Children’s needs a priority after Philippine floods

Children’s needs a priority after Philippine floods

Photo credit

By Dizery Salim

GENEVA, 27 December 2011 – A week after Tropical Storm Sendong hit the Philippines, aid agencies are focusing attention on an estimated 14,000 children who make up about a third of displaced persons in evacuation centres, including those separated from their families.

Children who are left to cope with disasters on their own face a range of risks, said Anna Lindenfors, Philippine Country Director for Save the Children. That organization is one of several partners working with the UN office for disaster risk reduction, UNISDR, on the “Step Up for Disaster Risk Reduction” campaign that is currently focused on empowering children and youth.

When separated from their parents, children are often frightened, unable to find food and clean water, and are at risk of abuse, she added.

In other instances, children cannot return to school because school buildings are being used as evacuation centres. Tens of thousands of homeless villagers are sheltering in public buildings, including schools, and may remain there for between three to six months, according to the Philippine Office of Civil Defense.

The Children’s Charter, an action plan for disaster risk reduction developed by children – which UNISDR is promoting as part of its youth empowerment campaign – calls for safe and uninterrupted education at all times, as well as special protection for children before, during and after disasters.

“In times of emergency, communities are likely to prioritize needs related to people’s immediate survival and will not have the resources to address the basic need of affected school children and teachers. For this reason, forward planning to preserve a child’s right to education is one of the most valuable actions a government can take, before disasters strike. Education is key to children’s long-term opportunities and must not be interrupted,” said Margareta Wahlström, the UN’s disaster risk reduction chief.

The UN, in its response to Tropical Storm Sendong, has pledged through UNICEF – the United Nations Children’s Fund – to provide as many school-aged children as possible with continued access to safe and secure learning environments in the hardest-hit cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

In total, the UN's newly revised Humanitarian Action Plan for the flood-affected Mindanao calls for $28.5 million to conduct relief and rehabilitation efforts for the next three months. Of that amount, $354,000 will be devoted to helping severely affected schoolchildren in specially targeted communities, to establish secure places of learning, and to replace damaged or lost learning material.

Observers say losses caused by Tropical Storm Sendong are particularly severe because it swept across towns and villages not normally hit by big storms. Three rivers – the Cagayan, Agus and Mandulog Rivers – rose rapidly in the early hours of 17 December, reaching over 3 meters in less than an hour in some areas, drowning some people in their sleep while others were forced to climb atop their homes for safety.

After the storm, local communities and authorities reacted quickly to launch search and rescue operations and to provide immediate relief assistance.

The Danish Government, one of several nations that has contributed funds to support the Philippine Government’s emergency relief activities, has said that its aid will be followed up with awareness raising on disaster risks associated with deforestation in watersheds. In February, President Aquino banned logging in the region following previous flooding deaths that experts say were caused by deforestation and soil erosion.

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
Childrens Charter
Date:
27 Dec 2011
Sources:
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR)
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat - Asia and Pacific (UNISDR AP)
Related Links

View more DRR information for Philippines on PreventionWeb
1 million safe schools & hospitals initiative: make a pledge - save a life
Keywords

Themes:
Education & School Safety, Environment, Governance, Vulnerable Populations
Hazards:
Cyclone, Flood, Land Slide
Countries:
Philippines



Source:- http://www.unisdr.org/archive/24380

Children’s needs a priority after Philippine floods

Children’s needs a priority after Philippine floods

Photo credit

By Dizery Salim

GENEVA, 27 December 2011 – A week after Tropical Storm Sendong hit the Philippines, aid agencies are focusing attention on an estimated 14,000 children who make up about a third of displaced persons in evacuation centres, including those separated from their families.

Children who are left to cope with disasters on their own face a range of risks, said Anna Lindenfors, Philippine Country Director for Save the Children. That organization is one of several partners working with the UN office for disaster risk reduction, UNISDR, on the “Step Up for Disaster Risk Reduction” campaign that is currently focused on empowering children and youth.

When separated from their parents, children are often frightened, unable to find food and clean water, and are at risk of abuse, she added.

In other instances, children cannot return to school because school buildings are being used as evacuation centres. Tens of thousands of homeless villagers are sheltering in public buildings, including schools, and may remain there for between three to six months, according to the Philippine Office of Civil Defense.

The Children’s Charter, an action plan for disaster risk reduction developed by children – which UNISDR is promoting as part of its youth empowerment campaign – calls for safe and uninterrupted education at all times, as well as special protection for children before, during and after disasters.

