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- Permanent Link:
- http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI13010951/00001
Notes
- Summary:
- This case study of Oxfam’s work with the Centre for Promotion, Research, and Rural and Social Development (CIPRES) implementing an Organic Cashew project in Nicaragua discusses linking disaster risk reduction (DRR) with livelihoods strategies as a significant step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability of such development and poverty reduction initiatives. While the project initially focused on improving the ability of farmers in León and Chinandega, Nicaragua to produce, process, and market their cashew seeds and nuts, and thus improve their livelihood security, it became apparent that these issues could not be addressed in isolation. During the first year of the project, their efforts were hampered by a series of environmental hazards, from recurrent flash floods, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires, to drought and water shortages related to soil degradation and desertification. This led them to understand that while disaster was a main threat to the economic wellbeing of impoverished rural communities in Nicaragua, DRR could protect livelihood gains, while livelihoods could function as a means to reduce vulnerabilities to disaster. Thus Oxfam and CIPRES integrated a number of DRR initiatives into their Organic Cashew project. To address the threat that flooding and landslides posed to crops, they assisted communities in building dykes and terraces. These same dykes were pivotal for dealing with drought conditions by helping to retain water in fields. Cashew plantations in turn served to reforest and improve soil quality. Oxfam also engaged in a number of capacity-building activities, such as disaster prevention and emergency response training for community-level committees; helped municipal governments form DRR offices; assisted communities in drawing up risk maps and identifying the most vulnerable groups; trained community members for search and rescue and first aid, and put together emergency plans. They also hosted a number of hazard awareness-raising workshops. The document highlights three good practices gleaned from Oxfam’s work. The first is its work with cooperatives, and thus support for organizing at the local level, which can be readily utilized for other objectives. The second is its efforts to build on existing formal organizational structures, ensuring that local governments become stakeholders. And finally, the document praises the flexibility displayed by project implementers, who through their experiences with disasters gradually developed a more comprehensive multi-hazard approach to DRR. These three components of Oxfam’s work increase the long-term sustainability of its livelihood initiatives. ( English,English,English )
- Subject:
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Livelihoods
- Scope and Content:
- 1. Background to the livelihoods project; 2. Integrating disaster risk reduction: motives and
methods; 3. Innovation and good practice; 4. Limitations and challenges for the future; 5. Final comments
- Citation/Reference:
- Wilkinson, E. (2011). Integrating disaster risk reduction in livelihoods programming in the northwest of Nicaragua. Oxfam.
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Florida International University
- Rights Management:
- Refer to main document/publisher for use rights.
- Resource Identifier:
- FI13010951
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