Paper details
| Paper authors | Shristi Piya (Rumsan); Alina Karki (Danish Red Cross) |
| In panel on | Getting Ahead of Disasters by Connecting Early Warning and Anticipatory Action That Works for All |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
Anticipatory action (AA) offers a vital shift from reactive disaster response to proactive risk mitigation. This paper presents the use of Rahat, an open-source blockchain platform to support anticipatory action in flood prone area of Nepal. Funded by the GSMA Innovation Fund for Anticipatory Humanitarian Action and implemented in partnership with the Danish Red Cross, this project aimed to enhance the efficiency of AA projects and enhance the financial resilience and safety of flood victims.
The pilot deployed a multi-signature smart contract mechanism to automate risk communication (in forms of interactive voice response (IVR), SMS alerts) and cash disbursement triggered by forecast data sources along with human approvals. An early action tracker and resource coordination solution was also deployed to efficiently manage overall AA efforts. The intervention reached over 4500 households with risk communication, out of which 98% of beneficiaries claimed taking proactive steps after early warnings. 774 households received cash transfers via banks, and more than 800 individuals were trained on Digital Finance Literacy (DFL). It also supported tracking and monitoring early actions, enhancing transparency and accountability among all the stakeholders at different levels.
The solution helped vulnerable communities adapt and become more resilient by enabling timely access to aid and information before disaster strikes, automating early warning communication and support. The platform prioritized women in targeting and used voice-based features to ensure access for low-literacy and digitally excluded users. The impacts of the interventionincluded efficient AA processes, improved coordination among stakeholders, and increased community resilience. Findings indicate that while the solution significantly improved the speed, traceability, and accountability of AA interventions, challenges remain in infrastructure, digital literacy, willingness of users, and government engagement. It emphasizes the need for institutionalization to scale such interventions. This case contributes to ongoing discussions on how emerging technologies can support community-led, accountable, and anticipatory humanitarian action.
