Disaster Risk Reduction and Rural Resilience

Even though disaster losses frequently occur in rural and agricultural areas, a substantial number of the prevailing disaster research has focused on urban areas, often failing to notice rural populations, communities, and rural development as a whole. It is critical to assess how the needs and vulnerabilities in rural communities impact the creation of resilience, especially in countries with a large rural area. For disaster managers, rural areas present opportunities and challenges different from those of their urban counterparts. Therefore, efficient disaster risk reduction is the key to sustainable rural development.

Disasters can cause human and animal life loss and the damage to field crops, stored seeds, agricultural equipment and materials, supply systems (e.g., infrastructure), livelihood, and associated indigenous knowledge. Such impacts have its short-term repercussions and affect the long-term sustainability of the rural sector. Rural regions of the developing world can be remote with high concentrations of mass poverty, food insecurity, and illiteracy; hence, access to food, shelter, and communication for relief and recovery is a challenge after a disaster. In rural areas, farmers strongly rely on natural resources and have no alternative source of income or employment, making them more vulnerable to a crisis. In addition, women are of paramount importance in rural development and agricultural activities, but they are the most affected ones during any disaster. Children and able people in the rural sector are also vulnerable; however, they have not been studied well and require more attention in days to come.

This book explores the above-mentioned aspects related to disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and management in rural areas. Emerging technologies and their impacts to enhance disaster resilience in the rural sector are also illustrated. Apart from the introduction, the book has four sections focusing on 1) food and agriculture, 2) water and sanitation, 3) gender and social issues, and 4) rural technology. The book is a valuable resource material for students, researchers, academicians, policymakers, and development practitioners.