Final performance evaluation of the community-managed disaster (CMDRR) risk reduction activity

USAID's Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction activity, running from 2014-2017, aims to build community and household resilience to climate-related shocks. This final performance evaluation of CMDRR examines changes in household and community resilience, the activity's gender and social inclusion, the effectiveness, sustainability, and scalability of new technology and innovations, the layering and sequencing with other disaster risk management efforts, and the appropriateness of the activity design. To do so, the evaluation team conducted a household endline survey with community members in ten target woredas, compared results to the 2011 baseline, and conducted key informant interviews and focus group discussions with implementers, government officials, and activity beneficiaries. Findings demonstrate continued household livelihood vulnerability and decreasing income, particularly in the wake of Ethiopia's historic 2016 drought. Community resilience grew through the creation of robust disaster risk reduction community groups. Women's savings groups promoted women's leadership and access to financial resources. Disability inclusion initiatives were also successful. Early warning systems insufficiently linked governments and communities vertically to ensure timely information flow. Water and environmental technologies were effective, and rural areas have continued demand for such technologies. CMDRR collaborated productively with PSNP, but in a more limited way with other stakeholders. The participatory activity design was appropriate, though technological innovations were not always appropriate to the target communities. (Author abstract)