“In times of emergency, communities are likely to prioritize needs related to people’s immediate survival and will not have the resources to address the basic need of affected school children and teachers. For this reason, forward planning to preserve a child’s right to education is one of the most valuable actions a government can take, before disasters strike. Education is key to children’s long-term opportunities and must not be interrupted,” said Margareta Wahlström, the UN’s disaster risk reduction chief.

The UN, in its response to Tropical Storm Sendong, has pledged through UNICEF – the United Nations Children’s Fund – to provide as many school-aged children as possible with continued access to safe and secure learning environments in the hardest-hit cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

In total, the UN's newly revised Humanitarian Action Plan for the flood-affected Mindanao calls for $28.5 million to conduct relief and rehabilitation efforts for the next three months. Of that amount, $354,000 will be devoted to helping severely affected schoolchildren in specially targeted communities, to establish secure places of learning, and to replace damaged or lost learning material.

Observers say losses caused by Tropical Storm Sendong are particularly severe because it swept across towns and villages not normally hit by big storms. Three rivers – the Cagayan, Agus and Mandulog Rivers – rose rapidly in the early hours of 17 December, reaching over 3 meters in less than an hour in some areas, drowning some people in their sleep while others were forced to climb atop their homes for safety.

After the storm, local communities and authorities reacted quickly to launch search and rescue operations and to provide immediate relief assistance.

The Danish Government, one of several nations that has contributed funds to support the Philippine Government’s emergency relief activities, has said that its aid will be followed up with awareness raising on disaster risks associated with deforestation in watersheds. In February, President Aquino banned logging in the region following previous flooding deaths that experts say were caused by deforestation and soil erosion.

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
Childrens Charter
Date:
27 Dec 2011
Sources:
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (UNISDR)
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Secretariat - Asia and Pacific (UNISDR AP)
Related Links

View more DRR information for Philippines on PreventionWeb
1 million safe schools & hospitals initiative: make a pledge - save a life
Keywords

Themes:
Education & School Safety, Environment, Governance, Vulnerable Populations
Hazards:
Cyclone, Flood, Land Slide
Countries:
Philippines



Source:- http://www.unisdr.org/archive/24380

Crisis Mapping and Disaster Risk Reduction

Crisis mapping has emerged in the last five years as a dynamic and open way to visualize and report on crisis and disasters. With increasing internet connectivity, mobile phone use, and user-generated content, 'crowdsourcing' is gaining traction by taking advantage of information communication technology (ICT) that allows communities and networks to answer some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Held for the first-time ever in Europe, the 3rd International Conference on Crisis Mapping (ICCM) was one example of how new technologies and growing networks of tech-savvy individuals and organizations can help to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters.

“ICT tools, such as those used by Crisis Mappers, help us understand what is happening on the ground and who’s affected following a disaster. The tools combined with user-generated content also provide an insight into vulnerabilities and risks that a community faces pre-disaster,” says Margareta Wahlström, the UN’s disaster risk reduction chief.

“Given our ability as a society to generate, manage, and distribute information, the potential for understanding disaster risks from a global to local level is encouraging. In particular, how crowdsourcing can be used for early warning, risk identification, and as a disaster risk management tool.”

One of the main ingredients to understanding disasters and taking preventative measures or responding quickly and effectively is accounting for disaster losses and managing data and information, whether crowdsourced or centrally managed.

Speaking at a pre-ICCM2011 event on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Ryan Lanclos, Manager of Esri’s Emergency Management & Disaster Response Industry said: “GIS-based hazard and risk analysis should be fundamental to an organization’s daily work. It helps us understand our vulnerabilities and prioritize where to focus mitigation efforts to reduce the impact of future disasters.”

“The key to this insight is data – we have to continually collect, manage and update our organizational data to feed our analysis. When we do this well and collaborate appropriately with partners who can complete our data puzzle, this pre-disaster analysis not only helps us prepare but also to respond effectively following a disaster.”

Initiatives such as Ushahidi, ArcGIS.com, Sahana, Google Crisis Response, as well as the UN Secretary-General’s innovative Global Pulse project provides outlets for individuals and organizations to engage with each other to capture real-time issues and risks – ultimately to save lives and strengthen resilience to shocks and disasters.

In his keynote address for ICCM2011, Sanjana Huttotuwa, Special Advisor to ICT4Peace Foundation, emphasized that technology is “democratizing analysis” by allowing people to communicate what they see and hear on the ground that can have an impact pre- and post-disaster. He says that the trend cannot be ignored as it is a defining moment in our lifetime.


