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Reducing the impact of a disaster on rural livelihood: Evidence from an ICT lead development intervention during Cyclone Amphan in Eastern India

Kotta

This article presents evidence of an ICT lead development intervention supporting rural livelihood during Cyclone Amphan that left behind a trail of destruction in Eastern India during May 2020. Before the cyclone, the agriculture, livestock, and inland fish farmers were provided timely advisories predominantly in voice SMS to their mobile phones. An assessment carried out with the farmers tried to understand the impact of cyclone alert advisories in protecting rural livelihood. Using descriptive research design, the assessment interviewed 1,160 farmers from two Eastern States of India. Findings of the evaluation found that a good proportion of farmers had crops and livestock at the time of the cyclone. Over 91% of surveyed farmers reported having taken precautionary measures disseminated by the programme, thereby averting monetary loss due to damage created by the cyclone. A regression analysis shows an incremental benefit derived by farmers who adopted many precautionary measures on loss aversion. The assessment found that the use of ICTs has proven to be successful in disaster risk reduction and has relative importance in seamlessly supporting lives and livelihood during multiple crises, including natural disasters and pandemics.

Keywords: Environmental studies, Outcome and impact evaluations, COVID-19, Economic analysis

See paper.

  Presented in Session P1.