The SIDRRA project aims to enhance adaptability and strengthen resilience among at-risk communities in Asia and amplify local voices in decision-making processes. It promotes multi-stakeholder engagement to ensure that adaptation strategies are grounded in the realities of those most affected. By bridging policy and practice, the project helps local knowledge influence regional resilience agendas.
Under the SIDDRA sub grant scheme, Practical Action Nepal – a member of Duryog Nivaran – will implement a project titled “Strengthening Community-Based Preparedness through Impact Based forecasting in Sindhupalchok District” that looks to enhance risk awareness and proactive responses through better risk communication to improve disaster preparedness that can secure lives and livelihoods.
Project Overview
Sindhupalchowk, is one of Nepal’s most disaster-prone districts. Since the 2015 earthquake and the 2021 Melamchi floods, the Panchpokhari-Thangpal region in Sindhupalchowk has remained highly vulnerable to cascading hazards like landslides and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). While a community-led Early Warning System (EWS) exists, a critical “action gap” persists as communities receive technical alerts but often lack the practical knowledge or institutional support to translate these forecasts into timely, life-saving responses. This results in avoidable losses despite available data and a functioning EWS.
The project will shift from traditional forecasting to Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF), which predicts not just the weather, but what the weather will do to specific lives and assets. By utilizing the “Mission Voice” approach to identify the most vulnerable areas, the initiative will train Community Disaster Management Committees (CDMCs) in anticipatory action and real-time risk communication via digital platforms. The project aims to strengthen DRR governance by updating the BIPAD portal, fostering institutional coordination, and institutionalizing citizen science. Ultimately, this transforms a technical warning system into a people-centered, proactive shield that protects livelihoods and ensures long-term resilience against hydro-meteorological extremes.
Objectives: To build local capacity for Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) and Anticipatory Action (AA) while strengthening upstream-downstream coordination.
Expected Outcomes
- Strengthened local capacities in the five most vulnerable communities exposed to flood and landslide risks.
- Effective collaboration between Community Disaster Management Committees (CDMCs) and Local Disaster Management Committees (LDMCs) for resource mobilization and planning.
Insights thus far
The project has made strong progress in strengthening community-based flood preparedness and anticipatory action systems across six selected upstream and downstream communities.
Capacity-building training for Community Disaster Management Committee (CDMC) members has significantly enhanced local understanding of Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF), including risk interpretation, early warning systems, and early action planning. As a result, community members are increasingly able to use scenario-based approaches and risk matrices to guide timely and informed responses to flood risks.
To strengthen coordination, upstream–downstream dialogue sessions were facilitated, bringing together riverine communities to jointly assess flood scenarios, communication flows, and response mechanisms. These discussions helped identify differences in risk exposure and accessibility, while establishing functional communication links that improve trust and coordination during emergencies.
Technical advancements have also been achieved through ongoing flood modeling, including data collection, analysis, and the development of impact-based flood maps for all six project communities. These maps incorporate lead-time calculations, improving early warning dissemination from upstream to downstream areas and supporting more effective anticipatory action planning.
The project has applied the “Missing Voices” approach that has been developed by PAC. The approach focuses on proactively identifying and amplifying voices often excluded from traditional data collection by working with trusted intermediaries and creating safe, inclusive spaces for participation. It has led to inclusion of marginalized groups, such as single mothers and excluded populations into the project.
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