Community Based DRR Online Course

Center for Sustainable Development (CSDi)
Tue, 13 Jan 2015
It is estimated that over 70% of all disasters are now related to extreme weather events. Because of this, disaster risk reduction should become an integral part of adaptation projects. Community based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) holds the same merit that community based adaptation does: ownership and sustainability.

The goal of this course is to cost efficiently provide DRR field workers anywhere in the world with personalized information, consultation, knowledge and skills that empower them work more effectively in improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable people by increasing the impact of CBDRR programs.

This past year CSDi has participated in a number of DRR partner projects worldwide. We are seeing tremendous similarities between the projects: chiefly disasters caused by extreme weather events and flooding—and a lack of knowledge of effective techniques for disaster risk reduction. The disasters seen in student projects have lead to reduced harvests for smallholder farmers, reduced incomes, reduced food security, the destruction of homes and assets and the displacement of families.

The solutions that students have been developing for their projects include land management plans, watershed/forest restorations, rainy season drainage programs, community-based disaster preparedness and risk reduction programs, community-based flood mitigation and adaptation programs, community-based flash flood and landslide prevention programs, and advocacy programs for government flood response support.

In this course, students and their community members will first develop a participatory mapping of disaster risks, hazards, assets and community capacity, and then consult with a DRR expert to develop a participatory training process for developing a DRR Program specific to their local context.

The course includes an overview of DRR practices complete with downloadable manuals and field guides for each technique.

English