National Disaster Risk Management Plan (NDRMP) 2009.

The National Disaster Risk Management Plan (NDRMP) is a major step towards achieving the goal of Sustainable Developments through ensuring Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) implementation in the country. It provides a framework which guides all sectors and stakeholders in preparing their own DRR and Emergency Management (EM) plans. The plan addresses issues related to natural and man-made hazards and vulnerabilities as per sectoral mandate. Consolidation of all the sector specific plans will result into a Strategic National Action Plan (SNAP) for DRR implementation and Emergency Management Plan (EMP) to deal with disaster related emergencies. This Plan has six Chapters. The first Chapter provides justifications for the need to have a comprehensive disaster risk management plan – a plan that is coherent with existing sustainable development related initiatives. The list of existing and potential disaster risks in Botswana justifies the requirement of a comprehensive NDRMP. The aim of the plan, as described in the chapter is to provide a framework for a coordinated and proactive set of actions incorporating elements of Disaster Risk Reduction as well as Emergency Management. The Ministry is responsible for overall animal health and production; crop production; and protection of agricultural resources. The Ministry also provides advice on severe weather conditions (e.g. frost, high temperatures, hailstorms, strong winds, flooding and drought). The Ministry has responsibilities, among others, to maintain strategic grain reserves for food security.
The specific guiding principles for Botswana NDRMP are: 1. Building the Resilience: While the occurrence of natural calamities cannot be stopped, national and community resilience can be built to withstand the impact. 2. Safe and Secure Development Planning: Natural disaster risks are intimately related and connected to the economic development of the society (e.g. technological processes, urbanisation, etc) hence disaster risks can be managed and reduced through appropriate and precautionary development planning. 3. Multi hazard approach can enhance the effectiveness of Disaster Risk Management Planning in Botswana. Substantial disaster risk reduction cannot be achieved if actors of this plan only focus on few selected hazards. 4. Decentralised approach: Disaster risk management activities such as Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management planning will be premised on a high level of decentralisation based on local initiatives, with the active participation of district and community levels as well as other actors. The specific objectives of the Plan are: To define measures to reduce vulnerability to disasters and build capacity and resilience at national, district and community levels. To outline structures for organising and coordinating disaster risk management functions. To outline functional responsibilities and the requirements for implementing the various elements of disaster risk management. These include mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, rehabilitation, reconstruction and disaster safe development.