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Natural Disasters: better equipping disadvantaged population groups to cope

Project completed

Floods, droughts, hailstorms, frost, landslides and earthquakes are among the natural hazards to which Bolivia is exposed. All of these natural disasters are exacerbated by climate change and severely affect Bolivia’s population. The Disaster Risk Reduction Programme in Bolivia improves the country’s ability to reduce the impact of natural disasters and climate change on people’s lives, on the country’s economy and on its infrastructure.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Bolivia
Climate change and environment
Humanitarian Assistance & DRR
Governance
Rule of Law - Democracy - Human rights
Biosphere protection
Material relief assistance
Public sector policy
01.01.2013 - 31.05.2014
 CHF  1’750’000
Background

Bolivia is exposed to various natural hazards, which are exacerbated by climate change. Their impact on the population and the country hampers development.
Objectives

Increase the resilience of the Bolivian government and population to natural disasters and to the negative effects of climate change.
Target groups

Nationwide, particularly the poorest farmers and municipalities with high incidence of natural hazards and vulnerability
Results

Results from previous phases:  

  • 21 munipalities have developped CCA/DRR measures
  • 3 Gobernaciones (provinces) have developped their own Risk Management Unit and Emergency Operations Centres
  • 4 additional mancomunidades (association of an average of 5 municipalities) and 2 associations of rural producers (1000 families benificiaries) integrated CCA and DRR measures into their planning and implemented them
  • 2 funds for risk transfers for low income farmers are operational
  • The Viceministry of Rural Development is successfull in managing a knowledge management platform.
Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    1’750’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’514’850
Project phases

Phase 2 01.01.2013 - 31.05.2014   (Completed)

Phase 1 01.01.2011 - 31.10.2013   (Completed)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation GENERAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
    EMERGENCY RESPONSE
    GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Biosphere protection
    Material relief assistance and services
    Public sector policy and administrative management
    Cross-cutting topics The project takes account of democratisation, good governance and human rights as cross-cutting themes.
    The project also supports partner organisation improvements
    Type of support Official development assistance (ODA)
    Type of collaboration Bilateral cooperation
    Finance type Aid grant
    Aid Type Mandate with fiduciary funds
    Tied/untied aid Untied aid
    Project number

    7F07768

The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Programme is one of eight programmes of the SDC in Bolivia. The DRR programme, launched in 2005, is in its third phase which covers the period from 2010 to 2014.

Severe impact of natural hazards

Bolivia is exposed to various natural hazards and to the impact of climate variability and climate change. In recent years the recurrence of floods and droughts has increased, affecting large areas of the western and eastern parts of the country.

The impact both on the Bolivian population and the economy are severe. Disadvantaged populations and the productive sectors are particularly affected. DRR must be linked to sustainable development activities in order to increase a country’s resilience, its ability to withstand and recover from disasters. While there are efforts at the local level to introduce DRR and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in municipal planning, the integration of DRR into national infrastructure and public works budgets is still a challenge.

Increasing resilience

The programme will achieve its aims in two ways:

  • By improving Bolivia’s ability to reduce the negative impacts of natural disasters and climate change on the lives of its population, on infrastructure and on the country’s economic activities, thereby increasing the country’s resilience.
  • By building up the capability of the DRR National System to prepare for, adequately respond to and recover from natural disasters.

Targeting public policy is one of the key means by which the programme seeks to achieve these goals. Promoting DRR and the inclusion of CCA at various government levels and by creating tools and strengthening the ability of municipalities to influence public policies at the local, regional and national levels. For example, through this programme 24 municipalities have included funds for DRR in their annual budgets. These municipalities have also drawn up hazard maps, conducted risk analyses and drafted land-use plans.

The programme has achieved a number of further results

  • Awareness raising and dissemination of sound information on DRR among civil society

  • Training of local technicians

  • Increasing yields by reducing the negative effects of frost and hail through DRR measures

  • Designing a risk-transfer model (agricultural insurance) and implementing it in a participatory way. Approximately 350 farmers where insured against agricultural losses due to natural hazards.

Expected results by 2014:

  • Local actors understand and apply Disaster Risk Reduction measures and Climate Change Adaptation.

  • Agricultural production in the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups is better protected from disasters and climate change.

  • All SDC programmes in Bolivia fully integrate DRR and CCA and are less vulnerable to natural hazards.

  • National institutions dealing with DRR, CCA and related issues are better able to implement their policies.

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Last update 06.05.2020