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Policy synthesis on climate and weather information products; policies related to their communication in India

Information, Communication Systems, Policies and Adaptation:

ekgaon’s Communication Systems Unit (CSU) has been looking into various aspects of climate change impacts and role that communication can play in building adaptive capacities of vulnerable communities. The critical questions which ekgaon is looking into are:

Impact & Vulnerability; impacts also depend on the degree to which vulnerable populations are able to get, correctly interpret and act on advance warning of impending disaster (flood, drought, cyclone etc.). 

Early Warning Systems; that are ‘alive’ in that situation serve multiple functions and are increasingly recognized as a critical factor influencing the economic and human impacts of climatic variability and change.  The nature of such systems, the degree to which different sections of communities have access to them and the way warning functions relate to the cultural and behavioral patterns within community are equally critical factors. 

Communications Systems; technologies, systems, accessibility and there management framework, however communication systems are not a function of technology and access alone.

Policies and Guidelines; assess the existing global/national/regional/state/village level communication policies and systems in general as well as specific focus towards their role in early warning, disasters and building adaptive capacities.

Information & Communication; identifying, analysing and developing climate/weather forecasting products and enhance there ability to provide early warning inputs under different climate change scenarios.

Communication & Adaptation; effective communication tends to inform audience on available choices, however communication for “early warning” requires defining the choices to trigger stimuli for an effective and timely response. Its is observed and is common knowledge that culturally embedded information systems tend to be more “alive” then any modern “information communication technology” (ICT) tools can make themselves to be, whatever adaptation or personalization done. For effective preparedness the challenge is to build communication systems, which while may have modern ICTs in the backend but have simplified comprehensible and adaptive interfaces in the front end. To make communication systems “alive” they need to be based in community, the socio-cultural context and the traditional knowledge systems play a key in making a communication effective.

Central logic to climate change – communication debate has to be homogenous integration of technology, infrastructure and institutions around the central periphery, which are community and its socio-cultural-natural environment. A communication system based on socially accepted values and processes would have greater “life” and “longevity”. Technology should be able to meet the need rather then become central vehicle to be adapted too; the role of institutions is to enable this facilitation for better adaptation of communication systems.

Project Progress:

Timeline

Action

5th – 7th January 2006

International Conference on Climate Variability and Change, New Delhi – Presentation on “Communications and Early Warning: Building “Alive” systems”

24th – 25th April 2006

First Adaptive Strategies project partners coordination meeting at IDRC regional office, New Delhi facilitated by IDRC

25th April 2006

Anukul_Mosaic Google Group set up for networking and knowledge sharing for project partners - Anukul_Mosaic@googlegroups.com

May – July 2006

Analysis of communication policies in India – Policy scenario, evolution, role of state and central government and other stakeholders

May – June 2006

Communication system stakeholder visits in New Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Gorakhpur

9th June – 15th June 2006

Field visit in Uttar Pradesh for assessing communication and information needs of communities in the disaster prone areas as identified by the communities

26th June – 6th July 2006

Field visit in Gujarat for assessing communication and information needs of communities in the disaster prone areas as identified by the communities

July 2006

Launch of partner networking website for resource sharing and for document management viz. www.ekgaon.com/anukul

21st – 23rd July 2006

Field visit in Tamil Nadu for assessing communication and information needs of communities in the disaster prone areas as identified by the communities

20th – 24th September 2006

Second Adaptive Strategies project partners Planning & Coordination meeting – Special session on outcome mapping in Kathmandu Nepal, facilitated by NWCF and ISET-Nepal

25th – 27th October, 2006

Agro meteorological Risk Management: Challenges and Opportunities, New Delhi, organized by World Metrological Organisation – Participation in discussions on “Communication and Communication Systems: Challenge and opportunities”

1st November 2006

Uttar Pradesh SLD in Lucknow with all stakeholders for Adaptation, communication and Disaster Management debate facilitated by GEAG

2nd – 4th November 2006

Field visit in Uttar Pradesh – Gorakhpur & Maharajganj - Information need assessment in pilot sites and SLD with community groups in villages of Lakshmipur Tola (Maharajganj), Sonatekar (Gorakhpur), Ranipur – Manohar Chak (Gorakhpur) facilitated by GEAG

5th – 6th November 2006

Field visit in Nepal – Information need assessment in pilot sites and SLD with community groups in villages of Rampur Khadona (Nawalparasi) and Devgaon in Terai region of Nepal facilitated by NWCF & ISET-Nepal

7th November 2006

Nepal SLD in Kathmadu with all stakeholders for Adaptation, communication and Disaster Management debate facilitated by NWCF & ISET-Nepal

29th -30th November 2006

India Disaster Management Congress, New Delhi organized by National Disaster Management Authority, presentation on “Technology, Communications and Early Warning: Building “Alive” systems”

3rd December 2006

Communication Systems and information need assessment – Final checklist sent to project field partners for information need and communication systems assessment in pilot sites and enabling SLD with community groups in pilot villages to develop understanding on issues of information and communication which enable and/or disable adaptation

5th – 7th December 2006

Field visit in Gujarat – Information need assessment in pilot sites and SLD with community groups in villages of Katpargaon, Mandwa and Tarsara (Bhavnagar) facilitated by Utthan

8th December 2006

Gujarat SLD in Ahmedabad with all stakeholders for Adaptation, communication and Disaster Management debate facilitated by Utthan

20th - 22nd December 2007

Field visit in Tamil Nadu – Information need assessment in pilot sites and SLD with community groups in villages of Keelavanagiri & Kirivanagiri (Nagapattinam) and T S Pettai (Cuddalore) facilitated by MIDS

20th December 2007

 

 

23rd December 2007

Tamil Nadu district Level SLD in Nagapattinam with all stakeholders for Adaptation, communication and Disaster Management debate

 

Tamil Nadu SLD in Chennai with all stakeholders for Adaptation, communication and Disaster Management debate

 

Facilitated by MIDS

January 2007

Scoping paper on communication systems, policies and adaptation for India and Nepal

11th – 18th February 2007

Third Adaptive Strategies project partners Planning & Coordination meeting – Special session on outcome mapping in Kathmandu Nepal, facilitated by NWCF and ISET-Nepal

26th – 28th February 2007

International Workshop on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change at Dhaka, Bangladesh, organized by Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) - Presentation on Developing livelihood resilience and communicating with communities

6th – 7th March 2007

National Consultation on Community Radio for practising and potential Community Radio Operators in India, New Delhi organised by Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) - Participation in discussions on “Communication and Communication Systems: Challenge and opportunities of using Community Radio for increasing adaptation and early warning”

March 2007

Technical paper on Cost – Benefit Analysis on various Early Warning System (EWS) technologies

 

Proposed Action:

Timeline

Action

24th April 2007

SLD on Climate information and Communication system, New Delhi

25th - 27th April 2007

Fourth Adaptive Strategies project partners Planning & Coordination meeting – Finalisation of pilots and action in project areas

June 2007

National SLD on Communication systems and information need for adaptation