* Stakeholders from multiple Indian states and countries in the Global South came together

*Learnings from coastal ecosystems shaped discussions about ways to strengthen early warning and action

* The convening in Odisha marks a first in a series to capture best practices, identify innovations and drive meaningful policy outcomes for a more resilient future.

Building new ideas to strengthen early action during disasters, Reliance Foundation and the United Nations India convened stakeholders from the Global South to deliberate multi-hazard, multi-stakeholder approaches to early warning, here today.

The Odisha convening, titled ‘Early Warning to Early Action - A Multi-Hazard, Multi-Stakeholder Approach: Learning from Coastal Ecosystems’, is the first in a series of convenings that Reliance Foundation and the UN India are organising. The gathering highlighted Odisha’s leadership in early warning and early action in a disaster-prone coastal area with focus on livelihoods and gender.

Experts from state and national disaster management agencies including the National Disaster Management Authority, India Meteorological Department and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, UN organisations, researchers, policy experts, academia and non-governmental organisations were part of in-depth discussions.

The Chief Guest at the convening, Mr. Suresh Pujari, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Odisha, said “We are working collectively to further strengthen early warning systems and we are happy that Odisha has been chosen as the first state to start this series of deliberations. The Odisha government works with various stakeholders on minimising the intensity of natural disasters. We will be working with the UN, Reliance Foundation and all other stakeholders for suggestions and technological assistance. We request the organisations we work with to find ways to integrate disaster prediction with information analysis for greater accuracy in early warnings.”

“As climate change drives more extreme events, there is a need to strengthen impact-based forecasting to ensure it translates more effectively to local action. We have witnessed the lifesaving potential of early warnings while serving communities during cyclones, floods and other extreme events. India is pioneering knowledge advancement in rapidly advancing early warning systems. We have been driving innovative solutions in early warning systems through extensive use of technology and approaches for effective reach and impact. The convening series, being organised by Reliance Foundation and the United Nations in India office, aims to work collectively with various stakeholders to realise the goal of translating knowledge into local action,” said Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation.

“Answering the UN Secretary-General’s call for Early Warning for All across the world, the convening today organised by the UN in partnership with Reliance Foundation is the first in a series of convenings on DRR. We're also showcasing the Government of Odisha’s leadership in Early Warning Systems for disaster response, a crucial story to tell and an opportunity to share best practices and knowledge with other states and countries in the Global South. The UN remains committed to supporting these efforts through our various agencies, working closely with the government, civil society and partners like Reliance Foundation to strengthen Early Warning Systems and build community resilience,” said Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinatior for India.

Experts focussed on the present advancements in early warning systems, sharing varied perspectives on challenges and ways to strengthen early action, including deliberating approaches to future-proof disaster preparedness in the panel discussions ‘Current State of EWS and Early Action: Assessing effectiveness’ and ‘Future Proofing and Innovation towards Integrated Early Warning System’. The sessions also underscored the need for multi-hazard approaches and integration of socio-demographic information with meteorological data for targeted early action messaging.

Through discussions focussed on learnings from recent implementation of early warning systems in coastal states, youth and gender-led disaster risk reduction initiatives and integration of livelihood protection along with early warning systems.

The convening facilitated South-South knowledge exchange with experts from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh sharing their best practices and highlighting the importance of strengthening collaborations. The panellists also reflected on pre-convening field visits to villages in Balasore and Bhadrak districts to see the work of Reliance Foundation and the UN India, in collaboration with the administration. An interactive exhibition at the convening helped delegates experience innovations and further enhanced the knowledge exchange process on the country’s efforts to strengthen early warning and action.

The Early Warning to Early Action convening series aims to document best practices, identify innovations, and deliver impactful policy-level outcomes to save more lives and livelihoods.

With climate change causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of disasters, there is an urgent global need to deal with these risks by taking an interconnected and pluralistic approach.

Solutions steeped in the ideas of biodiversity conservation such as safeguarding forests, mangroves, and active ecological restoration can help communities in preparation, response, and recovery from natural disasters. These referred to as Nature-based Solutions can help mitigate natural disasters like cyclones, floods, and even slow-onset events such as drought.

