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Disaster Management

(i) Introduction

Over the last three years, Cambodia has been devastated by flood and drought. In 2000 flooding resulted in 347 deaths and more than 3.5 million people were affected (NPRS, 2002). In 2002, NCDM reported total damage from natural disasters at 33 million US dollars (ECHO, 2002). Natural disasters (flood and drought) most acutely affect poor households. Floods cause homelessness and low production (i.e. rice and fish spawning). This leads to a cycle of debt and poverty. Rice and fish are the staple diet of Cambodia (Ramage, 2003). Flood and drought ensure that vulnerable groups continue to suffer poverty and food insecurity (NPRS, 2002).

Flooding of the Mekong River is a recurrent event. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC)  prioritizes disaster management as one of the major strategies for poverty reduction in Cambodia (NPRS, 2002). Better intervention and a more effective approach will increase environmental sustainability and improve resource management, reducing the vulnerability of Cambodian people who are living on flood plains (ECHO, 2003).  Therefore, different disaster management interventions are recommended (ECHO, 2003). In addition to natural disasters, manmade problems have had significant impacts on these vulnerable communities.

Strengths

Opportunities

Weaknesses

(ii) Key Issues

Stories

Ms. NP is a lady living in Prey Veng province.  She says that “because of the flood-drought disaster in my village, I no longer have enough rice to meet my family’s needs. As a result I may need to sell my draught animals and land to get money to migrate”.              Ref: DIPECHO, 2002

 

Ms. SP is a widow and has six children. She says that in 2000 and 2001 her family could not grow rice because of floods and the bamboo floor of her house was under water. It was difficult to feed animals or find food and rice became expensive. In 2000, she sold one of her cows to buy rice and food. She could not borrow money from the market as the other villagers had done because she had no money to repay the loan. She says that “my children and I have been trying to live in these difficult conditions.” In recent years as farming has been better, so she and her children can help each other to work.                                                                                           Ref: DIPECHO, 2002

(iii) Recommendations

That development and poverty alleviation initiatives be encouraged, as they can result in increasing family assets and agricultural productivity.  This may be through rehabilitation of infrastructure and emphasizing multiple livelihood components such as managing natural resources and accessing credit.

Recommendations for the Government:

Recommendations for the Donors:

Recommendations for the NGOs:

References

1-      Ramage, I et al, (2003): Final Evaluation Report: Disaster preparedness action planning in Prey Veng. CARE Cambodia Project. Phnom Penh.

2-      MoP/Council for Social Development (2002): National Poverty Reduction Strategy 2003-2005. Phnom Penh Kingdom of Cambodia, 20 December 2002.

3-      ECHO (2003): CARE, NCDM and WFP 2002 Joint Food Security Assessment. Phnom Penh. ECHO and CARE Cambodia April 2003.

4-      HAP evaluation report

 

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For more information on the issues raised in this paper, please contact the

Humanitarian Accountability Network in Cambodia:

1. Hourt Khieu,            CARE, Tel: 023 215 267/8/9, Email: khieu@care-cambodia.org

2.  Kien Vaddanak, Cambodia Red Cross, Tel: 023 212 878, Email: vaddanakkien@yahoo.com

3.  Mot Sana, World Vision International, Tel: 023 216 052, Email: sana_mot@wvi.org

4.  Neup Ly, Urban Sector Group, Tel: 023 360 568, Email: admin.usg@forum.org.kh

5.  Phoeuk Sok,            Oxfam GB, Tel: 023 720 036, Email: psok@oxfam.org.kh

6.  Savun Sam Ol, NAS, Tel: 012 579 048, Email: 012897103@mobitel.com.kh

7.  Tan Bun Leng, CONCERN, Tel: 023 214 879, Email:            bunleng.tan@concerncambodia.net