Read in detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=23007

Saving the Forests with Indigenous Knowledge

By Isaiah Esipisu*

Olonana Ole Pulei’s community is a sub-tribe of Kenya’s Maasai ethnic group. Credit:Isaiah Esipisu/IPS Buy this picture

DURBAN, South Africa, Dec 9, 2011 (IPS) - For the Laibon community, a sub-tribe of Kenya’s Maasai ethnic group, the 33,000-hectare Loita Forest in the country’s Rift Valley Province is more than just a forest. It is a shrine.

"It is our shrine. Our Gods live there. We gather herbs from the place. We use it for bee- keeping. It therefore forms part of our livelihood," said Olonana Ole Pulei, who is in Durban, South Africa, to represent his community at the ongoing 17th Conference of Parties under theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

According to Nigel Crawhall, the Director of Secretariat for the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee (IPACC), different African communities have incredible indigenous knowledge that they use in the conservation of forests and biodiversity in general, and this should be recognised during the negotiations in Durban.

"Different communities have different practices that they use in forestry conservation," he said.

Crawhall gave an example of how the Bambuti and Batwa pygmy communities, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, conserved the forest using traditional methods. Both communities depend on the biodiversity of animal life in the equatorial forests in order to survive.

"Usually, they know how to identify particular trees that can be cut down in order to create a unique opening on the canopy, which attracts light in the closely-packed Congo forests. The light then attracts animals, birds and insects, thus giving them an opportunity to hunt," Crawhall told IPS.

This helps conserve the biodiversity, as well as the forests because this method can only work if the forest canopy is intact.

In Kenya, the Maasai culture forbids any community member from cutting down a tree, either for firewood or any other purpose. People are also forbidden from interfering with the taproots or removing the entire bark of a tree for herbal extraction.

According to their cultural belief, one can only use tree branches for firewood, and fibrous roots for herbs. If the bark of a tree has medicinal value, then only small portions of it can be removed by creating a "V" in the bark. The wound is then sealed using wet soil.

"We believe that the soil helps in healing the wound on a tree. This is cultural, and we all believe that it is an abomination for one to injure a tree, and not help it heal," said Ole Pulei.

It is a practice that has been passed down from generation to generation among Maasai community members. Among the Laibon community, it is this indigenous knowledge that has aided in the conservation of the Loita Forest.

"All logging activities observed on Maasai land, including the destruction of the Mau Forest, are done by foreigners because the Maasai culture does not allow such activities. This is the indigenous knowledge that helps in forest conservation," Ole Pulei told IPS.

Such beliefs make the forests part of the community, where community members have feelings for the trees, and where cutting down a tree could amount to an offence against the Gods and their culture.

"We have several other communities all over the continent who co-exist with forests. They include the Tuareg community in Algeria, Yiaku community in Kenya’s Laikipia region, the Ogiekcommunity also in Kenya, the Kung community in Botswana among others," said Crawhall.

Though according to Crawhall, all Africans are indigenous although there are some groups who live by hunting and gathering, while other groups practice pastoralism, and others practice dry-land farming.

Despite the fact that there is no standard definition of indigenous people, the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognises that particular communities, due to historical and environmental circumstances, have found themselves outside the state system and underrepresented in governance.

"The Bushmen of the Southern African region, or the Ogiek community in Kenya who live in forests are a typical example of groupings categorised as indigenous," said Crawhall.

He points out that Africa has more than 40 groupings in different countries that survive entirely on hunting and gathering. However, IPACC works closely with 155 communities from 22 African countries who are recognised as indigenous because of their historical and environmental circumstances.

As a result, representatives from these communities have joined the rest of the world in Durban to have their voices heard, so that their contributions to forest conservation are recognised as part of the climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

"We believe that African traditional ecological knowledge is the foundation for appropriate and effective national adaptation policies," said Crawhall.

Through the IPACC secretariat, the 155 community-based organisations in Africa have drafted their position for the Durban negotiation platform. They want the negotiators to come up with a position that is representative to African parties, indigenous African people’s organisations, traditional institutions, traditional authorities and value systems.

They are calling for the formation of a regional body that is legally binding under the United Nations, to handle issues on conservation that are difficult to deal with at national level.

"One of the prevailing gaps in most of the IPACC-member countries is that there is no land tenure for communities who live in forests, or depend on forests," said Crawhall.

However, different countries have started responding to the needs of their local communities by including them in their national climate change adaptation strategies, with Kenya taking the lead.

The country is in the process of drafting the Climate Change Adaptation Bill. And the indigenous communities will have their say on the bill because according to the constitution, they must be consulted on draft legislation so that they can make contributions.

