Learning by Doing: Community Based Landslide Risk Reduction

摘要

‘Knowledge into action’ and ‘community engagement’ are terms widely used in disaster risk management. We challenge the efficacy of such advocacy by reviewing knowledge gaps that restrict delivery of landslide mitigation on-the-ground in the most vulnerable communities in developing countries. We outline a holistic strategy which embraces both ‘action into knowledge’ and ‘knowledge into action’, and which engages all stakeholders throughout implementation cycle. This strategy formed the basis for the development of a community-based landslide risk reduction programme (MoSSaiC – Management of Slope Stability in Communities) in several Eastern Caribbean communities during the period 2005–2011. Outcomes included changes in policy (support for ex-ante DRR), new institutional practices (creation of a cross-ministry Government team), enhanced the local skill base (communities learned construction skills) and raised awareness (of landslide ‘science’ and hazard reduction). Such outcomes support the view that ‘learning by doing’ offers considerable benefits in the delivery of landslide mitigation measures.