Natural Resource Management Approaches incorporating

Disaster risk reduction

Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, CEO, GEO http://e-geo.org

Centre for Disaster ManagementDr. MCR HRD Institute of AP, India 8th

Nob

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1. Disasters and disaster trends

Disaster impacts are generally increasing as a result of the combination of increasing populations, greater concentrations of people and assets in vulnerable areas, greater use of insurance and the modification and degradation of natural environments, such as floodplain settlement, coastal exploitation, wetland destruction, river channelling, deforestation, soil erosion and fertility decline. Vulnerability to hazards is exacerbated by poverty, disease, conflict and population displacement

The context of natural hazards in the continuum of human experience

D. Bashir & M. Garba 8

Disaster to includes– death toll;– traumatized population (through injury,

homelessness, loss of livelihoods); – environmental and economic impacts that

overwhelmed the coping capacity of the affected people)

Disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic and/or environmental losses which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources (UN-ISDR, 2002)

Why is climate change adaptation needed?

Photo: Shehab Uddin/DRIK/Oxfam GB

• Climate changing is undermining the sustainability of livelihoods.

• Climate change is overwhelming the natural resources on which livelihoods depend.

• Climate change is increasing climate-related disaster risk.

Who are most vulnerable and why?

• Those who depend on climate-sensitive resources and ecosystems for their livelihoods; agriculture, fisheries, forests.

• Those who live in marginalised and hazard prone areas; deforested hillsides, flood plains, urban slums.

• Those with limited assets and political voice to enable them to respond to the impacts of climate change; low adaptive capacity.

Factors Affecting Disaster Impacts

• Impacts of disasters are exacerbated by a number of factors that include:– poor land-use planning,– population growth,– environmental

mismanagement,– increasing levels of

vulnerability,– poor planning,– poor governance,– climate change,– lack of regulatory

mechanisms, &– corruption

Impacts of Climate Change

• Water related hazards are likely to get worse in this century due to climate change

• IPCC estimated the impact of global warming and predicted that:– "Drought-affected areas will likely

increase in extent;– Heavy precipitation events, which are

very likely to increase in frequency, will augment flood risk."

Vulnerability analysis and HazardsIV

Wel

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disaster

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(a) coping

(d) climate change adaptation

time

Wel

l-bei

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hazards

(b) resilience

timedisaster

time

(c) climate change impacts

more frequent disasters

Gradual changes undermining well-being

Coping, resilience and adaptation

Disaster Risk Reduction agenda and challenge

Prior to 1990s - Civil Defence, Relief organizations: humanitarian response to emergencies

During 1990s – International Decade on Natural Disaster (IDNDR), Yokohama strategy which also consider linkage between emergence of disasters/development

Since 2000 – International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR): reduce disaster risk

HFA: 2005-2015 – Building the resilient communities and nations to disasters as part of Development & linked to Humanitarian agenda

Reactive

Proactive

Reconstruction

Prevention

Mitigation

Preparedness

Response

Recovery

Disaster

Disaster Risk Reduction actors

Humanitarian actors

Holistic approach: combine efforts to reduce disaster impacts

Disaster Risk Reduction Cycle

Sustainable Development actors

Drought Definition and Typology

Elements of Drought Risk Red. Framework & Practices

1. Policies and governanceTo ensure that drought risk reduction is a national and local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation

Guiding principles Political commitment, strong institutions and appropriate governance, as part of SD Bottom-up approach with community participation Capacity building and knowledge development Policies emphasize mitigation and preparedness, based o sound risk identification Policy mechanisms Long-term investment in mitigation

Main subjects Building political and public alliance: roles and responsibilities of actors Capacity development Components of a drought policy National drought policy case studies Provincial drought policies

Drought Risk Reduction elements

2. Drought risk identification, impact assessment, and early warning (local, national & trans-boundary scope)

Drought risk is a combination of hazard and vulnerability Understand hazard: monitoring and early warning system Vulnerability analysis: physical, socio-economic, livelihoods,

cultural, political, environmental, etc. Drought scenarios and impact assessment Forecast and EW

Drought Risk Reduction elements (cont.)

