Simple, effective and highly unexpected

Here’s an idea that could be all of the above.

Rubber is a major source of livelihoods in Nias. This photo shows the typical method used here for tapping rubber and collecting it in a coconut shell or cup.

Since the shells rest on the ground they can be swept away easily, even by very minor and common floods. The onset of flooding can be quick and the first priority is to protect people, so there is often not time to retrieve the shells.

In one village this loss to a key source of income is so damaging that many people told us it is the most serious disaster impact they experience.

Surely it would be possible, I thought, to find an appropriate method to hold the collecting shell above ground level? Some quick talks with colleagues and internet research confirmed this.

As shown on the right, using a wire to fix the shell or cup to the tree, safely above the ground, is standard practice in many places, for example Thailand, India and other parts of Indonesia.

This technique has a high impact on a problem that the community has prioritised. It offers a direct economic gain that clearly outweighs the small cost of extra materials.

It also requires only a small change in behaviour and has been successfully adopted in numerous similar environments.

So it’s a very promising idea. And all the more fascinating because it’s nothing like what I expected to be involved with when I started.