BECAUSE there is limited funding and countless competing priorities for national governments, the real focus should be on strengthening resilience within communities rather than relying solely on costly infrastructure.
This was the message from Chief of WASH, UNICEF Pacific, Kencho Namgyal, during the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Funding panel where it was revealed that Fiji and most Pacific governments allocate less than 1 per cent of their annual budgets to disaster risk reduction.
Mr Namgyal said while investment in infrastructure remained important, resilience must go beyond concrete and steel.
“I want to make this myth that resilience is just making investment in infrastructure and putting in infrastructure that can withstand every five cycles,” he said.
“Of course, that is important. But the challenge is we don’t have sufficient resources.
“There are millions of competing priorities for the national government and for development partners.”
He said UNICEF’s work in the Pacific had shown that investing in community resilience and empowering people to maintain and protect their own systems, was often more sustainable and cost-effective.
“For far too long, communities rely on government to fund and fix and provide everything.
“Quite often, most planners and financiers link disaster preparedness and resilience only to capital investment.
“But what is quite often left out is the resilience of the community itself.”
Mr Namgyal cited UNICEF’s collaboration with the Water Authority of Fiji, the Department of Water and Sewerage, and the Ministry of Health in building and maintaining rural water systems as an example of community-driven resilience.
He said in many remote and maritime islands, where supply chains were complex and costly, local knowledge and materials were key to sustainable development.
“We work with the community themselves to identify the climate risks, look at threats to water sources, and use their science.
“For generations, they have seen which sources remain stable through droughts or cyclones. That local knowledge can be cross-checked with hydrogeological mapping to find the most resilient solutions.”
Mr Namgyal said UNICEF also promoted the use of local materials in construction and provided basic tools and spare parts to help communities maintain their systems independently.
Remote still at risk – UNICEF
CHILDREN and families in Fiji’s remote and maritime communities remain particularly vulnerable during emergencies due to fragile water and sanitation systems.
Chief of WASH at UNICEF Pacific Kencho Namgyal, shared the concern during the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Funding panel, highlighting that while urban areas have made significant progress in disaster preparedness, many remote communities are left behind.
“Whether it is in education, health, clean water and sanitation, child protection services, or social protection services, the same level and same standard of services should be available irrespective of geographic location,” Mr Namgyal said.
He explained that many communities relied on rainwater harvesting systems or small pipe networks that may not withstand cyclones or extreme weather events. Further complicating the issue, these communities often lack the professional capacity or resources to repair broken systems.
“Quite often, because of limited resources, the communities further away from the centre orbit are actually dependent on systems that may not withstand the event of a cyclone.”
Warnings must trigger action – UNDRR
WHILE Fiji has made significant advances in disaster monitoring and forecasting, the effectiveness of early warning systems ultimately depends on whether communities act on these warnings.
Head of the UNDRR Pacific Subregional Office, Gabrielle Emery, said during the UN Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) financing panel that vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children, were particularly at risk if warnings do not translate into prompt action.
“Often it’s called the low-hanging fruit of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, which makes it sound like it’s a really simple thing to do,” Ms Emery said.
“But actually when we’re thinking about an effective early warning system, we have to think about it very much as a system that works across government and also non-government as well.”
She praised Fiji’s strides in observation and monitoring, particularly through the work of the Fiji Meteorological Service, which not only provides services locally but also supports other Pacific islands.
However, she said early warning systems extended beyond data collection to include effective communication and community preparedness.
“Really, an early warning system won’t be effective if it’s not resulting in early action from the communities.”
She noted the crucial role of agencies such as the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), the Ministry of Rural Development, and the media in ensuring warnings are communicated effectively.