3. Awareness and knowledge management

Promote a culture of prevention and resilience. Effective information management and knowledge exchange. Awareness campaigns with political and public commitment. Identification and promotion of indigenous knowledge,

skills and good practices. Education and training opportunities to reduce risk. Sustained political commitment.

Drought Risk Reduction elements (cont.)

IV

4. Reducing underlying factors of drought risk and innovation

Sustainable ecosystems and environmental management. DRR strategies integrated with CC Adaptation. Analysis of food security causes. Land-use planning and rural development Financial risk sharing mechanisms. Public-private partnership, etc.

Drought Risk Reduction elements (cont.)

IV

5. Effective drought mitigation and preparedness measures

Promote a culture of drought mitigation and preparedness. Dialogue/communication between mitigation/response actors. Unify top-down and bottom-up approaches. Enhance capacities and included locals in implementation. Implementation of mitigation and preparedness measures,

structural and non structural.

Drought Risk Reduction elements (cont.)

IV

Climate Change will put additional stress in

rural areas

Source : IPCC/SRESA2

5 degrees = What separates us from the last glacial era (-15 000 BC)

Models’ forecasts : +1,4 to +5,8 degrees by 2100.

TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATIONS

Impact of Climate Change on society

Climate change will cause heavier tropical cyclones.

…Sandy, Katrina, Rita, Stan, Wilma…

Less visual but with major impact

> Temperature increase> Sea level rise> More rain

Agriculture and food securityCrop yields, irrigation demands...

ForestComposition, health and productivity...

Water resourcesWater supply, water quality...

Coastal areas Erosion, inundation, cost of prevention...

Species and natural areasBiodiversity, modification of ecosystems...

Human healthInfectious diseases, human settlements...

Consequences of climate change:

VulnerabilityVulnerability to climate change is the risk of

adverse things happening Vulnerability is a function of three factors:

Exposure

Sensitivity

Adaptive capacity

Exposure

•Exposure is what is at risk from climate change, e.g.,

– Population– Resources– Property

•It is also the climate change that an affected system will face, e.g.,

– Sea level– Temperature– Precipitation– Extreme events

Sensitivity

• Biophysical effect of climate change– Change in crop yield, runoff,

energy demand• It considers the socioeconomic

context, e.g., the agriculture system

• Grain crops typically are sensitive

• Manufacturing typically is much less sensitive

Adaptive Capacity

• Capability to adapt• Function of:

– Wealth– Technology – Education– Institutions– Information– Infrastructure– “Social capital”

• Having adaptive capacity does not mean it is used effectively

Vulnerability is a Function of …

• More exposure and sensitivity increase vulnerability

• More adaptive capacity decreases vulnerability

• An assessment of vulnerability should consider all three factors

Adaptation“adjustment in natural or human

systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm of exploits beneficial opportunities”

(Third Assessment Report, Working Group II)

Includes “actual” (realized) or “expected” (future) changes in climate

Adaptation (continued)

Two types of adaptationAutonomous adaptation or reactive adaptation tends to be what people and systems do as impacts of climate change become apparent

Anticipatory or proactive adaptation are measures taken to reduce potential risks of future climate change

SL framework: Determinants of adaptive capacity

Livelihood resources

Examples

Human Knowledge, Skills

Social Women’s savings and loans groups, farmer- CBOs

Physical Irrigation infrastructure, seed and grain storage facilities

Natural Reliable water source, productive land

Financial Micro-insurance, diversified income sources

Policies, institutions and power structures

Capitals

Watershed activities focus on vulnerability reduction

Livelihood support

enforcing rights

Productivity of natural

resources

Enhancement of knowledge

Every drop counts

Methods of waterharvesting

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (WDP)

Improve and sustain productivity and production potentials of the dry/semi-arid regions of India through adoption of appropriate production and conservation technologies.

Meet the needs of local rural communities for food, fuel, fodder and timber. Improve all types of lands, i.e., Government, Forest, Community and Private Lands falling within a watershed.

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (WDP)

WDPs, in short: A holistic approach to improve and develop the economic and natural resource base of dry/semi-arid/fragile regions. In a watershed development program the watershed is the unit for development rather than political or administrative boundaries

WDP Activities• i) Land Development:

Levelling and terracing, improving soil quality and productivity; and watershed reclamation.

