Meen B. Poudyal Chhetri, PhD
President of Nepal Center for Disaster Management
& Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of
Technology (QUT), Australia
Community Based DRR and Indigenous
Knowledge
What is Indigenous & Local Knowledge
& Why do We Need Them?
Definition
•Indigenous knowledge is defined as “…the unique,
traditional, local knowledge existing within and
developed around the specific conditions of women and
men indigenous to a particular geographic area…”
Grenier – 1998
•Indigenous knowledge is “the info. Base for a society,
which facilitates communication and decision making.
Indigenous info. systems are dynamic, and are
continually influenced by internal creativity and
experimentation as well as by contact with external
system.” – Flavier 1995
Definition contd…
•Indigenous knowledge also referred to as traditional or
local knowledge, refers to the large body of knowledge
and skills that has been developed outside the formal
educational system. IK is embedded in culture and is
unique to a given location or society. IK is an important
part of the lives of the poor. It is the basis for decision
making of communities in food security, human and
animal health, education and natural resource mgt.”
WB – 2003
•IK is that people in a given community has developed
over time and continues to develop. It is based on
experience often tested over centuries of use, adapted to
local culture and environment, dynamic and changing.
Characteristics of IK
•Locally bound, indigenous to a specific area and community
•Culture and context specific
•Non-formal knowledge
•Orally transmitted and generally not documented
•Dynamic and base on innovation, adaptation and
experimentation
•Closely related to survival and subsistence for many people
worldwide.
IK is the result of a continuous process of experimentation,
innovation and adaptation. It has the capacity to blend with
knowledge based on science and technology and should therefore
be considered complementary to scientific and technological efforts
to solve problems in social and economic development.
Prerequisites for ILKT
•The “culture of coping with crisis” & “culture of DRR”
•Risk assessment process should involve
participation of people and incorporation of their
perception of vulnerability and capacity
•Community and DRR stakeholders share common
motivation and ownership for the initiation and
sustainability of CBDM
•People’s participation
•Capacity building
•Empowerment
•Resourcefulness
Why ILKT ?
•There is the need for a specific framework identifying how
indigenous and modern knowledge may be combined to
mitigate against the inherent effects of disasters and therefore
reduce the vulnerability of rural indigenous communities.
•Vulnerability of indigenous communities in natural hazards
can only be addressed through the utilisation of both
indigenous and modern knowledge in a culturally compatible
and sustainable manner.
•The benefits of indigenous knowledge within disaster risk
reduction are gradually being acknowledged and identified.
However, there is gap in reaching the right people with the
correct strategies for disaster risk reduction.
Why IKT ? Contd..
• A focus on local understandings of risk, local knowledge
of hazards & coping strategies is critical for the
development of safer & sustainable communities.
•It is necessary to re-examine the role of emergency
managers and the applicability of mainstreaming the
emergency management practices in indigenous people
& communities
•Emergency management must learn from critiques of
dominant development strategies by accepting the value
of existing capacities in indigenous communities and
working towards relationships and processes that apply
new strategies and ways of working.
Way Forward
•The importance of IK is increasing.
•IK should be analyzed through scientific
observations and logic and apply it to the
changing context.
•It is necessary to encourage the inclusion
of IK in the decision making process and
through education & awareness.
•IK can be included in the curriculum.
CRICOS No. 00213J a university for the
world real
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Disaster Risk Reduction Through the
Application of Indigenous and Local
Knowledge
CRICOS No. 00213J a university for the
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Bund for Bund
This can be a solution for the problem of inundation
Developed by Prof. J. R. Pokhrel, Former Dean of Institute of
Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
CRICOS No. 00213J a university for the
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River Training
Land encroachment by the river
The river can be trained like this
Developed by Prof. J. R. Pokhrel, Former Dean of Institute of
Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
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Fires in Settlements & Forests
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Fire in Manglung
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After Fire
Road and Drainage Construction
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After Fire
Training to the masons
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After Fire
A Model House for Tehrathum
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After Fire
Construction of the house underway
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After Fire
Manglung reconstructed after the fire
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Thatch Roofed Houses
Thatch roofed houses in Tarai that are highly vulnerable to fire
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Thatch Roofed Houses
The roofs of thatch roofed houses burn completely in the case of fire.
