Mohale’s Hoek, July 15 — The Disaster Management Authority (DMA) partnering with the World Food Programme, and the Lesotho Meteorological Services, has held a two days Anticipatory Action (AA) Refresher Training and Updating session for the District Disaster Team,(DDMT) prior to the anticipated El Nino.
WFP ‘s Early Warning Associate, Mr. Mafamo Pholo noted that AA is defined as acting ahead of predicted hazards to prevent or reduce acute humanitarian impacts before they fully unfold, and it requires pre-aged plans that identify partners and activities, reliable early warning information and pre-agreed financing released predictably and rapidly, when an agreed trigger point is reached.
He pointed out that AA is of paramount importance considering that climate change significantly exacerbates vulnerability affecting marginalized communities, ever increasing and more intense climate shocks, increasing humanitarian needs and costly responses, noting there is a need to shift from reactive to a more forward looking humanitarian system.
The latter further explained that AA has core components like triggers and financing mechanisms, and it is more about making decisions after receiving weather forecasts from LMS, and mapping way forward instead of planning when the situation unfolds like previously when a crisis would hit first before plans could be made.
On the other hand, Director Early Warning and Preparedness Ms. ‘Mamonyaku Koloti, explained that since 1987 Lesotho adopted the Cluster Approach Coordination of the national stakeholders in Disaster Risk Management, as AA needs a multi sectoral approach from sectors like Agriculture and Food Security, Health and nutrition, water and sanitation.
Ms. Koloti pointed out that in order to enhance partnerships in disaster preparedness, the country has established a multi-hazard approach in dealing with shocks and stressors, hence the development of the multi hazard contingency plan, “drought affects everyone, therefore DMA as the coordinating entity acts under guidance of information received from various Ministries and offer support,” she pointed out.
Moreover, the LMS Weather Forecaster Mr. Rammolenyane Lethaha has confirmed that there is a high probability of El Nino hitting the country at about 90%, however noted there is no need to panic.
Mr. Lethaha clarified that El Nino is measured based on temperature differences in the Pacific ocean, which currently show heat stretching across the ocean, therefore boosting evaporation and adding water vapour to the atmosphere, and pointed out that LMS has a tool which assists in monitoring weather at a national and district level, and gave an assurance that the country will experience a mild drought.
He further indicated that in 2015-2016, the country experienced an extreme drought as compared to 2023-2024 however pointed out that the anticipated one will not be as severe due to the rains which assisted in conserving humidity in the atmosphere.
The DDMT members discussed challenges as well as success in 2023-2024, in provision of water, agricultural inputs and cash based transfers to vulnerable communities, then made some recommendations on how the challenges can be addressed in the future.
Ends/MAMO/tl
