Our Reducing Vulnerability projects help poor people to use technology to cope with natural disasters, environmental degradation and civil conflict.

Poor people are the most vulnerable. Their lives are highly susceptible to shocks or disruptions caused by climate change, natural disasters, conflict and the spread of infectious disease.

We work with poor people to build on their skills and knowledge and use appropriate technologies to help them develop more secure lives, cope with the risks they face and adapt their lives successfully to meet future challenges. Our approach includes:

• helping communities to organise and plan their own development
• increasing access to technologies and skills for sustainable farming
• managing natural resources such as soil, land and water
• increasing access to a range of skills so that poor people have more ways of making a living
• helping people to find ways of coping better with hazards including drought, flood and conflict
• working directly with local people
• working with partners so we can share our work and reach more people
• working at all levels from local to international in order to have a bigger impact on the policies that affect vulnerable people

Further information

Read more about our programme work in this area under the following topics:

• Food and agriculture
• Disaster risk reduction
• Climate change adaptation

Publications and resources

Programme and practice briefings, joint publications, books and publicity leaflets