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Thatch Roofed Houses
•This thatch roofed
cottage is fire
resistant.
•It has a half inch mud
plaster on the top of
the thatch
•It has been covered
by a plastic which is
resistant to uv rays of
the sun
Developed by Prof. J. R. Pokhrel, Former Dean of Institute of
Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
CRICOS No. 00213J a university for the
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Thatch Roofed Cottage
The fire proof roof is set on fire in Kapilbastu
Developed by Prof. J. R. Pokhrel, Former Dean of Institute of
Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
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Thatch Roofed Cottage
Initially, the roof catches fire. But does not
spread and destroy the infrastructure.
Early Warning By Snakes
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Early Warning By Snakes
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The Snake Yard
Developed by Prof. J. R. Pokhrel, Former Dean of Institute of
Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Retrofitting
Strengthening of Stone Wall Buildings
Make holes in the walls in line with the scaffolding
holes to have a grid of 3ft by 3ft
Strengthening of Stone Wall Buildings
Making a 4” x 4” net of bamboo
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Retrofitting
Strength of Gabion Wall Structures
Gabion wall has been
found to be resistant
to earthquake in:
•Atico earthquake of
Peru
•Vanuatu
•Dharan Dhankuta
highway
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During
Before
After
Retrofitting
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Retrofitting
Way Forward
•The importance of IK is increasing.
•IK should be analyzed through scientific
observations and logic and apply it to the
changing context.
•It is necessary to encourage the inclusion
of IK in the decision making process and
through education & awareness.
•IK can be included in the curriculum.
Community Based DM
Community Based DRM
•Communities are mostly the first responder in
time of disasters
•Community based organizations and individuals
should capacitated & equipped
•Well equipped, trained and resilient community
is most to reduce the impact of disasters
•Awareness, education, preparedness and
resources are the prerequisites for a resilient
community.
Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives
by NRCS
B) Institutional cum Community level
1)CBDP program:
•Initiated in 1997
•More than 362 communities in 40 different
districts have already been covered
•organization of DM and First Aid training,
•Low-cost mitigation activities,
•Development of community's DP plan,
•Establishment of early warning system,
•Organization of simulation exercises,
•Storing of food grains and creation of emergency
funds
•Awareness generating events
B) Institutional cum Community level
3) KV Earthquake Preparedness Initiative:
•Initiated in 2003
•20 wards in 3 districts have already been covered
•Formation of Ward level DM committees,
organization of various training (DM, First Aid,
Search and Rescue etc) to community volunteers,
organization of simulation/mock drill exercises
and propositioning relief materials for 3,000
families in different strategic locations, pre-
positioning of light search and rescue
equipments, community walks, advocacy for
building codes, orientation to multi-stakeholders,
construction of wells in the identified evacuation
area etc were the key activities.
B) Institutional cum Community level
4) Public awareness:
•NRCS has published several manuals and IEC
materials such as
•Disaster Management Manual
•Disaster Management Easy Hand Book
•Community Based Disaster Preparedness Hand
book
•How to be safe from Flood pictorial manual
•How to be safe from Fire pictorial manual
•How to be safe from Earthquake pictorial Manual
•Various pictorial posters materials.
B) Institutional cum Community level
5) Disaster Risk Reduction programme:
•Being implemented in 15 communities in 3
districts.
•Main objectives are:
a)Community Resilience
b)Strengthening Response Preparedness
Capacity and
c)Knowledge Sharing.
What we Need?
State Disaster Response Force
Trained
Equipped
Connected