• ii) Water Development: Promote in situ water harvesting and conservation, establish percolation ponds and open wells, tanks, small reservoirs, and improving water quality.

WDP Activities

iii)Enterprises/Activities: Evolve appropriate farming systems, – encourage a crop mix of

high value/high yield crops, – social/agro-forestry, – other income-generating

activities like dairying, poultry-keeping, etc.

Some Illustrations of Benefits of WDPs

• -Replacing seasonal/annual crops with agro-silvi, agrohorti, silvi-horti; systems on hill slopes/degraded lands. Benefits: reduce soil erosion; arrest surface run-offs.

• -Training water to store excess water run-offs in farm ponds/percolation tanks. Benefits: improve groundwater recharge.

• -Construction of earthen or vegetative bunds or barriers to surface run-offs in a watershed. Benefits: help in moisture conservation.

MGNREGA• 'National Rural Employment Guarantee

Act'2005 (NREGA)• Act guarantees 100 days of employment

in a financial year to every household• A social safety net for the vulnerable

groups and an opportunity to combine growth with equity

• Structured towards harnessing the rural work-force, not as recipients of doles, but as productive partners in our economic process

• Assets created result in sustained employment for the area for future growth employment and self-sufficiency

Climate Change / Variability in Semi-arid regions

Precipitation is less than potential evapotranspiration.

Low annual rainfall of 25 to 60 centimeters and having scrubby vegetation with short, coarse grasses; not completely arid.

Crop Water

Soil Climate

Energy Environment

Nature of Works Water based• » Water conservation • » Water harvesting• » Micro and minor

irrigation works• » Provision of irrigation

facilities• » Desilting of tanks• » Renovation of traditional

water bodies• » Flood control and

protection works

Land based• » Land development

Forest/ Agro--Forestry• » Afforestation• » Horticulture

Infrastructure• » Rural roads

Conservation technologies

can build adaptive capacities to cope with increasing water stress, providing “more crop per drop”.

Stress-tolerant, climate-resilient

varieties of seeds,

drip irrigation,

zero-tillage, raised-bed planting, laser-levelling,

Systems of Rice Intensification

(SRI),

AFPRO 51Human / Social Natural / Environmental / Physical Economic / Political

SCENARIO 1

Policies/Structures Vulnerability Adaptability

Rural Poverty Livelihoods Diversification

Appropriate Skills Water Management

Agriculture Production Water Resources

Energy

Climate Change

Community Empowerment

Bio Diversity

“VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND ENHANSING ADAPTIVE CAPACITY TO CLIMATE

CHANGE IN SEMI-ARID AREAS OF INDIA”

GSBC PROJECT INTEGRATED APPROACH

Major challenges of Agriculture

Climate change - variability - extremes

Soil fertility Water management

Impact of hazardous

pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers

Burning of crop residue

Alkalinity of soils

FACILITATION RESEARCH

ACTIVITY

CAPACITYDEVELOPMENT

Field level interventions

CULTURAL

SPIRITUAL

BELIEFS

RITUALS

FESTIVALS

ALTARS

CREMATION

SOURCES (BIOMASS)

GOOD STOVES• TLUDs• Other stoves

CROP RESIDUE

POULTRY LITTER

WASTE MANAGEMENT• Sludge

PRACTICES

FOODPRESERVING

FOOD

CLEANING

MEDICINE

MATTRESS

TOOTH POWDER

AIR QUALITY• CO2 / CH4WATER

TREATMENT

AQUARIUM /

TERRARIUMS

BIOCHAR BRICKS

BIOCHAR URINALS

SOAK PITS

FILTERING MEDIA

INSECT REPELLENT

SOIL AMENDMENT

INCREASED PRODUCTION

SOIL TEMPERATURE

REGULATED

MOISTURE RETENTION

WATER CONSERVATION

NITROGEN / PHOSPHOROUS

RETENTION

NURSERIES

PESTICIDES ADBSORBTION

SOIL MICROBES DENSITY

INCREASE

BIOCHAR COMPOST

EARTHWORMS INCREASE

TERMITES / ANTS

REPULSION

CARBON SEQUESTRATIO

N

ANIMALS

POULTRY - CH4 REDUCTION

LIVESTOCK - URINE AND DUNGFYM / COMPOST

BIOMASS

BIOCHAR

ENERGY

BIOCHARCULTURE

Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, GEOhttp://e-geo.org | http://biocharculture.com

