Integrating disaster risk reduction into development planning in Egypt. case study: the impact of avian influenza crisis on traditional poultry keepers' livelihoods in Fayoum
Abstract
The study provides an overview of the literature on disaster risk reduction, its relation with various development approaches and the livelihood framework. The study also examines the theoretical debates surrounding the relation between disasters and sustainable development. In addition, the study explores the various disasters that occurred in Egypt between 1990 and 2008. The study explores â rapid onsetâ natural disasters in Egypt (earthquakes and floods), a number of frequent human-made disasters (road, maritime, train accidents and fires), and â slow onsetâ hybrid disasters (Avian and Human Influenza and landslides) and their scope, causes, and implications on the livelihoods of the affected population. In addition, the study reviews the current legal framework as it relates to disasters in Egypt and the various institutions at the national and local levels. In addition, the case study examines the Avian and Human Influenza (AHI) crisis between February 2006 and April 2009 in Egypt and explores its impact on the livelihoods of traditional poultry keepers in Fayoum. The field work conducted for this study explores the reasons behind the increased vulnerability to bird flu among traditional poultry keepers in Fayoum, and examines the ways in which the AHI crisis affected their livelihood assets and strategies. Moreover, the study explores the role of veterinary services in prevention and mitigation of the AHI crisis and how it affected the susceptibility to AHI.