Disasters are increasing in frequency and magnitude. The nature, spread and cost of disasters call for mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction at both the national and local levels. Disaster risk reduction strategies and activities contribute to the decrease of disaster risks and the negative impacts of disasters and attainment of sustainable development and poverty alleviation, by facilitating the integration of disaster risk reduction into development and day to day risk-deduction-related decision making.

It is clear that disasters can have a significant negative impact on the economy and the people and that disaster risk reduction should be a national priority.

The current National Policy on Disaster Management (1996), as well as the National Disaster Risk Management Plan (2009), addresses all aspects of disaster risk management in the country. Disaster risk reduction needs to be planned and implemented in a focussed manner and hence the need for this strategy to guide and act as a framework for disaster risk reduction implementation in the country.