7. Breaking the Capability Trap

What can be done to break the capability trap? Two radically different approaches will be discussed in this chapter. First, an internal and community centric approach driven by innovative ways of financing and no or little reliance on donor funding. Second, based on changes in structural design, monitoring, and implementation of donor or top-down aid. In both the approaches, communities need to be at the center of capacity development efforts. Many country governments are now realizing this and are focusing their efforts on involving communities earlier on in their disaster risk management programs. At the same time, local government agencies such as municipalities and development authorities need to be empowered to lead the disaster risk management agenda. Higher level governments and/or donors can facilitate this change by providing technical, financial, and decision-making power to lower levels of governments. The critical roles of local government officers and community leaders—the change agents—need to be supported by rewarding them for their innovative practices and dedication. The chapter starts by discussing the implications of the Gujarat study on literature and practice. A review of international cases is presented to understand how disaster risk management system has evolved across countries. This is followed by a set of recommendations for practitioners and researchers.