"We have traversed the entire country seeking views on this bill, where local communities have been able to give their contributions. Our vision is to participate and lead in the development and implementation of climate change sensitive policies, projects and activities within and outside our Kenyan borders," said John Kioli, the chairman for the Kenya Climate Change Working Group, who is attending the Durban climate change negotiations.

* This article is one of a series supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network.

(END)

Source:- http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106156

Kuldip Nar ,MD, Aidmatrix Foundation,India receives award for maximum social impact

Aidmatrix receives award for maximum social impact

At the award function organized by Cybermedia group in the capital recently, Mr. Kuldip Nar, managing director-Aidmatrix India, said, "We are pleased to receive this prestigious award as recognition by the industry peers of our continuous efforts to provide innovative solutions with a focus on social impact.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-12-01/news/30463272_1_award-function-relief-agencies-cybermedia

Alpine cities feel heat from climate change

Community risk assessment workshop in Lienz, Austria. (Credit: Andreas Kohler)

By Dizery Salim

GENEVA, 29 November 2011 - In Tyrol, Austria, a poster showing a green valley with snow-capped mountains in the distance greeted delegates to a conference on climate change – a beautiful summer scene which hides a potential nightmare scenario for winter tourism in the alps.

Climate change is raising the heat in mountain regions more drastically than in other areas of the world, with temperatures rising in Austria’s Tyrolean Alps by 2 to 2.2 degrees compared to the global average of 0.8 degrees.

Eric Veulliet, Managing Director of the Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Technologies (Alp-s) in Austria, told journalists at the Managing Alpine Future II conference, which ran from 21 to 23 November, that climate change will pose a “massive threat” to winter tourism, an important pillar of the Tyrolean economy.

“Snow is not known to tolerate much heat. Low-lying ski resorts had always feared for the future of the winter wonderland,” he said.

According to news reports, some ski resorts in the Austrian Alps have cancelled their season opening weekends because of a lack of snow, after the driest November since the 1920s.

Scenario-building conducted by neighbouring Switzerland warned of similar risks to Swiss tourism by 2030, because of “loss of attractiveness” due to reduced snow cover and a disappearing winter atmosphere in the Swiss Plateau.

The Swiss national tourism office, which published the report in 2008, said in addition to a decline in the next 20 years in the number of visitors interested in winter sports, the country would need greater investments to adapt to changing conditions, because of higher costs to protect against increasing natural hazards.

In the Austrian alps, the Centre run by Mr. Veulliet has held 200 workshops for local mayors and disaster management teams in the mountain province of Tyrol, producing detailed risk maps which are then distributed to emergency and risk managers. The maps show over 7,100 risk areas – spots exposed to dangers that range from rockfall and debris flow to avalanches and floods.

However, although community risk assessments have been compulsory in Austria since the 1970s, more needs to be done to translate policy into actual preparedness, local authorities say.

Andreas Kohler, Chief Risk Analyst at Alp-s, who is working to improve preparedness among local emergency management teams, said one challenge was that people were quick to forget the dangers, even after a big disaster.

Read in detail at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in

Himalayan nations yet to break the ice

Himalayan nations yet to break the ice

With global average temperature increasing, its most visible and direct effect can be seen on mountains. Sudeshna Sarkar Last Modified: 24 Nov 2011 13:06 inShare Email Print Share Feedback

Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, has been using the iconic peak to draw global attention to the risks faced by its mountain community. [GALLO/GETTY] Kathmandu, Nepal - Chungda Sherpa, a former herder from eastern Nepal, has a warning tale ahead of the United Nations climate change conference in Durban. At World Wildlife Fund-Japan's 'Climate Witness' programme in Osaka and Tokyo this month, to apprise communities around the world how climate change is threatening lives and livelihoods, the 48-year-old described how the glacier on Mt Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world, is shrinking rapidly. "In 1957, when Swiss geologist Dr Toni Hagen took the photograph of the Gangapurna glacier on the northern slope of Mt Annapurna, it lay over the Manang valley. But recent photos show the glacier is now just a hanging strip. We have witnessed the change in our lifetime." - Pradeep Moor "When I was young... I was told it was one of the largest non-polar glaciers in the world," he said. "But it has retreated now and I can see glacial lakes forming, which could grow larger over time and become GLOFs (glacial lake outburst floods), posing a threat to our lives and property." With global average temperature increasing by approximately 0.75 degrees Celsius in the last century, its most visible and direct effect can be seen on mountains, says Pradeep Mool, remote sensory expert at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). "The health of glaciers indicates the state of the climate," says Mool. "In 1957, when Swiss geologist Dr Toni Hagen took the photograph of the Gangapurna glacier on the northern slope of Mt Annapurna, it lay over the Manang valley. But recent photos show the glacier is now just a hanging strip. We have witnessed the change in our lifetime." Shrinking glaciers The shrinking and retreating of the Himalayan glaciers - which provide life-giving water to over a billion people - became visible after early 1970. Three decades later, the phenomenon accelerated, resulting in the formation of moraine-dammed glacial lakes which are swelling ominously. There are over 20,000 glacial lakes in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas and a GLOF risk assessment report by ICIMOD in 2010 compiled a list of 179 potentially dangerous ones in China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. In addition, experts have identified another 25 in Bhutan. So far, China has recorded the highest number of GLOFs (29), followed by Nepal (22), Pakistan (9) and Bhutan (4). "There is a dearth of data," says Mool. "For instance, people talk of cold floods in India and Myanmar (Burma), which could have been GLOFs; even some satellite images indicate that. But there is no recorded literature." The geography as well as geopolitics of the region comes in the way of extensive surveys and information sharing. Disputed territory The high altitude of glacial lakes and glaciers - 4,800m above sea level and higher - makes them virtually inaccessible. Also, many of them are near international boundaries or in disputed territory, like the Siachen glacier near India's boundary with Pakistan and Arunachal Pradesh state in India, part of which is claimed by China. The disputes make them sensitive areas, often out of bounds for scientific surveys. Political instability and ensuing violence, like in Afghanistan and Pakistan, also obstruct research. But despite the difficulties, ICIMOD has now for the first time conducted additional survey of GLOFs in Afghanistan and Burma. The new inventory of nearly 1,700 lakes in the two countries, done mostly by satellite imaging, will be tabled in Durban during 17th conference of the parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban. Though most of the governments in the region realise the need to combat climate change and have individually formulated national action plans as well as laws on disaster management, there is still little collective effort. Climate summit For instance, on November 19, Bhutan hosted a 'Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas' to address climate change impacts on bio-diversity, food and energy security and the natural freshwater systems of the Himalayas. However, only India, Nepal and Bangladesh participated, besides the host country, raising eyebrows at the non-participation of China and Pakistan. "The meeting was intended only for countries from the eastern Himalayas," says Krishna Gyawali, secretary at Nepal's environment ministry. "We have to start somewhere and then gradually expand." However, it is felt that India's uneasy relationship with China and Pakistan could have kept them out. "Some of Asia's major rivers like the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Mekong flow through more than one country," says Mool. "Water-induced disasters spill over borders. "Ten of the GLOF devastations experienced by Nepal originated in Tibet. The effect is long-lived. Besides the immense cost of rebuilding infrastructure in mountainous regions, there is the possibility of increasing landslide and avalanche. So, regional co-operation is a must." Disaster management What is promising is that some of these countries are working with multilateral donor agencies to lessen GLOF risks, create an early warning system in case of floods and devise optional livelihood means for displaced people. According to Martin Krause, team leader at UNDP Asia-Pacific regional centre's environment and energy division, the agency is engaged in projects in Bhutan and Pakistan with a new one to start in Nepal next year. In Bhutan, it is focusing on the Buddhist kingdom's two most vulnerable areas, the Punakha-Wangdi and Chamkhar valleys, home to 10 per cent of the country's population and important infrastructure. The projects are co-financed by the UNFCC, Least Developed Countries Fund and the Austrian government. UNDP hopes that a component of the project - reducing the water level of Lake Thorthormi, ranked among Bhutan's most dangerous glacial lakes - will provide valuable experience to other countries like China, Pakistan, India and Chile In Pakistan, UNDP is working with the government to create an institution to address GLOF risks and other issues affecting communities and livelihoods in northern Pakistan and help them respond. Ironically, though Nepal remained closed to the outside world till the 1950s and was affected by a 10-year communist insurgency from 1996, it remains the most open to surveys, research and disaster mitigation projects. Next year, UNDP will start a many-layered disaster risk management programme in Nepal that, among other things, will seek to reduce human and material losses from GLOFs in two mountain districts: Dolakha and Solukhumbu. Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mt Everest, has been using the iconic peak to draw global attention to the risks faced by its mountain community. "In 2009, the then government of Nepal called a cabinet meeting at Kala Patthar (a 5,242 m high plateau at the foot of Mt Everest)," says Ghana S. Gurung, conservation programme director at World Wildlife Fund Nepal. Read in detail at :- http://www.cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=22871

