Community Based Geographical Information Systems as a basic tool for environmental and disaster risk management

The concept: Integrating environmental and disaster risk management within the planning cycle

Environmental management and disaster risk management are usually perceived and operated as separated issues. This is basically due to the fact that these tasks are handled by different institutions and that the traditional role of disaster management has focused on emergency measures and reconstruction efforts in post-disaster situations.

Nevertheless in recent years the approach to disaster management has evolved towards a broader concept of risk management: disaster mitigation, prevention and reduction of vulnerability. Highly catastrophic events with wide regional effects like the Hurricane Mitch in Central America (1998), climatic effects caused by the phenomena `El Niño´ or the Tsunami in Asia (2004) highlighted the importance of the integration of disaster risk management into development planning.

Responsible public institutions already started to consider disaster risk management as a cross-section topic. In order to incorporate it in an integrated manner into planning and investment decisions, the key challenge is to mainstream disaster risk reduction on national and local level and to place it at the conscience of decision-makers and development-planners.

Moreover, this broader concept points out the linkage between Environmental Management (EM) on the one hand and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) on the other hand. This is reflected in issues like watershed management, forest fire prevention, floods, waste and waste water management and particularly land use and spatial planning. A simple example of the interrelation between EM and DRM is shown in figure 1.

The basic approach to put into practice the incorporation of environmental and disaster risk management is to integrate these issues into planning cycle as shown in several applications of Local Agenda 21 (for example: The Code of best environmental practices of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces - Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales de la Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias). In general the following phases have to be considered:

1. Analysis
2. Planning
3. Implementation
4. Evaluation and monitoring

To implement the approach of Environmental and Disaster Risk Management (EDRM) within the planning cycle, the following conditions are required:

• Designation of competencies and responsibilities of the most important stakeholders on all political levels. This is very important to make optimal use of institutional resources and capacities.
• Capacity and or capacity building for these actors to assume their responsibilities in EDRM, which implies:
  - Political will,
  - Effective organizational structures
  - Human, financial and technical resources,
  - Availability of adequate methods and tools.

Geographical information systems (GIS) play an important role in this scheme, as they can easily incorporate social, environmental, economic, and risk data to provide consolidated information for all phases of the planning cycle.

As practical experience shows, strategic alliances and networks amongst people, organizations and institutions are essential elements to set up and to maintain local capacities. They offer the possibility to benefit from synergy effects and to diminish the influence of frequent political changes that weaken efficient administrative structures.
International technical cooperation agencies provide organizational and methodological assistance to support institutions in developing countries for the management of natural and man-mad disasters and prevention of degradation within the context of environmental management.

The experience: Regional network of community based Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in the Rural Area of Guatemala C.A.

In recent years the east region of Guatemala, bordering with Honduras and El Salvador was exposed to several droughts. This led to a severe nutrition crisis in rural areas and increased forest fires in the watersheds, augmenting the vulnerability of the region. Especially in the mountainous areas the majority of the population is indigenous, with very limited access to arable land.

Governing mayors complained the lack of adequate and detailed information at local level to implement an effective disaster prevention system.

Due to this local demand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Nutrition Security - MAGA [1] - in cooperation with the Regional Center of the National University - CUNORI [2] - and with technical and financial support of various international donors and cooperation agencies [3], initiated the implementation of a Regional Network of Geographical Information System. The German Agency of Technical Cooperation (GTZ) assisted this initiative within the Program of Decentralization and Municipal Development and their consultancy partner GFA Consulting Group with technical and organizational support.

The main objective of this Geographical Information System is to allow communities to identify their risk scenarios, prioritize their decisions, actions and resources regarding environmental management and risk reduction through:

•  Integration of Environmental and Disaster Risk Management in rural development plans,
• Mechanisms of horizontal and vertical data flow and visualization of complex patterns of local risks and natural resources as a base of effective development planning
• Structures and mechanisms for strengthening and maintenance of local capacities

The whole network is based on a central regional data base which is established in the Regional University Center - CUNORI. This database contains up-to-date data of national and international institutions as well as data which are collected first hand by the communities themselves. On the other hand, within their sphere of influence, the municipalities themselves dispose over a GIS which is compatible with the central system, permitting a mutual data flow using the internet options.

Picture 1: Training module: Stereoscopic interpretation of aerial photographies

Since the beginning, already 13 municipalities joined this initiative with own financial contribution. In order to strengthen the capacity of the municipalities to deal with this GIS and to guarantee the sustainability of the system, technicians of the municipalities have been trained in application of GIS, GPS and all relevant topics by the University Center. Besides this training the University provides technical support to special demands of the municipalities and offers their services of spatial data analysis and elaboration of maps as well to other interested institutions and private persons.

One year after starting the communities are using the database for:

• Identification and prioritization of highly vulnerable areas,
• Planning activities for rural and urban areas, like water supply, education, health, reforestation or protected areas,
• Monitoring of the nutrition indicators in especially vulnerable areas.

Data collection incorporates participatory appraisal methods and the application of transparent criteria for prioritizing projects and investments helped to facilitate social participation in decision making processes, based on objective technical criteria.

During establishing the information system network the tri-national project for the upper watersheds of the Rio Lempa river [4] between Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador took part in this initiative and made available its data base as well as using the instrument on tri-national and local level. Furthermore the project is providing funds to the system for the implementation of specific activities.

A website is under construction, first basic information can already be found there (www.sigchiquimula.com).

Conclusions: Conditions for replication and success factors

This regional information system network helped to integrate disaster risk reduction and environmental management. The involved actors / important stakeholders established relations between local, regional, national and even international levels.

As this example in the rural central American context shows, one of the key elements for the successful implementation was the creation  of a network and the effectiveness of strategic alliances among local, regional and national as even the international level.

Picture 2: Collection of georeferenced data on waste management

The ownership of strong local actors, who coordinate the support from different agencies rather than being influenced only by externals, is crucial for the generation of internal dynamics.

The Regional University Center as the key player in the network can guarantee institutional sustainability for two basic reasons; first, it is rather independent from political changes and secondly, it represents the main asset for maintaining (promotion and back-up) of technical capacities within the local governments.

Clear agreements between the involved parties regarding roles, responsibilities and contributions from the very beginning of the process has facilitated the efficient implementation and coordination of activities and sustainable institutionalization of the achievements.

The timely coordination by local institutions between financial and technical assistance together with the support for institution building helped to maximize synergy effects and complementarities between the contributions of local, national and international institutions. 

[1] Ministerio de Agricultura y Seguridad Alimentaría - MAGA
[2] Centro Universitario del Oriente - CUNORI, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
[3] FAO, UNOPS, UNDP, Italian Cooperation (APPI), GTZ
[4] Programa Trinacional para el desarrollo sostenible de la cuenca alta del Rio Lempa, financed by the Interamerican Development Bank (IADB)