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What if you are working in a community when disaster strikes it? What steps toward recovery can you take in such a situation? And what actions can be taken beforehand to minimize the damage from a large-scale, catastrophic event such as Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated large portions of the Philippines in early November 2013?

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 13 million people were affected by Typhoon Haiyan and four million were displaced. The typhoon damaged the main rice crop in areas that were affected, and disrupted planting of the secondary rice crop (www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/206856/icode/)).

The immediate need after such a disastrous event is for relief supplies, including food, water and shelter. In the case of Typhoon Haiyan, the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) also planned to provide farmers with rice, maize and vegetable seeds; tools; fertilizer and irrigation equipment.

After initial relief efforts, the process of rebuilding must begin, as relief shifts into development.

What factors should a local development worker be aware of when it comes to preparing for a disaster? And what interventions can be most helpful in the face of disaster?

--  Dawn Berkelaar, EDN #122

 



  1. 20/01/2006 Seeds ofMoringa oleiferacan be used to treat water in an emergency or disaster situation. Studies since the early 1970’s have found the seeds to be highly effective in removing suspended particles from water with medium to high levels of turbidity.
  2. 17/07/2020 Have you checked out the Conversations section on ECHOcommunity.org? A conversation in May centered around emergency gardens, especially in light of COVID-19 quarantines/shut-downs. An ECHO network member who works in Guatemala asked for ideas for growing nutritious plants in limited space.
  3. 20/10/2011 World Vision (WV) Australia is involved in both agricultural development and relief work in East Africa. We asked folks there to answer a few questions regarding the current drought and famine. In what ways have you been involved with addressing the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa? Could...
  4. 19/07/1999 Suggestions for providing seeds to farmers after disasters.
  5. 20/10/2011 The current drought and famine in the Horn of Africa are deeply distressing. The severe drought of the past year has put an estimated 12 million or more people in danger of starvation.
  6. 1/01/2014 https://www.echocommunity.org/resources/71356f86-d90a-4032-9775-681c581fa715What if you are working in a community when disaster strikes it? What steps toward recovery can you take in such a situation? And what actions can be taken beforehand to minimize the damage from a large-scale,...
  7. 19/12/1993 Information about the possibility of using egusi seeds to produce a milk substitute.
  8. 1/04/2009 This article is from ECHO Asia Note #1 What is the outlook for world food prices? In the immediate future (the next few months), some moderation in global food prices seems likely in response to very recent (since mid-2008) declines in world grain and energy prices. In the short-term (next 2 to 3...
  9. 1/04/2010 https://www.echocommunity.org/resources/eb967d93-10ff-4c3d-a238-86ac0382bd68ECHO has considered how our resources can be most helpful in light of the recent devastating earthquake near Port Au Prince, Haiti. Our main strength is in the area of agricultural information relevant to development...
  10. Trusted by more than 130,000 humanitarians and developed in collaboration with leading aid agencies and humanitarian experts, DisasterReady.org makes cutting-edge professional development resources available to relief and developmentworkers and volunteers - anywhere, anytime, at no cost....
  11. TANDEM stands for Tearfund’s Approach in Disasters E-learning modules. It is a set of mini-modules which can be completed online or offline on a range of critical issues for Tearfund and partner staff working in humanitarian disaster situations. They can be worked on at your own pace, on your own...
  12. Cereal banks can be an effective way to tackle food insecurity. This guide contains step-by-step advice on how to set up and run a cereal bank. Cereal banks are community-based institutions that buy, store and sell basic food grains. Most cereal banks offer farmers the opportunity to store their...
  13. 20/01/2010 Seeds are critical for addressing the dual challenges of food insecurity and climate change. Farmers depend on quality seed of appropriate varieties to attain food security. However, in recent times, natural disasters, such as droughts, floods and hurricanes, and human-caused disasters, such as...
  14. Disaster risk is expressed as the likelihood of loss of life, injury or destruction and damage from a disaster in a given period of time. Disaster risk is widely recognized as the consequence of the interaction between a hazard and the characteristics that make people and places vulnerable and...
  15. Emergency seed interventions may already be planned or ongoing in many areas (e.g. to respond to drought, pest infestation, displacement, or other stresses). COVID-19 and its associated restrictions on travel, trade and markets may also constrain farmers’ seed security, as well as the ways in...
  16. The International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (IJDRR) is the journal for researchers, policymakers and practitioners across diverse disciplines: earth sciences and their implications; environmental sciences; engineering; urban studies; geography; and the social sciences. IJDRR publishes...
  17. Half the world still lives on less than $2 per day. On this budget, it can be impossible to sustain life. Malnutrition in the developing world causes dire consequences for nearly a billion people, 60% of them women and girls. Yet, there is hope for change as the majority of those who are hungry...
  18. 1/12/1998 This book provides advice to relief workers considering a distribution of seeds and tools to refugees or displaced people. It covers preliminary assessment, project design, and implementation, including the choice of seeds and tools to distribute, and methods of distribution. It emphasizes the...
