 IFI Concept
International Flood Initiative (IFI) is a joint initiative in
collaboration with such international organizations as UNESCO (IHP), WMO, UN/ISDR, UNU, IAHS and IAHR. IFI made its official
launch in January 2005 at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (WCDR) in Kobe, Japan. To
coordinate IFI activities, the IFI Secretariat is located in ICHARM, Tsukuba, Japan.
The Initiative is based on the concept of integrated flood management
and aims to ensure that an end-to-end process of flood management is put in place in a balanced manner, duly
considering prevention and mitigation measures and the positive and negative impacts of floods. By applying the
Integrated Flood Management approach that considers comprehensive risk management principles and approaches that
aim at multi-hazard responses, IFI will foster the mobilization of resources and networks of the UN system,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donor agencies, the insurance industry in order to assist communities and
governments in developing culturally sensitive flood management strategies comprising of optimal structural and
non-structural measures thereby targeting sustainable development.
Integrated flood management (IFM) is a process that promotes a holistic risk-based approach to flood management. IFM is
aimed at minimizing the human and economic losses from floods while at the
same time maximizing the social, economic, and
ecological benefits from floods and the use of flood plains.
It integrates land and water resources development within a river basin, addresses institutional challenges, and
recognizes the critical importance of stakeholder participation and cultural
diversity.
Read more on IFI Concept (PDF, 94KB).
Guiding Principles: The implementation will be guided by five principles:
- Living with floods
- Equity for all stakeholders
- Empowered participation
- Interdisciplinary and trans-sectorality
- International and regional cooperation
IFI's Objectives: IFI’s overall
objective is to build the necessary in-Country capacity to gain and advocate for a better understanding and handling of hazards,
vulnerabilities and benefits
associated with floods. IFI’s
specific objectives will enable the countries to:
• Improve data collection and analysis for
flood management
• Broaden the knowledge-base with respect to
the risks and benefits of floods
• Take advantage of the benefits of floods and
flood plains
• Build on and improve institutional frameworks
for flood management
• Develop area-specific adaptation strategies
• Develop approaches to assess and
reduce vulnerability
• Improve floodplain management in rural
and urban areas
• Optimize a mix of structural and
non-structural approaches to flood management
• Improve flood forecasting and early warning
for both urban and rural areas
•
Increase the effectiveness of forecasts and people-centered early warning systems
• Improve community responses to
flood hazards
• Strengthen coping capacity to deal
with flood risks under climate change
• Develop participatory approaches to
be used in a variety of contexts and cultural
settings
• Increase flood awareness and
preparedness with a focus on rural settings
• Incorporate flood management into
school and university curricula
• Improve in-service training in all aspects
of flood management
• Develop financial mechanisms for transferring risks
and sharing losses from floods
• Increase the effectiveness of forecasts
and people-centered early warning systems
• Improve community responses to flood hazards
• Strengthen coping capacity to deal with flood risks under climate change
• Develop participatory approaches to be used in a variety of contexts and cultural
settings
• Increase flood awareness and preparedness with a focus on rural settings
• Incorporate flood management into school and university curricula
• Improve in-service training in all aspects of flood management
• Develop financial mechanisms for transferring risks and sharing losses from
floods
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IFI
Secretariat:
