Floods are often associated with havoc, but there is also a productive side to floods that is often overlooked. Nearly 50 million people depend on floods as the source of livelihood – in farming, grazing, agro-forestry but also for drinking water and the recharge of groundwater. Floods also provide varied ecosystem services and with their sediment build up soils. These flood water resources are precious, but they are managed differently. As water resources get scarcer, they become increasingly important: in spate irrigation, in water spreading, flood plain farming and flood inundation systems.
We promote better practice, programming, and policy in flood-based livelihood systems. We give especial attention to promoting peaceful symbiotic pastoral and agricultural and nurturing the talent of young women and men professionals. There is scope for more effective water diversion from dry rivers, for improved water distribution, climate change resilience, and better field level practice, socio-economic and environmental activity, specific to these systems.
We convene the Flood Based Livelihoods Network (FBLN) that connects members on the ground globally and promotes stability and socio-economic development in areas where livelihoods are dependent on floods. These areas are in most cases among the poorest in the countries where they are situated and many cases are areas where insecurity is high.
What we do is:
Implementing projects on the ground with communities in flood based areas
Assist in the design of investments
Documenting and promoting good practice through the Flood Based Livelihoods Network
Training communities and practioners in
Supporting policies and investments in dry lowland areas
