Wetlands International ? Indonesia Programme

The programme was designed to innovatively integrate three main approaches on: ? Disaster risk reduction (DRR): The concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and manage the causal factors of disasters, including through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse events; ? Climate change adaptation (CCA): The adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities; ? Ecosystem management and restoration (EMR): A strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that provides sustainable delivery of ecosystem services in an equitable Core to the programme is the assertion that the three methods for strengthening resilience DRR, CCA and EMR will, if implemented in an integrated manner, create significant synergetic effects. Disaster risk reduction strategies will be more robust if they include the risks related to climate change. Vibrant ecosystems are essential as buffers against extreme events. By thus positioning the ?triangle? of DRR-CCA-EBA, the Partners for Resilience have found an innovative and cost-effective solution for creating resilience for development. In term of the diversification or development alternative livelihoods, the project introduced the BioRights approached which enabled community group to explore and develop their own group?s and individual member?s innovative solution for alternative livelihood. The project will facilitate the provision of capital for the agreed livelihoods development, based on the agreement that they are willing to participate on the ecosystem restoration programme at the site where the community is living. In most cases, the restoration programme is in the form of tree planting at degraded coastal and water spring areas. In order to obtain successful results on both livelihood and ecosystem restoration works, the project also facilitate the arrangement of various related training on livelihoods and ecosystem restoration. As part of the livelihood ? CCA solution, this project also facilitated the development of staple vegetation which is highly adaptive to the arid condition of East Nusa Tenggara province. One of the selected vegetation is sorghum, which historically is the main staple of people in the project areas ? which is different with the main staple of other parts of Indonesia (rice, sago). We are working with a well known local champion who has been awarded with some national-level awards due to her outstanding efforts on the development of sorghum to be re-utilized as local community main staple. She is providing training and awareness on sorghum planting and post-harvest management. It is aimed that in the future the local community will use sorghum as their main staple, so that the production will not provide negative impact to the ecosystem, as the sorghum is well adapted to the current ecosystem condition without many external supports.