  19. Disasters are a growing threat, affecting more people and doing more damage than ever before. Their impact is especially devastating in countries with high levels of material poverty; the Least Developed Countries accounted for 40 per cent of all deaths from natural hazards between 2000 and 2010,...
  20. Abstract,Biological Agriculture and Horticulture, 2012 The attainment of the Millennium Development Goals is at severe risk owing to rising malnutrition and high child stunting and mortality rates, greater poverty, a large increase in the incidence of non-communicable diseases and lack of...
  21. 20/11/2019 Session :"Foodlife" is a word coined by Toshihiro Takami, founder of the Asian Rural Institute (ARI), to describe the inseparable relationship between food and life. This concept guides the Food, Education and Sustainable Table (FEAST) process in this rural leader training program on an organic...
  22. InterAction’s NGO Aid Map aims to increase the amount of publicly available data on international development and humanitarian response by providing detailed project information through interactive maps and data visualizations. We believe that NGO Aid Map gives a picture of international aid that...
  23. Monitor historical trends across all countries, compare with other indicators and contact the experts on the ground.
  24. The Aid & International Development Forum (AIDF) strives to be a catalyst of cross-sector collaboration and innovation in humanitarian and development sectors by bringing together governments, UN agencies, intergovernmental agencies, national and international NGOs, development banks,...
  25. We pilot innovative approaches to greening refugee camps and communities by building capacity, monitoring effectiveness, disseminating good practice and sharing knowledge. We aim to stimulate research, influence policy and advocate for the importance of gardens in forced displacement. In all our...
  26. Speaker Bio: Peter Quesenberry first served in rural Nepal where Peter co-founded the training program for animal health workers. He also taught veterinary technicians in the government technical school in a very remote area in the Himalayas. After 10 years, he moved to Laos for a community...
  27. Rural people of Ethiopia are endowed with a deep knowledge concerning the use of wild plants. This is particularly true for the use of medicinal plants, but also for wild plants, some of which are consumed at times of drought, war and other hardship. Elders and other knowledgeable community...
  28. Presented at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference 2015 Are you someone who plans? Have you ever had your plans disrupted by the unexpected – farmer or family change, community change, government change, or disaster? How do you feel about change and disruption – is it a threat or an...
  29. 18/11/2015 Are you someone who plans? Have you ever had your plans disrupted by the unexpected – farmer or family change, community change, government change, or disaster? How do you feel about change and disruption – is it a threat or an opportunity? Let’s explore together how disruption and even disaster...
  30. When Disaster Strikes This guide presents a seven-step method for assessing the security of farmers' seed systems in situations of acute or chronic stress. It offers guidance to help practitioners determine what seed-related assistance is needed. The guide serves as a practical manual for donor...
  31. We are inspired to connect, to create and to champion lasting change for poor and vulnerable people around the globe. With our shared belief in a just world and an understanding that we achieve more together, we strive each day to work collaboratively to carry out our mission. Our strategy helps...
  32. For those of you working to rebuild agriculture in hurricane-ravaged Caribbean and Central American communities, we’ve assembled somefree agroforestry training materialsthat will immensely benefit you: How to plant windbreaks to stop and slow heavy winds How to build contours to stop erosion How...
  33. Secure and sustainable livelihoods not only reduce poverty but also reduce susceptibility to disasters. Disaster mitigation, or disaster risk reduction (DRR), is about preparing for disasters and minimising the risk when they arrive. Emergency relief or disaster response is a specific...
  34. Summary : At the start of 2020, COVID-19 broke out with huge consequences for resilience of smallholder farmers and other vulnerable groups dependent on agriculture. Extension and advisory services can help strengthen resilience of their clientele by increasing their access to both tangible...
  35. 20/08/2022 Humanitarian actors continually make complex decisions in the preparation for, and response to, humanitarian emergencies. Digital technologies support these decisionmaking processes by providing large volumes of high-quality data that enables insight. The term “digital data for development (D4D)”...
  36. SEADS is a set of international minimum standards that support humanitarian and development workers to design, implement, and evaluate crop-related crisis responses. SEADS is managed by aSteering Group, which is supported by thecoordination teamand thefield team. The SEADS principles and minimum...
  37. Relief International’s 7,300 staff and volunteers have the experience and agility to meet the ever-changing needs of populations in vulnerable situations. We partner with them to develop a strategy for the future and create more enduring pathways to stability.
  38. Inside tips for aid workers After an earthquake first priorities are preserving and protecting those who survived. DIY and low-cost materials can be used for insulated bedding. Mesh tubes with straw can make warming shelters in cold weather, and with clay added after freezing is past, become...
  39. LEGS is underpinned by a livelihoods approach and is based on three livelihoods objectives: Providing immediate benefits to crisis-affected communities Protecting the livestock-related assets of crisis-affected communities Assisting the re-building of key assets among crisis-affected communities...
  40. 15/11/2022 Session :This session goes over four principles of disaster mental health:Collaboration of Community Partners,Communication and Relationship Building,Vulnerability of Community Populations, andUnderstanding Trauma.