The Fast Rural Development Program (FRDP), in partnership with Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and consortium partner CESVI, hosted a significant workshop aimed at improving disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation. Supported by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and technical experts from the PDMA Sindh and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the workshop focused on enhancing collaboration between academia and disaster management authorities.
Mr. Mubashir Hassan from WHH highlighted the need for stronger cooperation between academic institutions, disaster management bodies, and the development sector. He noted that despite ongoing efforts, there are still gaps that WHH, with support from DG ECHO and PDMA, is working to address by developing a new disaster management course. This initiative, with technical design support from DevRes consultants, aims to improve university-level education in disaster management.
The proposed course was shared with representatives from various universities across Sindh, including Sindh Madarsatul Islam University, University of Peshawar, Federal Urdu University, NED University, University of Sufism, University of Karachi, Center for Excellence in Women Studies, Dawood University, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University, Sir Syed University, Indus University, and LUMHS. Experts provided valuable feedback to refine the course content and committed to including it as an elective in their degree programs.
Mr. Imdad Hussain Siddiqui, Director of Operations at PDMA Sindh, emphasized the importance of integrating Disaster Risk Management education at all levels. He expressed PDMA’s support for the curriculum’s implementation through collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), academic institutions, and development partners. Siddiqui also shared insights from the 2022 disaster, showcasing PDMA’s proactive measures and achievements.
Ms. Fozia Rajput, Executive Director of FRDP, expressed gratitude to PDMA for its crucial role in guiding humanitarian efforts towards building a more resilient society. Participants, including stakeholders from PDMA, DDMA, PMD, the legislature, media, academia, and the telecom sector, showed enthusiasm for improved coordination. The workshop aimed to bridge the research-practice gap, enhance hazard risk knowledge, and explore links between disaster risk financing and effective response mechanisms.
Dr. Sardar Sarfraz, Chief Meteorologist at PMD, emphasized the importance of incorporating advanced forecasting technologies into the disaster management curriculum. He recommended integrating Early Warning Systems (EWS) based on PMD’s expertise to improve disaster preparedness and response.
This workshop marks an important step towards fostering a unified approach to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in Sindh, contributing to a more resilient and prepared community.
