By: Julius Nakmofa *

When you walk in the village - this village in NTT, have found a village where people are all rich? Or find the poor all? Have you found in a village, people of all evil, or good of all? Of course not. In a society there must be an evil person and there is also a good person. There are rich people and there is also poor. Good and evil, rich and poor together then so be a ward / village. This means that within the community itself there is something owned (ability) and no one else has, on the contrary there is something that is not owned, but owned by others ".
(Ferdy Namah, Naob Village, District East Noemuti, TTU)

Introduction

Rhetorical question at the same time the above statement appears in a discussion with the villagers assisted Snacks Disaster Society (PMPB) Kupang. This question, initially difficult to grasp, what is behind the meaning contained in the statement. But after being briefed, caught a very deep meaning. The statement would convey that people actually have the potential to be developed, society has the ability to share with others. This expression is not clear to "outsiders" in order to look further on the existence of a community when it will perform an activity in the region.

This means people miss a sustainable life, without losing the local knowledge of life in the midst - the middle of them. Thus, managing the sources of livelihood is the duty of every "we" who work with rural communities in managing their livelihoods towards a better life.

This paper is the subject - the subject matter of a little field experience are presented as a discussion, especially for us who care about the studies for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Local Capacity in Disaster Risk Reduction

Capacity is the resources or capability that is naturally present in self, family, society as a means of preparedness, prevention and disaster risk reduction. Capacity is always closely related to the livelihood owned. Human resources, natural resources, economic, social, and material. In the perspective of disaster risk reduction, capacity building aspects into something important that can help people in areas prone to disasters can survive or adapt.

From the experience of community assistance, the actual concept of disaster risk reduction exists and is practiced by the communities themselves according to the conditions faced threats. Repeated threats to teach people to always be alert to the possibility of coming back the threat, by utilizing available resources in their environment.

With the recurring threat, making the community has the capacity to predict conditions that will occur next year or make efforts to adapt to the conditions experienced, as follows:

• Efforts to remind each other is reflected through poetry - lyric poem sung. One verse reads, "Kaloan waste sae, sae la Anin, Anin sae kaloan lorry los onan. Udan tau mai Nalo Mota peacock tun, tun mai nasusar hutun no Renu "means: When I started overcast, the wind began to blow. When it began to rain, flooding was bound to come and miserable people.
• Protection of family food security carried out by planting various kinds of crops in the garden. This activity is a public option as part of an effort to anticipate and preparedness against the threat of floods and droughts that could lead to crop failure / food insecurity.
• Community of West Timorese believe star clusters may provide clues related to the season is going to happen next year. The star group known as the Nao Pen (Corn star), Nao Ane (rice star) and Nao Sain (barley / botok. The plant is not developed anymore). If the light is dim the star sign of famine. Conversely, if the stars are visible light, a sign next year's harvest will be abundant. Star clusters, also be a clue for people to sort out which plants will be planted next year. For example Nao Pela (corn star), when the light is bright, then the next year people will prioritize planting more corn, while rice and other crops as a distraction.
• Tamarind trees and mango trees, believed by the community to provide guidance through the fruit. When mango or fruit acid rain, a sign will be a shortage of food. And conversely, if a little mango and tamarind fruit, a sign will yield satisfactory
• Society maintains spruce, rose apple, bamboo forests, pandanus plants retaining as landslides, in the watershed because it has solid roots.
• To reduce the current strength of water and mud, community care plants and fafoek ONU (a type of grass that is also used as fodder). These plants began to disappear since the settlement began in the expanding population and agricultural land clearing
• House on stilts is the capacity of communities in areas prone to flooding. The number of houses on stilts currently very limited, because most people move into homes that are not the type of houses on stilts.

Efforts - efforts will be undertaken by the community in reducing disaster risk in their area began to experience barriers due to limited knowledge and the changes that occur rapidly. Based on the experience of reflection PMPB Kupang for 11 years working in the field Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (PRBBM) at least 40 villages in NTT, then it can be summed up several key steps to make efforts in risk reduction based livelihoods. We call these tips as 8 PMPB step in protecting livelihoods, the plot as follows:

Increasing Community Capacity
Through various training activities formal / informal community facilitators and village volunteers, PMPB emphasis on several things: (a) the introduction of basic concepts of disaster risk reduction, (b) community-based disaster risk reduction, (c) training of the introduction of minimum standards in emergency situations , (d) emergency first aid training, (e) of gender and disaster (f) preparation of emergency contingency plans and operational standards, and (g) technical emergency management and a variety of basic materials that are considered relevant.

Risk Analysis Mapping with the Community Village
To understand what has historically been a disaster ever occurred before in the region it is necessary to open a disaster of historical memory in the area. Also to understand the possible loss of livelihood assets in the communities were at risk of loss due to the potential disaster to come. This activity is also intended to understand the various vulnerabilities that exist now (or are being produced or are incubating in the region) which contributes to the potential risks that exist or may arise in future. This process is conducted with the community in a formal meeting conducted by a facilitator and informally identified in the processes of living together (live-in) society.

Disaster Risk Analysis Document
All assessment results with the community, collected and used documents belonging to the society that is very useful for the community to Develop Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan for the community level as the initial information to monitor the movement of (the threat, vulnerability, capacity and risk in the region at a future time), information for outside party who will perform the activities in the region. The document can be used as advocacy material that has a legitimate grassroots knowledge to drive change at the community level.

Community Action Plan
Plans drawn up together as needed, such as the village contingency plans, emergency aid to set standards, develop warning systems, simulation plan and so forth according to the results of dynamic analysis of a participatory with the community.

Implementation of the Community Action Plan
Before the plan of activities carried on, the plan that has been made socialized into the community and responded to in the know. Activities conducted by the society itself is based on planning that has been made, but could be changed according to the needs at hand. Implementation of the activities performed by the society as a self-supporting with a mechanism that was built by their own. Financial support and technical issues can be sought from outside parties.

The Periodic Simulation
Simulations carried out mainly in areas of high risk. Simulations performed to reexamine the contingency plans that had been developed, identify and create a safe evacuation route for the community when it will be displaced, increasing the ability and skill in performing emergency first aid, community organizing in the management of refugee camps and to make simulations as routine activities / community does not will guard their condition

Develop Rules Supporting PRB Village
Regulation of the Village (Perdes) is structured as an umbrella law in support of the work PRBBM. Perdes made as a basis to incorporate disaster risk reduction into the Budget of the Village.

The Periodic evaluation to see the progress that has been achieved
Preparation of monitoring and evaluation guidelines agreed upon to measure the impact of the program that has been done and make village development meetings per year as a forum for evaluation and planning of Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction

Conclusion

From experience - the experience mentioned above, it can be concluded several key points:

1. Disaster, of any kind there is always the human factor as a source of vulnerability which can worsen the impact
2. Strengthening the capacity of communities in disaster risk reduction is part of efforts to support the livelihoods of communities in disaster prone areas
3. Have local capacity in disaster risk reduction community has suffered a setback due to rapid changes taking place both locally and globally secala
4. Collaboration between local knowledge and technical knowledge can help implemented effective disaster risk reduction.
5. Implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction is the responsibility of all parties, in accordance with the capacity of which is owned

Cover

Thus the principal - the principal thought we could convey on this happy occasion, may be useful.

Julius Nakmofa, working on disaster Management Society (PMPB) East Nusa Tenggara. This material is presented within the framework of the inauguration of Centre for Disaster Studies (PSB) Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (UKSW). Related news published in Satya Wacana Christian University website with the headline Salatiga Inauguration of Centre for Disaster Studies SWCU .