Transcript - adaptation

Community-based Adaptation
Project
A Guide to the Vulnerability Reduction Assessment
Presented by
Andrew Crane-Droesch
Project Coordinator
UNDP Community-Based Adaptation Project
© 2009 UNDP. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Proprietary and Confidential. Not For Distribution Without Prior Written Permission.
Outcome 1: Local Level
Key Project Outcomes
Enhanced adaptive capacity allows communities to reduce their vulnerability to
adverse impacts of future climate change driven risks
– Community-level capacity building and awareness-raising on climate change
– Portfolio of 8-20 adaptation projects per country, in 10 countries
Outcome 2: National Level
National policies and programmes promote replication of best practices derived from
CBA projects
– Dissemination/promotion of lessons learned at the national level
– Involvement of policymakers in CBA projects and processes
Outcome 3: Global Level
Cooperation among member countries promotes innovation in adaptation to climate
change including variability
– Transboundary learning, based on best practices identified by communities
– Lessons learned on CBA transmitted to global stakeholders, including GEF-secretariat
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
1 1
Monitoring Climate Change Adaptation
First, definitions:
IPCC TAR
“…adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected
climatic stimuli or their effects, that moderates harm and exploits beneficial
opportunities.”
UNDP Adaptation Policy Framework
Adaptation is a process by which individuals, communities, and countries seek to
cope with the consequences of climate change, including variability.
How do we practically measure the progress of community initiatives in facilitating an
adjustment or process?
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
2 2
The Vulnerability Reduction Assessment
What is the VRA?
The VRA is a form of Participatory Impact
Assessment with the following aims:
–To measure community perceptions of climate
change risk and adaptive capacity
–To assist with project development/management
and to use M&E to make projects responsive to
community priorities
–To measure impact vis à vis long-term climate
change adaptation, not just one-off impact on
present development challenges
–To capture qualitative information for
development of knowledge products and
adaptive project management
–To form a system of common-unit indicators
which can be aggregated across a diverse
portfolio of CBA projects
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
3 3
How does the VRA Work?
The VRA is composed of four indicators, based on the UNDP
Adaptation Policy Framework approach.
These four indicators become four questions – tailored to the
community and posed in community meetings before, during
and after project implementation.
VRA meetings yield quantitative and qualitative data:
–Useful in aggregating and assessing programmatic impact
–Useful in guiding project design and management
–Useful in capturing lessons learned
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
4 4
The VRA in theory
VRA Question
In these examples, we consider the case
of a community facing increasing drought
risks
APF Step
VRA Indicator
Assessing current
vulnerability
1. Vulnerability of livelihood/welfare
to existing climate change and/or
climate variability.
Example: What happens when there is
drought? How does this affect you and
your community?
Assessing future
climate risks
2. Vulnerability of livelihood/welfare
to developing climate change risks.
Example: What would happen if drought
was twice as frequent? How would this
affect you and your community?
Formulating an
adaptation strategy
3. Magnitude of barriers
(institutional, policy, technological,
financial, etc) barriers to adaptation.
Example: What stands in the way of
adapting to increasing drought? What
means do you or your community have to
manage events occurring more frequently?
Continuing the
adaptation process
4. Ability and willingness of the
community to sustain the project
intervention
Example: Rate your confidence that the
(project activity) will continue after the
project period.
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
5 5
How does the VRA work in Practice?
Negative Responses and
Challenges
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What
happenswritten
when there
is drought?
Question
across
the top
What effects does it have on your
livelihood?
During the last 30 years, no one
has been at ease because of
drought. They have lost a lot
during this time. Agriculture no
longer permits them support
themselves. One participant
called the situation a “moral
wound”.
Today, one must plant 3 hectares
to get same production of field
crops as one hectare planted 30
years ago. Often, there simply
isn’t enough food.
Today, animals are no longer a
means of storing savings.
(Female response)
There has been a lot population
movement out of the area due to
drought. Some people aren’t even
sure where members of their
extended families have gone.
1.
Children often leave villages and
don’t return.
2.
There are a lot of orphans and it’s
difficult to feed them all. (Female
The H-form exercise begins3.by
response)
They
know it’sthe
not a
good idea toacross the
writing
question
harvest too much firewood, but
topdoof
the sheet
ofthey
paper.
many
it anyway
because
4.
need the revenue generated by
The facilitator will then facilitate
selling fuelwood.
discussion on the topic with
community.
2.8
Positive Responses and
Mitigating Factors
1.
2.
Some new wells have been
dug in the area, but it is not
enough.
Rainfall is not as low as it
has been, but it falls more
erratically.
A simple average of the scores
The facilitator then takes notes
yields the value for this particular
based on the community
VRA indicator.
discussions on the sides of the Hform. These are divided into
three categories of comments.
Ways of Improving the Situation
Re-establish livestock herds. This would improve
livelihoods and have cultural significance.
Create jobs for young people to improve household
revenue and stabilise society (i.e. reduce rural exodus).
There must be diversification of out of rain-fed agriculture
to reduce suffering. Animal raising and counter cycle
agriculture (i.e. market gardening) are possible
diversification strategies. (Female response)
Build grain banks, fertilizer banks, and animal feed banks
ato improve food security for both people and animals.
the This will help traditional livelihood activities.
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
As the discussion is concluded,
the facilitator polls the
community for a numerical score
for the question, using the textual
guides as appropriate.
This may be done via show of
hands, symbols, or another
appropriate method.
6 6
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
7 7
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
8 8
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
9 9
Calculating the final VRA score
VRA meetings are held 3 times over the course of the project:
• At the beginning
• Once or twice over the course of implementation
• At the end of the project
The VRA Score for one meeting is
comprised of the scores for each of
the questions, averaged
By the end of the project, VRA should
be higher, reflecting improved adaptive
capacity.
This permits comparison of diverse
project initiatives across a global
portfolio.
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
Indicator
Score
1. Vulnerability to existing
climate hazards
3
2. Vulnerability to projected
climate change risks
2
3. Magnitude of barriers to
adaptation
4
4. Sustainability of the project
intervention
5
Final VRA Score
3.5
1010
What are the methodological issues?
Lessons learned from implementation
A purposive sampling approach: individual projects
should define the composition of the local
stakeholder body in advance, ensuring that all
stakeholder groups (gender, livelihood, etc) are
represented. These groups must be roughly
identical from meeting to meeting for results to be
valid.
Communication and rapport is critical. Particularly
where climate impacts have involved serious losses
or mortality, sensitivity and tact are critical.
The process should be kept short, and H-forms
should be prepared in advance. This will maintain
meeting flow and participant interest.
Flexibility is critical. Within the framework of the
methodology, flexibility and creativity are critical in
tailoring the process to the target community.
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
1111
The full working paper can be found on the CBA project website
www.undp-adaptation.org/project/cba
Thank You!
www.undp-adaptaton.org/project/cba
1212