In the face of escalating climate catastrophes, a simple yet powerful solution is gaining traction: providing cash transfers to vulnerable populations before disasters strike. This approach, known as anticipatory cash assistance, allows people to prepare, shelter, and safeguard their livelihoods when extreme weather events loom. Experts argue that this innovative strategy should be a core part of the toolkit for disaster relief in the age of global warming.
Proactive Preparedness: The Power of Pre-Disaster Cash Transfers
In the face of increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events, a growing number of experts are advocating for a radical shift in disaster response tactics. Rather than waiting for the devastation to unfold, they argue that we should be proactively empowering vulnerable communities with cash transfers before the disaster strikes.
The rationale is simple: the sooner people have access to funds, the better they can prepare and protect their livelihoods. Whether it’s reinforcing their homes, stockpiling essential supplies, or temporarily relocating to safer areas, these pre-disaster cash injections can make all the difference. As Ranil Dissanayake, a researcher at the Center for Global Development, explains, “the earlier you get the money, the better” – allowing recipients to take critical preventive measures before the crisis hits.
Proven Success: Case Studies in Anticipatory Cash Assistance
The effectiveness of this approach has already been demonstrated in various pilot programs around the world. In Bangladesh, for example, more than 23,000 households received $53 one week before the peak of catastrophic flooding in 2020. According to a study led by Ashley Pople, a researcher at Oxford University’s Center for the Study of African Economies, these beneficiaries were able to stock up on provisions, shelter their animals, and protect their livelihoods-critical possessions.
In contrast, households without access to these pre-disaster cash injections saw the risk of going a day without food increase by more than 50%. The UN has also run a dozen similar pilot schemes, including in drought-stricken Ethiopia and Somalia, with promising results. These success stories highlight the transformative potential of anticipatory cash assistance in empowering communities to weather the storm, both figuratively and literally.
Challenges and Limitations: Improving the Anticipatory Cash Approach
While the concept of pre-disaster cash transfers holds immense promise, it is not without its challenges and limitations. Accurate forecasting at a granular, community-level scale is crucial, as Pople points out: “You need fairly accurate forecasts at quite a granular level, ideally at a village or community level.” Certain types of extreme weather, such as unpredictable tropical storms, can still pose difficulties for this approach.
Additionally, Dissanayake emphasizes that anticipatory cash assistance should be recognized and financed as an integral part of the toolkit for responding to climate change, rather than a standalone solution. Public investment in infrastructure, such as better roads, transport networks, and collective flood barriers, remains essential – as households cannot address these issues on their own. Striking the right balance between individual support and community-wide resilience is key to the long-term success of this strategy.
