Financing Disaster Risk Reduction: Exploring the Opportunities, Challenges, and Threats Within the Southern African Development Community Region

Abstract

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, a regional economic body comprised of 16 member states, is one of our planet’s most vulnerable regions to natural hazards, and has a complex disaster risk profile. The region has sustained several disasters over the past decades. These events include annual floods in 2004–2019 and extreme droughts (1990–1993); other climate-induced disasters, such as cyclones, also have had devastating impacts, particularly on the Indian Ocean island states and east coast countries. To reduce the risk and impacts of disasters, governments must invest in disaster risk reduction (DRR). However, interventions aimed at reducing social and economic vulnerability and investing in long-term mitigation activities are often few, poorly funded, and insignificant in comparison with money spent on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and post-disaster reconstruction. This study investigated whether DRR is adequately funded within SADC member states in light of the high stakes in human life, infrastructure, and economic losses and the potential savings involved. The study applied a qualitative research design with data collected through semistructured interviews and focus group discussions. Respondents were selected purposefully and through snowball sampling with a total of 67 respondents from Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe participating in the study. The study findings reveal that DRR is inadequately funded in all the member states consulted in comparison to funding allocated to disaster response. In light of the underfunding experienced by DRR activities, this study provides a platform for lobbying and advocacy for adequate funding for DRR.