June 4, 2013

The Risk Reduction Index (RRI) data collection process in six study countries (Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Senegal, and The Gambia) has now finalised.

The process involved a questionnaire and interviews to a variety of key informants from a wide range of sectors. The questionnaires were used to collect information on the conditions and capacities affecting Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), its underlying causes and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) at RTU level (Representative Territorial Unit). A RTU is a new concept that refers to a geographically defined area within a country that is subject to certain hazards and patterns of vulnerability, that are representative of other areas in the same country with similar characteristics. A RTU can exceed the limits of an administrative division within the country, but its boundaries must be clearly defined in terms of risk type.

In order to share the results of the preliminary data analysis we organized workshops in each six countries at the local level. The aim of these were to corroborate and interpret the questionnaire results, discuss underlying risk drivers and how they influence the generation of risks, and identify the most relevant areas of intervention to promote DRR and CCA as well as the actors and institutions that should take the lead.

Additionally, we held national workshops in each of the six countries to scale-up local knowledge on the conditions and capacities affecting DRR and CCA in the RTUs, as well as to secure high-level commitments from regional, national and international institutions towards policy action, defining specific action and lead actors to improve risk management.

The input provided by the workshop has been critical to the Risk Reduction Index (RRI), Phase II-West Africa and generated action plans for measuring progress, or setbacks, of how underlying risk drivers are addressed over time and how this contributes to local-level resilience.

The data collection and workshops carried out will contribute to DARA’s next report on disaster risk reduction in West Africa.