Swiss funds help recovery of flood-damaged communities

Heavy rains and floods in January resulted in severe damage and displacement in urban and rural areas of 11 municipalities of Kosovo.¹

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) with the financial support from Switzerland of USD 421 000, will provide agriculture livelihood emergency relief and shelter assistance to 11 communities impacted by the recent floods. Assistance will focus on the most affected vulnerable people who will receive aid to recover from the impact of the floods and help increase their resilience to future extreme weather shocks.

FAO, IOM, and UN-Habitat have cooperated to assess the damage and needs of the affected population and plan the necessary interventions. The three agencies worked under the Flood Response and Early Recovery Plan, which was developed by the United Nations Development Coordinator’s Office in Pristina on behalf of ten United Nations agencies in the immediate aftermath of the floods.

“Shelter is one of the basic human needs along with food, water, and companionship. It is a structure that protects you from the elements and gives you a place to live,” said Esteban Leon, Head (ad interim) of the UN-Habitat office in Kosovo. “However, a shelter is not just four walls and a roof, in an urban, and rapidly urbanizing world, the connections between shelter, housing and other basic needs are a must. Equally important is the connection between urban and rural areas. This partnership shows the importance of collaboration and UN-Habitat is grateful for the system’s coordination efforts.”

UN-Habitat will respond to the needs of affected households in four municipalities of Kosovo. UN-Habitat also plans to bring together persons impacted by the floods, relevant municipal stakeholders, and civil society to discuss and address the flooding issue. 

"We recognize the devastating impact that floods have had on vulnerable communities. The Flood Response initiative aims to provide critical assistance to individuals and families who have been displaced or otherwise affected by the flood,” said Anna Rostocka, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Kosovo. "Through our efforts, we aim to help the displaced population to return to their homes, rebuild and recover. We remain committed to working closely with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that no one is left behind in the aftermath of the flood."

“Agriculture is the backbone of rural society in Kosovo” said Daniela Mangione, Field Programme Officer at the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. “Many farming households have lost their entire productions, had their livestock injured or killed and suffered damages to greenhouses, barns equipment and machinery. The funding from Switzerland means that FAO can directly improve the lives of hundreds of small-scale producers by enabling them to return to farming and recover their livelihoods as soon as possible.”

This funding contribution from Switzerland enables FAO to support the affected farming households to restart production activities with agriculture inputs, repair of farm facilities and provision of cash. FAO will also raise awareness of the affected population and local institutions about agriculture emergency preparedness, disaster risk reduction, and good agriculture practices.

Unemployment is widespread in rural communities, and most of the rural population relies on subsistence farming to supplement their livelihoods and food supply. The devastation of family farms and the loss of farming livelihoods is a direct threat to already impoverished communities and has further weakened previously fragile agrifood systems.

The floods are a stark reminder of the devastating impacts that extreme weather events can have on communities and serve as a call to action to work together for a more resilient and sustainable future for all.

¹References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)