Post-Sikkim quake: ham radio, bamboo applications recommended for northeast

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New Delhi, Nov 15: A meeting of India's top seismologists and earthquake specialists, which discussed issues arising from the Sikkim earthquake, has strongly recommended that northeastern states set up their own state disaster response units instead of being dependent on centralised forces like the National Disaster Response Force. In addition, the national workshop on 'Housing, Resilience and Rehabilitation' on Nov 11-12 at Jamia Millia Islamia, which saw senior level representation from the governments of five states - Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim - suggested several innovative steps such as extensive use of ham radio operators and "community radio stations in every district" to respond to crisis where normal telecommunications are knocked out, including mobile phone networks. The 'father' of earthquake engineering technology in the country, A.S. Arya, and others emphasized the critical need to develop quake resistant technology and use bamboo applications wherever possible. They said that most urban centres in the northeast faced major disasters in the event of a severe earthquake: retrofitting of existing buildings, especially "lifeline buildings such as schools and hospitals" was crucial. "Retrofitting Clinics may be established in every district to develop cadre of trained masons, contractors and engineers and provide information and guidance on retrofitting to the community," the recommendations said. While awareness was flagged as a key component of preparedness, the workshop recognised the urgent need for "short-term sensitisation programmes for elected representatives, community leaders and government officials...". For Sikkim, the workshop declared that the state government should consider setting up a separate "Department for Disaster Management under a designated officer no lower than a rank of a Secretary/Commissioner who will report directly to the SDMA (State Disaster management Authority". It also noted that the Regional Node for Disaster Risk Reduction in North East Space Applications Centre premises at Umiam, Meghalaya, should be the nodal agency with centres in each NE state with electronic and satellite connectivity. In addition, the workshop flagged the need to involve communities in projects, programmes and policies. "Since public awareness is at the heart of preparedness, an intensive campaign must be waged from door to door and village to village, involving students and teachers and using the excellent network of Panchayats in Sikkim to sensitise communities and to enable them to meaningfully participate in the reconstruction process." Other specialists called for campaigns using SMS' and new technology to sensitise and train people to how they could respond to earthquakes. Another suggestion made was for a "community based participatory monitoring system to track the progress, implementation of technical guidelines, grievance redressal" on the lines of existing processes in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Bihar. Launched on Nov 11 by Jamia Vice Chancellor Najeeb Jung, the programme began with a minute's silence to honour the late Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and listened to his legendary song, "Buku hom hom kore". The workshop was organised by Sanjoy Hazarika of Jamia's Centre for North East Studies under the auspices of its Sikkim Studies Programme with collaboration from the National Centre for Peoples Action and Disaster Preparedness in Ahmedabad of Rajendra and Rupal Desai. Presentations were made by G.C. Khanal, joint director, Department of Land Revenue and Disaster Preparedness, Biswajit Sarma, head, Centre for Disaster Preparedness, Assam, T.P. Khaund, adviser to the Mizoram chief minister, P.P. Shrivastav, member, North Eastern Council, Suhel Akhtar, Manipur's principal secretary for disaster preparedness, and Pankaj Jain, government of Meghalaya as well as Jemino Mawthoh of the Department of Continuing Education at NEHU.(IANS) Source:- http://headlinesindia.mapsofindia.com/natural-disasters/earthquake/postsikkim-quake-ham-radio-bamboo-applications-recommended-for-northeast-95181.html

Corrigendum notice for procurement of 02 Nos Thermal Imaging Camera for NDRF.

