Stakeholder Consultation to facilitate Knowledge Sharing: A Case Study inWater RiskManagement in the Caribbean

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced policymakers, technocrats, academics as well as the public to re-examine their strategies concerning water-related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The pandemic spared no jurisdiction and has exposed the need for increased resilience in vulnerable populations in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This has also led to the possibility of creating a distraction from water-related disasters due to the hyper-focus on COVID-19.Study design/methodology/approach: To facilitate knowledge sharing and to address DRR more comprehensively within the region, a regional stakeholder consultation was held. The Consultation sought to discuss and gain insights on how to practically implement key suggestions proposed in the principles for addressing water-related DRR during the COVID-19 Pandemic. A two-pronged approach was used, where the first phase was a 3-hour online consultation utilising different modes of delivery such as presentations, polling, breakout groups and Questions and Answers (Q&A) sessions to share knowledge on key thematic areas. The second phase involved the use of a questionnaire comprising of seven ( 7) closed-ended questions, administered using one of the online tools. Findings:The data were collated and analysed using simple descriptive statistics. The polling revealed that out of 67 respondents, 21% indicated that the principle on enhancing leaders' awareness on DRR offered the most practical advice to political leaders, managers, and all stakeholders on how to prepare and respond to waterrelated DRR. Overall, the consultation facilitated knowledge sharing among key stakeholders in the Caribbean region, on how to better prepare for co-occurring disasters. This paper seeks to demonstrate that stakeholder consultation can facilitate knowledge sharing on water-related DRR and COVID-19.Originality/value: This review can form the basis for future research work that seeks to examine the effectiveness of stakeholder consultations, as a mechanism to facilitate knowledge sharing.