Why Are Community-Based Early Warning Systems Inadequate? A Case Study of the Licungo River Basin, in Mozambique

Abstract

This study examined the effective implementation of a community-based early warning System (CBEWS) as an early evacuation tool in at-risk communities in the Licungo River Basin Mozambique. Using the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) framework, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the CBEWS, focusing on the identification of factors that impede its functionality. The research employed a qualitative approach, conducting one-on-one interviews with key stakeholders at the national, provincial, and district levels, and group discussions with community members in the Licungo River Basin. Interviews and group discussions were conducted in Portuguese and Echuabo, facilitated by a local translator, and included a diverse representation of community members and leaders. The results revealed that the four pillars of the UNDRR framework - risk knowledge, monitoring and warning, communication and dissemination, and response capacity - lacked interdependence, resulting in the CBEWS failing to effectively facilitate early evacuation. Specifically, the study identified several critical factors: a lack of trust in the early warning system, inadequate monitoring and warning systems, communication challenges, and insufficient response resources. Additionally, the lack of social capital significantly affected community members’ willingness to implement and respond to CBEWS warnings and voluntarily evacuate. These findings highlight the need to address social capital and use incentive-based approaches to enhance the effectiveness of the CBEWS. Therefore, promoting strategies that strengthen social capital and incorporate incentives is essential to ensure community engagement and effective evacuation.