For Details Click the Tender Link Corrigendum notice for procurement of 02 Nos Thermal Imaging Camera for NDRF. Dated: 14.11.2011 Tender NOTICE for procurement of Regular Oxygen LSP # 170-020 with light Oxygen Cylinders for 01 BN NDRF . Dated: 11.11.2011 Tender Notice for Establishment of SMS Burst Service for NDMA. Dated: 01.11.2011 EXTENSION OF DATE OF SUBMISSION OF TENDERS for “Procurement of Computer Peripherials” for NDMA. Date of Extension :09.11.2011 | Dated: 01.11.2011 Tender NOTICE for procurement of Tarpaulin(6Mx6M) and Tarpaulin(4Mx4M) for 01 BN NDRF . Dated: 31.10.2011 Corrigendum notice for procurement of 04 Nos High Pressure breathing air compressor for 09 & 10 BN NDRF . Dated: 21.10.2011 Tender NOTICE for Automatic blood analyzer. Dated: 20.10.2011 Tender NOTICE for Portable Defibrillator with recorder. Dated: 20.10.2011 Tender NOTICE for Kit carrying Bag Nylon. Dated: 20.10.2011 Tender NOTICE for Portable Anesthesia Appratus. Dated: 20.10.2011 CORRIGENDUM NOTICE for procurement of 02 NOS Thermal Imaging Camera for NDRF. Dated: 20.10.2011 Tender NOTICE for Stitching of Working Uniform for NDRF. Dated: 20.10.2011 Terms of Reference for Demonstration of Quake Cottage in India International Trade Fare, 2011 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Dated: 18.10.2011 Last Date of Submission: 27th October 2011 at 03:00 p.m | Opening of bids on 31st October, 2011 at 3.00 p.m. CORRIGENDUM NOTICE for procurement of Angle Cutter,Replacement Diamon Tipped Blade for Angle Cutter. Dated: 14.10.2011 Terms of Reference Request for Proposal to Conduct an Impact Assessment Study of the Awareness & Communication Campaign Implemented by NDMA. Dated: 13.10.2011 CORRIGENDUM NOTICE for supply 1000 NOS body bags,Body Level,property bags.Dated: 07.10.2011 CORRIGENDUM NOTICE for supply 180 NOS Angle Cutter.Dated: 07.10.2011 CORRIGENDUM NOTICE for supply 12 NOS Combination Cutter with spreader.Dated: 07.10.2011 (Click below arrow to show/hide tenders.) 27-09-2011 to 01-09-2011 29-08-2011 to 01-08-2011 27-07-2011 to 07-06-2011 30-05-2011 to 08-03-2011 Source:- http://ndma.gov.in/ndma/tenders.html

Let's make climate change talks inclusive

M. S. SWAMINATHAN

KANAYO F. NWANZE

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The HinduClimate-resilient sustainable agriculture requires knowledge. Successful projects such as these can provide a model for others to follow. Knowledge transfer that brings the benefits of research from the laboratory to the farm is essential.

Price volatility and the persistence of widespread and hidden hunger underline the need for enhancing the productivity and profitability of smallholder agriculture in an environmentally sustainable manner.

When world leaders sit down again to discuss climate change, we hope that the people who live and work on the world's 500 million small farms will be with them, at least in spirit. Their voice — and the issue of agriculture as a whole — has, for too long, been missing from the conversation. But without increased support to smallholder farmers now, the number of hungry people will grow, and future food security will be placed in jeopardy.

The upcoming 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 — marking the twentieth anniversary of the landmark Earth Summit that produced Agenda 21, “a roadmap” for sustainable development — will both need to ensure that agriculture and the world's smallholder farmers are high on the agenda if we are to overcome the many challenges we face in achieving the Millennium Development Goal 1.

The front line

In the last 20 years the global population has risen from about 5.3 billion to seven billion; the reality of climate change has been accepted beyond doubt; and the number of hungry people in the world has remained stubbornly around the one billion mark. Meanwhile, aid to agriculture has only just recently begun to pick up after decades of stagnation. More needs to be done — a lot more — and supporting smallholder farmers must be at the heart of any agenda.

The rural poor across the world, including India, have contributed little to human-induced climate change, yet they are on the front line in coping with its effects. Farmers can no longer rely on historical averages for rainfall and temperature, and the more frequent and extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, can spell disaster. And there are new threats, such as sea level rise and the impact of melting glaciers on water supply.

How significant are small farms? As many as two billion people worldwide depend on them for their food and livelihood. Smallholder farmers in India produce 41 per cent of the country's food grains, and other food items that contribute to local and national food security. Small farmers cannot be ignored, and special attention must be given to the most vulnerable groups — particularly women, who make up a large percentage of farmers in the developing world.

Small farms also add up to big business: In the world's 50 least developed countries, agriculture is the backbone of the economy, accounting for 30 to 60 per cent of Gross Domestic Product and employing as much as 70 per cent or more of the workforce. Addressing the plight of smallholders isn't just a matter of equity, it's a necessity if we are going to be able to feed ourselves in the future. Smallholders farm 80 per cent of the total farmland in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia. If we don't help them to adapt to climate change, their achievements — feeding a large portion of humanity — will be endangered.

With appropriate support, smallholders can play a key role in protecting our environment, for example through actions that contribute to carbon sequestration and limit carbon emissions (planting and maintaining forests, engaging in agro-forestry activities, managing rangelands and rice lands, and watershed protection that limits deforestation and soil erosion).

To continue farming in a sustainable way in the face of climate change, rural women and men need to be given the resources to cope with the challenges. Smallholder farmers need support such as resilience-building technologies (including drought- and salt-tolerant seed varieties and new methods of rainwater harvesting), and training in sustainable practices of conservation agriculture, such as minimum-till farming to reduce erosion and moisture loss. Investing in adaptation measures now will be far less costly than in the future.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the M.S. Swaminathan Foundation, together with the government of India and other partners, have undertaken a range of projects to do just that.

