Alice Ncube
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, held every year on 13 October, reminds the world that disasters are not inevitable. While hazards such as floods, droughts, cyclones, and disease outbreaks will continue to occur, the scale of their impact depends on how well prepared we are to anticipate, prevent and respond to them. This truth is particularly urgent for Africa, where climate change, rapid urbanisation, and fragile infrastructure make millions of people increasingly vulnerable.
Across Africa, climate extremes are intensifying, rising temperatures are fuelling more prolonged droughts, heavier rainfall drives floods, and coastal communities face higher risks from storms and sea-level rise. Population growth and unplanned urbanisation increase exposure.
Therefore, disaster risk reduction (DRR) must be seen not as a secondary issue, but as a central pillar of Africa’s sustainable development agenda. Every disaster undermines hard-won progress in poverty reduction, health, education, and food security. Unless risk reduction is integrated into all sectors of planning and investment, Africa will continue to spend scarce resources on costly emergency responses instead of building long-term resilience.
Encouragingly, the African Union and its member states have already laid a foundation. The Programme of Action for the Implementation of the Sendai Framework in Africa provides a roadmap for reducing disaster risk at continental, regional and national levels. Advances are being made in early warning systems, along with transboundary cooperation on hazards and community-based preparedness. Yet progress remains uneven, and the scale of today’s risks demands far greater ambition, stronger partnerships and increased financing.
Investing in resilience pays off. In Africa, studies have shown that disaster response costs far surpass prevention spending. Every dollar invested in preparedness can save governments and communities up to US$7 in recovery and reconstruction. The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) backs this assertion. At the same time, the World Bank estimates resilient infrastructure alone can generate more than US$4 in benefits for every dollar invested. These findings underscore that prevention is a humanitarian priority and a sound economic strategy.
More importantly, risk reduction protects lives and livelihoods, particularly for those already marginalised.
Africa’s rich Indigenous knowledge systems have guided communities in forecasting weather, managing land, and adapting to environmental shocks for generations. When integrated with modern science and technology, indigenous knowledge strengthens the accuracy, relevance, and cultural acceptance of DRR strategies. This blending of traditional wisdom and scientific innovation, combined with inclusive leadership and participation, must be at the heart of national resilience strategies.
Technology and innovation also present new opportunities. Satellite data, artificial intelligence and mobile platforms are improving how risks are monitored and communicated. However, these tools must be matched with investments in local capacity, governanc, and financing to ensure that early warnings translate into early action.
On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Africa must reaffirm its commitment to a resilient future, aligning efforts under Agenda 2063, the Sendai Framework, the SDGs, the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda. Together, these frameworks call for resilient economies, climate action, sustainable cities and inclusive growth − all of which depend on robust disaster risk reduction. Governments, civil society, the private sector and development partners all have a role to play.
Africa’s vision of resilience is clear: a continent where hazards do not become disasters, communities are empowered to withstand shocks, and development gains are safeguarded for future generations. Achieving this is not optional, it is essential. The time to act is now.
■ Ncube is senior lecturer and programme director of the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa at the University of the Free State (UFS).
