Community-based Early Warning Systems, Key practices for DRR Implementers

FAO-COOPI-OCHA-UNHABITAT/SAIO/2014.This brief provides detailed context on Early Warning Systems: Functions and Objectives.  It seeks to provide knowledge to enhance the ability to monitor the factors that turn a hazard (the actual event) into a disaster (the worst-case result of the event) and to help save both lives and livelihoods of populations that are at risk. Early warning systems (EWS) are central to limiting the loss of lives and livelihoods as a result of hazards and disasters. Early warning systems are used in all of the sectors involved in disaster risk reduction (DRR) including health, food security, agriculture and adaptive architecture, among others, to provide communities, governments, NGOs and humanitarian actors with the information required to act effectively and efficiently. The target audience for this brief includes NGO staff, extension workers, community development leaders and government officials who work in development, relief or disaster risk reduction (DRR) projects and programmes in hazard prone rural areas in southern Africa. This brief is part of the series, A Field Guide for Disaster Risk Reduction in Southern Africa: Key Practices for DRR Implementers, coordinated by the FAO Sub regional Office for Disaster Risk Reduction/Management for Southern Africa. This series has been produced with contributions from COOPI, FAO, OCHA and UN-Habitat. It has been produced under the project “Regional Multi Regional DRR Assistance Programme for Southern Africa: Information Management and Health” ECHO/-SF/EDF/2012/01004