This publication by Reliance Foundation explores how nature-based solutions can help communities in preparation, response, and recovery from natural disasters.

• In close co-ordination with state authorities and the SDMA, Reliance Foundation has rolled out immediate on-ground relief support
• Reliance Foundation’s disaster management team is delivering need-based essentials to people in camps coordinating with government
• Commitment to Wayanad includes a multi-pronged approach; from relief to rebuilding livelihoods

As landslides at Wayanad have created heartrending scenes of devastation, everything possible needs to be done to support the people at this time. Reliance Foundation as part of deep commitment to the nation, especially in its most challenging hours, announced a multi-pronged approach to support the people of Wayanad in the immediate, mid-term and long-term.

In co-ordination with the government authorities and the disaster management teams in the district, Reliance Foundation is on the field in co-ordination with local authorities to provide all possible support. The teams are delivering immediate relief to people located in camps including milk and fruits for essential nutrition. Over the next few weeks and months, Reliance Foundation has committed to holistic immediate, mid-term and long-term support for the severely affected district, along with sustainable initiatives to address prevention, strengthen early warning and early action.

Expressing grief at the unprecedented events in Kerala, Mrs Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation said, “We are deeply pained by the suffering of the people of Wayanad and the immense damage caused by the landslides. At this time of extreme sorrow, our hearts go out to every single person and family who has been affected. Our Reliance Foundation teams on the ground are supporting the immediate response, recovery and long-term requirements for the people of the district. We stand by the people of Kerala in this difficult time.”

Earlier, during the floods of 2018, 2019, 2021 and through COVID-19, Reliance Foundation has provided relief and follow-up support to the state of Kerala. Building on its long-term disaster risk resilience initiatives, Reliance Foundation will strengthen collaborative and community-based efforts at Wayanad and other vulnerable regions in the country.

Reliance Foundation’s multi-pronged commitment to Wayanad includes:

1. Food & nutrition including providing ready-to-eat nutritious foods including fruits and milk, dry rations, kitchen utensils and other essentials such as stoves to help families in resuming kitchens

2. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) including provision of toiletries, essential hygiene requirements and basic daily requirements for hygiene and health

3. Shelter & living essentials including temporary shelters for affected populations, bedding, solar lanterns and torches, clothing and cleaning material to help people restart their households

4. Sustainable livelihood recovery for affected families to resume livelihoods including seeds, fodder, tools and vocational training to diversify income sources and focus on resilient agriculture tailored to Wayanad’s unique ecosystem

5. Education support including books and play material to ensure continuity of education for affected children

6. Ensuring reliable connectivity, Reliance Jio has installed dedicated towers and provided Jio Bharat phones, enhancing communication for residents, rescue workers, and disaster management teams to streamline activities and rebuild lives

7. Psycho-social support and community healing including counselling for trauma-affected individuals with experts, for social interaction to help people heal. These measures include special efforts to support children and youth

The Reliance Foundation team has already swiftly deployed personnel on the field for relief and is in discussions with state authorities. Each of the planned measures are being progressively rolled out synchronizing with the state and the other disaster response agencies to ensure that response is effective, reaching the people in a timely manner, in their darkest hour of pain.

Reliance Foundation remains committed to supporting the people of Wayanad in the long term, to enable a resilient and thriving community for the future.

Individuals at the grassroots have been a vital part of the support system for mitigation and response efforts during disasters in India. These individuals are developing the capacities and leading efforts to drive disaster management and resilience in their communities.

‘Stronger Together’: A compendium of stories of courage & resilience during disasters, prepared by Reliance Foundation and Sphere India, captures best practices by individuals at the grassroots level for mitigation, preparedness, and response to various disasters in India.

It serves as a powerful source of inspiration for others to learn and draw strength, enabling them to better prepare for and respond to disasters in India.

The stories presented in this compendium are based on the experiences and perspectives of individuals at the grassroots level who have actively contributed to disaster management and resilience efforts in their communities.

‘Stronger Together’ is a tribute to the ten individuals who have shared their stories of courage and resilience during times of disasters, along with millions of other individuals whose efforts often go unnoticed, yet continue to inspire the community with their relentless work, every day, contributing towards humanity by helping each other during times of emergency and crisis.