SOIL

BIOCHAR

BIOCHAR COMPOST

AGRICUTURE

PADDY METHANE EMISSIONS REDUCTION

PESTICIDE & COMPLEX

CHEMICALS AFFECTS

MITIGATION

EMMISIONS REDUCTION FROM FARM

YARD MANURES AND

COMPOSTS

CROP RESIDUE MANAGEMENT

ANIMALS

APPLICATION IN ANIMAL

PLACES TO TAP URINE,

SANITATION AND

EMISSIONS REDUCTION

RUMINANT ANIMALS METHANE EMISSIONS

REDUCTION AS FEED ADDITIVE

SOAKING IN WITH ANIMALS

URINE AND EXCRETA -

VALUE ADDITION

ENERGY

SOURCE FROM EFFICIENT TLUD COOK STOVES

AS BY PRODUCT FROM GASIFIER

STOVES, BOILERS ETC

CHARCOAL PRODUCTION

FROM BIOMASS /

WASTE MANAGEMENT

HABITAT

BIOCHAR BRICKS

BIOCHAR IN AQUARIUMS

BIOCHAR IN POULTRY FARMS

BIOCHAR IN FRIDGES,

MATTRESSES, ETC.

SANITATION

BIOCHAR URINALS

BIOCHAR TOILETS

BIOCHAR IN CATTLE SHEDS

CLEANING PLATES / UTENSILS

BATHING

HEALTH

CLEANING TEETH

BIOCHAR TABLETS

BIOCHAR IN FOOD AS PART

OF FOOD PREPARATIONS

WATER

WATER PURIFICATION – COLOR, ODOR, REMOVAL OF

HARMFUL ELEMENTS,

ETC.

RITUAL / SPIRITUAL / RELIGIOUS / PRACTICES

FIRE / ALTAR / YAGNAS /

AGNIHOTRA

FIRE DURING FESTIVALS

CREMATIONS

NATURAL / ARTIFICIAL

FIRES IN FORESTS /

FIELDS, ETC.

BIOCHARCULTURE

BiocharcultureBiocharculture is the process of using Biochar,

including cultivation of crops

• Biochar is the charcoal produced from carbonaceous source material. Sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in terrestrial ecosystems

• Biocharculture is one of the means to integrate for sustainable cultivation and carbon sequestration.

• Biochar is usually produced at around temperatures 300 to 600 degrees centigrade for example as found in the common biomass cook stoves.

• Because of its macromolecular structure dominated by aromatic C, Biochar is more recalcitrant to microbial decomposition than uncharred organic matter

Biocharculture Adaptation benefits

Securing the crop from drought and climate variabiiity

Reclaim the degraded soils, water conservation,

Lessen the impact of hazardous

pesticides and complex chemicals & to reduce plant

uptake.

reducing emissions and increasing the sequestration of

greenhouse gases

Conversion of crop residue into Biochar

an option and address carbon sequestration

Increase in crop yield

increases in C, N, pH, and available P

to the plants

Impacts of Biochar last more than 1000

years.

Temperature regulation in the

soil

Reduction in leaching of the bio /

chem fertilizers applied

Increase in the soil microbes / worms at the biochar and

soil interface

CONTROL AND BIOCHAR - OKRA

Farmers focus80% ON CROP20% ON SOIL

BIOCHAR COMPOST

APPLICATION IN THE FIELDS

OKRA - CONTROL AND BIOCHAR PLOTS

CONTROL BIOCHAR COMPOST 4 KGS 8 KGS 12 KGS

1.5 FEET 6 FEET

CONTROL

BIOCHAR

BIOCHAR RESULTS

GSBC PROJECT, 2009 (DORUGHT PREVAILED DURING THE GROWING SEASON)

Methane Emissions from paddy fields

Biochar – livestock urine

Thank you…References: http://...