TY - JOUR
T1 - Communication Structures and Decision Making Cues and Criteria to Support Effective Drought Warning in Central Malawi
AU - Calvel, Alexia
AU - Werner, Micha
AU - van den Homberg, Marc
AU - Cabrera Flamini, Andrés
AU - Streefkerk, Ileen
AU - Mittal, Neha
AU - Whitfield, Stephen
AU - Langton Vanya, Charles
AU - Boyce, Clement
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Early warning systems trigger early action and enable better disaster preparedness. People-centered dissemination and communication are pivotal for the effective uptake of early warnings. Current research predominantly focuses on sudden-onset hazards, such as floods, ignoring considerable differences with slow-onset hazards, such as droughts. We identify the essential factors contributing to effective drought dissemination and communication using the people-centered approach advocated in the WMOs Multi-Hazard Early Warning System Framework (MHEWS). We use semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and focus group discussions with small-scale farmers in the Mangochi and Salima Districts of Malawi. We show that the timely release of seasonal forecast, the tailoring of the drought warning content (and its timing) to agricultural decision making, and the provision of several dissemination channels enhance trust and improve uptake of drought warning information by farmers. Our analysis demonstrates that farmers seek, prepare, and respond to drought warning information when it is provided as advice on agricultural practices, rather than as weather-related information. The information was found to be useful where it offers advice on the criteria and environmental cues that farmers can use to inform their decisions in a timely manner. Based on our findings, we propose that by focusing on enhancing trust, improving information uptake and financial sustainability as key metrics, the MHEWS can be adapted for use in monitoring the effectiveness of early warning systems.
AB - Early warning systems trigger early action and enable better disaster preparedness. People-centered dissemination and communication are pivotal for the effective uptake of early warnings. Current research predominantly focuses on sudden-onset hazards, such as floods, ignoring considerable differences with slow-onset hazards, such as droughts. We identify the essential factors contributing to effective drought dissemination and communication using the people-centered approach advocated in the WMOs Multi-Hazard Early Warning System Framework (MHEWS). We use semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and focus group discussions with small-scale farmers in the Mangochi and Salima Districts of Malawi. We show that the timely release of seasonal forecast, the tailoring of the drought warning content (and its timing) to agricultural decision making, and the provision of several dissemination channels enhance trust and improve uptake of drought warning information by farmers. Our analysis demonstrates that farmers seek, prepare, and respond to drought warning information when it is provided as advice on agricultural practices, rather than as weather-related information. The information was found to be useful where it offers advice on the criteria and environmental cues that farmers can use to inform their decisions in a timely manner. Based on our findings, we propose that by focusing on enhancing trust, improving information uptake and financial sustainability as key metrics, the MHEWS can be adapted for use in monitoring the effectiveness of early warning systems.
KW - communication and dissemination
KW - developing countries
KW - drought warning
KW - effectiveness
KW - extreme events forecasting
KW - Malawi
KW - people centered design
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121237082&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fclim.2020.578327
DO - 10.3389/fclim.2020.578327
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85121237082
SN - 2624-9553
VL - 2
JO - Frontiers in Climate
JF - Frontiers in Climate
M1 - 578327
ER -