TUTORIAL LETTER 3
MODEL ANSWERS FOR ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
Year 2018
Semester Second semester (02)
Subject Disaster Risk Reduction V
Subject code DRR500
1. DETAILS OF LECTURER/FACILITATOR OF LEARNING
Lecturer/Facilitator of Learning Ms E Swart
Consultation times 18:00-21:00: Monday – Thursday
Telephone +27 (0) 82 774 5508
Email
2. EXAMINATION INFORMATION
Please refer to your examination information for the specific semester.
3. MODEL ANSWERS FOR ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
Question 1 [32]
Students’ answers will differ. Marker’s discretion to be used
(1) A well-written introduction explaining the contents and what to expect, i.e. the
meaning of “coping”, the role human needs play in coping and the different coping
strategies. ✓✓✓ (3)
(2) Example of definition: “Coping is the manner ✓ in which people act ✓ within the limits
of existing resources ✓ and range of expectations ✓ to achieve various ends.” ✓ (5)
Own definition in terms of “Coping and access to safety” and “Coping defined” as
described in the textbook.
(3) Refer to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, which involves identifying distinct levels
of needs, with each level incorporating and depending on the satisfaction of needs
below them in the hierarchy. The need for self-realisation, involving the giving and
receiving of love, affection and respect are the highest in the hierarchy. ✓ A lower
level, on which the former is based, may be an acceptable standard of living. Lower
levels still may include adequate shelter and food for healthy survival, whilst other
needs near the bottom of the hierarchy will include minimum security from violence
and starvation. ✓ A “core” of needs may be identified and failure to satisfy these
means that other needs cannot be met. ✓ In adverse circumstances, a retreat to the
Page 1 of 6
, DRR500 – DISASTER RISK REDUCTION V
2018 – SECOND SEMESTER – TUTORIAL LETTER 3 (MODEL ANSWERS FOR ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS)
defence of needs that are lower in the hierarchy implies the temporary denial of those
higher up, for example the experience of extreme poverty can cause a loss of self-
respect and self-regard. ✓ Coping in the face of adverse circumstances, may
therefore be seen as a series of adaptive strategies to preserve needs as high up in
the hierarchy as possible in the face of threat. ✓ (5)
(4) Any four (4) of the seven coping strategies : ✓✓✓✓ per strategy (16)
Preventive strategies: ✓ These strategies attempt to prevent (avoid) a disaster or a
disaster threatening to occur and should be implemented during the pre-disaster risk
reduction phase – prevention, mitigation and preparedness. ✓ People make choices
so that they will not be affected by a disastrous event, for instance choosing safe
residential locations. ✓ It is also effective when implementing in the immediate
aftermath of a disaster, for example, public awareness on the building of safe
structures. ✓ (4)
Impact minimising strategies: ✓ These strategies seek to minimise loss and facilitate
recovery. It is referred to as mitigation strategies. ✓ The range of these strategies is
enormous and varies significantly between people with different patterns of access. It
may be preferable to improve access to a minimum level of food, shelter and physical
security (needs of most vulnerable) rather than increase income. ✓ Maintaining
command of these needs in a social and/or environmental risk situation usually
implies diversification of access to resources. This can broaden the access profile
and seek new income opportunities. ✓ (4)
Building up stores of food and tradeable assets: ✓ In the absence of economic safety,
the storing of food may be more common in rural areas, ✓ but urbanites living in a
cash-based economy may use similar strategies ✓ such as keeping items of value
that can be sold if needed. ✓ (4)
Diversifying production: ✓ Diversification strategies should be implemented especially
where people who farm are risk averse. ✓ Farmers avoid changes in cultivation that
may bring higher rewards but with greater exposure to danger. ✓ Planting a greater
variety of crops will not only provide the best chance of an optimum yield under all
variations in weather, plant disease and pest attacks, but is one of the most important
precautionary strategies for coping with food shortages. ✓ (4)
Diversifying income sources: ✓ Self-provision is ideal but rare, especially in rural and
poor communities. Example of self-provision is production for sale. ✓ Having more
than one, or sometimes several income earners in the family also allows for
diversification. ✓ Both production and income diversification strategies can be
effective as coping mechanisms in the short run, while they undermine the basis of
livelihood in the long run. ✓ (4)
Development of social support networks: ✓ Cooperation in households and families
and communities is of utmost importance to develop a social support network. ✓ This
may increase their ability to call on resources in difficult times. Networks can be within
the households, between extended family members (living near or afar), within
neighbourhoods, and with wider groups who have a shared identity (religious,
geographic, commercial, etc.). ✓ Assistance can come in many forms – financial
assistance, emotional support, shelter in the time of need, or physical assistance of
any kind. ✓ (4)
Post-event coping strategies: ✓ If potential food shortages and possible famine and
the period during which stress develops last long, it can allow for a succession of
strategies. ✓ Such a strategy is when shortfalls in food are anticipated, a sequence in
adaptations in consumption patterns has to be made very early, for example the
substitution of expensive food for lower quality food and to allow access to these. The
next step will be to call on resources from others (e.g. family members) that can be
Page 2 of 6
MODEL ANSWERS FOR ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
Year 2018
Semester Second semester (02)
Subject Disaster Risk Reduction V
Subject code DRR500
1. DETAILS OF LECTURER/FACILITATOR OF LEARNING
Lecturer/Facilitator of Learning Ms E Swart
Consultation times 18:00-21:00: Monday – Thursday
Telephone +27 (0) 82 774 5508
2. EXAMINATION INFORMATION
Please refer to your examination information for the specific semester.