For example, in Tamil Nadu, we have been supporting rural communities to produce and market nutri-cereals like millet, which can easily grow in dry and arid environments. We worked with smallholder farmers to use simple techniques to increase their yields, while also helping rural women create and market modern recipes — for example, a millet malt drink now being sold in major health food stores in India. The result has been not only increased food for the community, but also increased income and non-farm employment opportunities.

To help farmers adapt to increasingly dry conditions, a programme in Chhattisgarh has expanded cultivation of traditionally produced Niger seed oil, which grows well in areas that receive little rain. Land and forest regeneration were promoted to improve soil structure and moisture levels, and solar energy technology and biogas digesters have been introduced, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as the need for fuelwood. Another project in the northeast has helped restore degraded jhumland and has benefited almost 40,000 households in 860 villages.

Climate-resilient sustainable agriculture requires knowledge. Successful projects such as these can provide a model for others to follow. Knowledge transfer that brings the benefits of research from the laboratory to the farm is essential.

Programmes targeted at vulnerable groups such as women and tribal communities are particularly important. IFAD-supported programmes and projects in India promote tribal development by building and strengthening grassroots institutions that enable vulnerable people to plan and manage their own development, negotiate improved entitlements, and broaden their livelihood opportunities. Conferences and talks among world leaders can do many things but they don't feed people. We hope that leaders will keep in mind those who do: the smallholder farmers. Price volatility and the persistence of widespread, endemic and hidden hunger underline the need for urgent attention to enhancing the productivity and profitability of smallholder agriculture in an environmentally sustainable manner. This is the pathway to increasing agriculture's contribution to climate change mitigation as well as to sustainable food security.

(Prof. M.S. Swaminathan is Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and Chairman, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation. Kanayo F. Nwanze is President, International Fund for Agricultural Development, a U.N. agency and international financial institution dedicated to helping poor, rural people overcome poverty.)

Source:- http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/article2624715.ece?homepage=true

Many children dying and jobs being lost in Asian floods

Many children dying and jobs being lost in Asian floods says UNISDR

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BANGKOK, 21 October 2011 – The floods which have affected eight million people across South East Asia, and which now threaten Bangkok, have underlined shortcomings in disaster risk reduction with many children drowning because they cannot swim, and thousands of workers now unemployed because of poorly located manufacturing plants, the Head of the UN’s Bangkok Office for Disaster Reduction, UNISDR, Jerry Velasquez said today.

He continued: “We are particularly concerned to learn about the high numbers of children dying in these floods which was a concern raised by children themselves when over 600 were interviewed for the new Children’s Charter on Disaster Risk Reduction which was the focus of International Disaster Reduction Day on October 13.”

Over 200 children are reported to have died in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand out of an estimated total of 745 flood-related deaths. And more than 3000 schools have also been affected in Thailand alone which will have long term consequences on the education of thousands of children.

“UNISDR is also urging the governments of the affected countries to open discussions with the private sector on what adjustments need to be made in their land use to locate their factories in disaster proof areas to better protect their workers and prevent them to build their home in unsafe areas. The private sector has a responsibility in reducing disaster risks when these events are now so predictable in the light of what we know about the impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of these types of disasters.”

Across the region the well-being of millions will be drastically affected by loss of livelihoods as manufacturing plants are forced to shut and agriculture struggle to recover.

Read the full report at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=22701

Erosion of river embankments left people scared

BALASORE: Even as the flood waters have receded in northern parts of Balasore, erosion of river embankments has left people scared. Banks of rivers at many places have eroded due to lack of maintenance and appropriate measures to protect them.

Sources said massive erosion of the embankments of Subarnarekha has been reported from Sekhabad, Gobarghata, Mankidia, Gobardhanpur, Baiganbadia, Kirtania, Kantapal and Mohammadpur areas.

Locals said large patches of the riverbed have been eroded in the flood water current. Every year the river is eating into land mass and moving closer to the residential areas.

While the focus has been only on sea erosion, riverbank erosion could be the largest displacement factor, they pointed out.

The condition of embankments in Budhabalanga, Jalaka and Kansabansa rivers is no better. Erosion and landslides on the Budhabalanga embankment have assumed alarming proportion and are giving nightmare to people in scores of villages in Balasore. “Forget about monsoon, we are even scared in summer. The river which gets reverse water from sea has eroded more than 2 km patch in Old Balasore area putting people’s lives under threat,” said Judhisthir Jena, a resident.

Read in Detail at :- http://cdrn.org.in/show.detail.asp?id=22041