R. Lalitha S. Fernando – författare

It is an outcome of research studies carried out by eminent scholars and practitioners in South Asian countries in the field of disaster risk management. The authors discuss how different South Asian countries manage disasters and address challenges associated with them. The case studies presented in this book reflect reality versus myth. In the quest to improve the ground-level situation, it is pertinent to understand the interdisciplinary nature of approaches used to tackle the aftermath of disasters.

The key features of this book include (i) the adoption of critical and multidisciplinary approaches in discussing disaster-related problems and emerging issues; and (ii) the provision of insights into the approaches to address the challenges and issues of disaster risk management. The different stakeholders, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers will acquire a fuller and richer understanding of the various issues related to disaster risk management.

The challenges related to disaster risk management (DRM) in the agricultural sector are now widely linked to sustainable environment. The fact remains that almost every day a disaster strikes in some part of the world. The regular occurrence of natural and man-made disasters has forced the worldwide communities to look for novel solutions to prevent and mitigate such disasters.

This volume brings together probing studies to disseminate the work of outstanding scholars and practitioners, especially in South Asian countries. Thus, it highlights the need to amalgamate and coordinate the resources and agencies involved in DRM in agriculture to ensure the quality of life to the victims after disasters. The authors incorporate specific themes correlated with DRM in South Asia. They intend to assess: (i) the consequences of distinct disaster risks in agriculture, (ii) the ways in which diverse disaster risk problems are handled in distinct settings, and (iii) the different methodologies embraced by different sectors to prepare for disaster risk.

This book presents strategies for managing disasters and reducing risks in Asian countries. Given the dynamic changes in the natural environment as well as the patterns of land use and management, the growing populations of the developing nations in Asia, migration patterns, and other social-cultural aspects, the impacts of disasters have increased manifold in Asian countries.

Against this backdrop, the book examines disaster management issues such as disaster preparedness, post-disaster reconstruction, peace, development and corruption. The views of different groups of stakeholders are incorporated in the discussion to ensure a comprehensive analysis of and findings on the governance process, as well as best practices in pre- and post-disaster management. The book also includes chapters focusing on aspects often overlooked in the context of disaster management, such as the need to invest in public education to improve public awareness, and approaches to supporting the disabled, the vulnerable and the elderly from disaster risks. In closing, the book presents research on disaster management methods employed by different countries in the Asian region.

Acknowledgement: The editors acknowledge the role of the Network of Asia Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration and Governance (NAPSIPAG), which is the largest governance research network in the Asia Pacific region,in bringing out this book. NAPSIPAG has been regularly organizing international meetings of administrators, academia and non-state bodies to provide a forum to the regional scholars to deliberate with the international governance experts. It has also helped the international policy organizations to have a better understanding about the region through a local lens of Asiatic anthropology, ethnography and culture of administration.

In the last two decades, coastal regions have relatively endured some of the fiercest oceanic and geophysical disasters than the earlier decades. Yet, disaster management governance fails to match the human, nonhuman and environmental calamity which is unfolding in its most frequent and unpredictable pattern. Between the Asian Tsunami of 2004 to the devastating Chennai and Kerala floods of 2018 the socio-industrial-livelihood impact alerts governments towards a greater and more serious compliance to laws for coastal conservation. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in 2018 had shocking statistics to share as the deaths and damages related to only Tsunami disaster at the coasts to 251,770 and US$280 billions respectively in the last 20 years (1998-2017) as compared to 998 and US$ 2.7 billion in the previous 20 years (1978-1997). Coastal conservation is no more a question of casual governance but has become a need for survival. The region of South Asia whichranks much higher in its vulnerability, weak resilience and relatively undersupplied governance structures ought to take this responsibility on a priority. The spirit of Hyogu Declaration and the Sendai Framework for Action suggests preparedness and resilience building as key approach areas in coastal governance.

The book is incomparable in its holistic and transdisciplinary social science based approach to disaster management which links conservation of marine flora and fauna, ecosystems and land management with decision making processes and coastal regulations. These grass root findings from the subcontinent are substantiated by a section on the most powerful court battle on the Kerala Floods as a guideline for readers to discerningly identify an ‘Act of God’ often used as a veil to hide lack of preparedness, apathy and political greed. This book becomes indispensable reading for anyone involved in research, administration or any level of decision making for the mitigation and prevention of disasters.