3. MODEL ANSWERS FOR ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
Question 1 [32]
Students’ answers will differ. Marker’s discretion to be used
(1) A well-written introduction explaining the contents and what to expect, i.e. the
meaning of “coping”, the role human needs play in coping and the different coping
strategies. ✓✓✓ (3)
(2) Example of definition: “Coping is the manner ✓ in which people act ✓ within the limits
of existing resources ✓ and range of expectations ✓ to achieve various ends.” ✓ (5)
Own definition in terms of “Coping and access to safety” and “Coping defined” as
described in the textbook.
(3) Refer to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, which involves identifying distinct levels
of needs, with each level incorporating and depending on the satisfaction of needs
below them in the hierarchy. The need for self-realisation, involving the giving and
receiving of love, affection and respect are the highest in the hierarchy. ✓ A lower
level, on which the former is based, may be an acceptable standard of living. Lower
levels still may include adequate shelter and food for healthy survival, whilst other
needs near the bottom of the hierarchy will include minimum security from violence
and starvation. ✓ A “core” of needs may be identified and failure to satisfy these
means that other needs cannot be met. ✓ In adverse circumstances, a retreat to the
Page 1 of 6
, DRR500 – DISASTER RISK REDUCTION V
2018 – SECOND SEMESTER – TUTORIAL LETTER 3 (MODEL ANSWERS FOR ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS)
defence of needs that are lower in the hierarchy implies the temporary denial of those
higher up, for example the experience of extreme poverty can cause a loss of self-
respect and self-regard. ✓ Coping in the face of adverse circumstances, may
therefore be seen as a series of adaptive strategies to preserve needs as high up in
the hierarchy as possible in the face of threat. ✓ (5)
(4) Any four (4) of the seven coping strategies : ✓✓✓✓ per strategy (16)
Preventive strategies: ✓ These strategies attempt to prevent (avoid) a disaster or a
disaster threatening to occur and should be implemented during the pre-disaster risk
reduction phase – prevention, mitigation and preparedness. ✓ People make choices
so that they will not be affected by a disastrous event, for instance choosing safe
residential locations. ✓ It is also effective when implementing in the immediate
aftermath of a disaster, for example, public awareness on the building of safe
structures. ✓ (4)
Impact minimising strategies: ✓ These strategies seek to minimise loss and facilitate
recovery. It is referred to as mitigation strategies. ✓ The range of these strategies is
enormous and varies significantly between people with different patterns of access. It
may be preferable to improve access to a minimum level of food, shelter and physical
security (needs of most vulnerable) rather than increase income. ✓ Maintaining
command of these needs in a social and/or environmental risk situation usually
implies diversification of access to resources. This can broaden the access profile
and seek new income opportunities. ✓ (4)
Building up stores of food and tradeable assets: ✓ In the absence of economic safety,
the storing of food may be more common in rural areas, ✓ but urbanites living in a
cash-based economy may use similar strategies ✓ such as keeping items of value
that can be sold if needed. ✓ (4)
Diversifying production: ✓ Diversification strategies should be implemented especially
where people who farm are risk averse. ✓ Farmers avoid changes in cultivation that
may bring higher rewards but with greater exposure to danger. ✓ Planting a greater
variety of crops will not only provide the best chance of an optimum yield under all
variations in weather, plant disease and pest attacks, but is one of the most important
precautionary strategies for coping with food shortages. ✓ (4)
Diversifying income sources: ✓ Self-provision is ideal but rare, especially in rural and
poor communities. Example of self-provision is production for sale. ✓ Having more
than one, or sometimes several income earners in the family also allows for
diversification. ✓ Both production and income diversification strategies can be
effective as coping mechanisms in the short run, while they undermine the basis of
livelihood in the long run. ✓ (4)
Development of social support networks: ✓ Cooperation in households and families
and communities is of utmost importance to develop a social support network. ✓ This
may increase their ability to call on resources in difficult times. Networks can be within
the households, between extended family members (living near or afar), within
neighbourhoods, and with wider groups who have a shared identity (religious,
geographic, commercial, etc.). ✓ Assistance can come in many forms – financial
assistance, emotional support, shelter in the time of need, or physical assistance of
any kind. ✓ (4)
Post-event coping strategies: ✓ If potential food shortages and possible famine and
the period during which stress develops last long, it can allow for a succession of
strategies. ✓ Such a strategy is when shortfalls in food are anticipated, a sequence in
adaptations in consumption patterns has to be made very early, for example the
substitution of expensive food for lower quality food and to allow access to these. The
next step will be to call on resources from others (e.g. family members) that can be
Page 2 of 6
