Forms of community participation and agencies’ role for the implementation of water‐induced disaster management: protecting and enhancing the poor

Abstract

Water‐induced hazards and disasters are usually compounded by the mismanagement of local water resources. Since the community bears the burden of disaster and is the first responder to the event, it is imperative to build the capacity of the community to enhance their coping mechanism and resilience to prepare for and face the disaster. The best strategy for the immediate as well as the long term cost‐benefit and pro‐environmental implications that will ensure prevention, mitigation and rehabilitation of water‐induced disaster is to ensure strong community participation. This paper elucidates the different forms of community participation and their comparative advantages in a socio‐economic dimension, thereby poverty alleviation. Agencies’ roles are analyzed in response to community participation. It is hoped that these theoretical and practical tips will benefit both community and agencies to work out better performances in advance.