation questions and national, district and local focal points 9 Collect and review country strategy documents, mandates, policies, DRM project reports etc.
Step 6: Data analysis and draft reporting 9 Integrate and structure the findings
9 Assess disaster risk perception in different institutions and communities 9 Assess the relevance of on-going DRM initiatives for local communities
9 Evaluate existing DRM systems, structures, roles, and policies and their implications for different institutional levels
9 Undertake gap analysis (institutional and technical ) to identify areas that need further attention
9 Assess the opportunities, limitations and constraints to establishing linkages within the agricultural sector 9 Assess the comparative operational and technical strengths in the different phases of DRM
9 Prepare a draft report dealing with the overall findings and preliminary recommendations
Step 7: Wrap-up meeting with in-country stakeholders and report finalization 9 Discuss findings, recommendations and implications
9 Identify and agree on future directions and the way forward 9 Review the requirements for implementing the follow up 9 Finalize the report and its recommendations
Step 3: National-level institutional profile
9 Hold separate brain storming meetings with DRM focal points 9 Interview representatives of relevant ministries and departments 9 Discuss with representatives of international and national NGOs 9 Interview representatives of national research and training institutes
Cross-cutting Step 2: Sector-specific linkages and coordinationAssess linkages of DRM systems with sectors (eg. agriculture/livestock/fishery/water resources/health ministries and departments) at various levels; Assess existing operational and technical practices in sector-specific DRM systems, identify institutions that are best placed to act on and coordinate specific aspects of DRM
Cross-cutting Step 1: Assessing horizontal and vertical linkages and coordination Assess communication mechanisms and channels, DRM planning at and between institutions, flow of early warning messages, technical exchange and collaboration, coordination and implementation at various DRM phases, awareness-raising strategies
Step 2: Inception meeting and field work planning meetings 9 Discuss the key features of the national hazard context
9 Agree on focal points at the national, district and local levels 9 Assess relevance of on-going DRM programmes
9 Select disaster-prone, vulnerable districts and villages for the field work 9 Identify key international, national organizations or NGOs/CSOs involved in
DRM at various levels
9 Plan for village visits and sequence of activities
9 Agree on counterpart and logistical support for the assessment