How layering NRM and social cohesion improves resilience outcomes

Many communities around the world face chronic poverty and food insecurity caused by severe weather events, conflict, a scarcity of natural resources and a breakdown of social cohesion. To make communities more resilient, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) uses a variety of interventions, including holistic approaches like layering Natural Resource Management (NRM) and social cohesion programming. In conflict-prone regions, CRS implements a “triple nexus” of programming—a combination of humanitarian, development/recovery and peacebuilding interventions that can easily pivot as conditions shift from conflict toward peace and as communities focus more on resilience than survival. This brief outlines CRS’ layered NRM and social cohesion approach and cites examples from programming where this model improved people’s resilience, self-reliance, and well-being.