150 likes | 369 Views
Poverty, Adaptation and Disaster Risk Interface: Linking Research and Practice Dr. Tom Mitchell. 23 rd March 2009. Disaster - Poverty Cycle. Source: Piyoosh (2006). Poverty Statistics. Urban and rural income poverty 2002 (poverty line = $1.08/day, 1993 PPP).
E N D
Poverty, Adaptation and Disaster Risk Interface: Linking Research and Practice Dr. Tom Mitchell 23rd March 2009
Disaster - Poverty Cycle Source: Piyoosh (2006)
Poverty Statistics Urban and rural income poverty 2002 (poverty line = $1.08/day, 1993 PPP) Source: Ravallion, Chen, and Sangraula (2007)
Disaster Risk , Adaptation and Poverty connected • Impact of disaster or climate-related stress can lead to damaging coping strategies among chronically poor: • Distress sales of critical assets • Crime/conflict • Children leave school to work • Use of critical ecosystem assets (Thomas et al. 2005)
Coping Strategies Coping strategies during a drought in Namibia, 1992 (Devereux 2007)
EMPOWERMENT - Political say - Confidence - Dignity SERVICES - Clean water - Schooling - Health care Hazards Conflict Disease Economic crisis Floods Drought Social and Political dimensions Gender Age, class disability legislation institutions WELL BEING Absence of Poverty Well-being: Absence of Poverty INCOME - Food - Shelter - Clothing ASSETS - Land - Tools - Credit - Family & Friends Multiple dimensions of poverty (+ well being)
Categories of Poverty Source: Jalan and Ravallion (2000)
Need for greater resolution Projected effect of a 10% increase in maize prices on the welfare of different wealth groups in rural Malawi (FAO 2008)
Targeting Vulnerability of Chronically Poor • Employment Guarantee Schemes: • Safety nets effective when already in place when disaster strikes • Insurance inaccessible for rural poor • National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (India): • 100 days work at minimum wage every year • Unemployment benefit • Highly effective in fight against seasonal hunger/famine • Maharashtra – Evidence of avoided famine in drought years Source: Devereux, Vaitla and Hauenstein Swan (2008)
Conclusion • Poverty and disasters in reinforcing cycle • Coping with impact of disasters varies widely between different categories of poor • DRR and adaptation interventions more successful if also seek to reduce poverty and are tailored to specific asset mixes/needs of different socio-economic groups within countries and communities. • Social protection schemes (proactive) show promise and has growing untapped, for adaptation/DRR literature. • Requires shift to household approaches • Integration of DRR/adaptation into PRSPs with commitment to greater resolution.