Reducing vulnerability

Practical Action works to strengthen the ability of poor people to use technology to cope with threats from natural disasters, environmental degradation and civil conflict, by:

• Strengthening the ways that people, who live in fragile environment, cope with the environmental degradation that threatens their livelihood
• Improving vulnerable communities' ability to prepare for, survive and rebuild homes and livelihoods after natural disaster
• Preventing and managing conflicts over scarce natural resources and competition for common property resources;
• Rebuilding the livelihoods of people affected by civil war or conflict.

To this end, our current project work in Nepal on strengthening resilience is centred around two key programme areas:

• Food security projects in Nepal
• Disaster risk reduction and climate change projects in Nepal

Strengthening resilience

Nepal is highly vulnerable to natural disaster. There is a high risk of floods in the plain and landslide in the hills. The frequency of such disaster is increasing year by year. Low awareness level in terms of disaster preparedness and management, lack of efficient mechanisms and capacity to deal with these natural disasters has had severe impacts on the lives of the people, property and economy at large. Climate change has also added to the challenges, especially for the poor in rural areas.

Practical Action therefore works to reduce the impacts by helping people meet their household food needs through home based agriculture, cash crop production and non-farm alternative livelihood strategies.

It has also helped reduce loss of lives and assets - from landslide, floods and other forms of natural disaster - through the use of early warning systems, improved physical infrastructure and local preparedness planning, among other initiatives.

As guided by its country strategy, Practical Action Nepal works to strengthen the capabilities of poor women and men living in disaster prone areas and thus help to prepare them for survive and rebuild their homes and livelihoods in the face of recurrent disasters.

List of Practical Action reducing vulnerability projects in Nepal | International reducing vulnerabilty programme (Aim 1)