Harnessing the role of information in disaster risk management
By Kizito Sikuka
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The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has over the past few decades experienced an increasing frequency and severity of droughts that were attributed to climate change and variability, resulting in food insecurity.
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“We have put in place a number of measures both at the national and regional level to address the impact of natural disasters in southern Africa,” Rachel Nandelenga, communication and advocacy officer for the Sadc Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) Programme, said at a regional communication and advocacy workshop currently underway in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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[The Regional Vulnerability Assessments Committee] has now come up with a RVAA programme, which aims to strengthen the capacity of member states to undertake and utilise vulnerability assessments to inform policy formulation, development programmes and emergency interventions that lead to a reduction in vulnerability in the region.
Coordinated by the Disaster Risk Reduction Unit (DRRU) at the Sadc Secretariat, the programme aims to further integrate VAA systems into member state administrative and financial structures to ensure smooth implementation of the programme.
Since its establishment in 2006, the RVAA programme has made significant strides in providing timely and credible information that has influenced policies, and its products are now a vital reference point for decision makers in addressing food and nutrition security issues.
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