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Indonesia is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, quite often exposed to a variety of hazards. More than 60% of Indonesia’s districts are at high risk of flooding. Indonesia, which is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire and has 127 active volcanoes, is also at high seismic, tsunami, and volcanic risk. Disasters have an impact on both people and the economy in Indonesia. The poor and vulnerable bear the brunt of disaster impacts because they live in hazardous areas, lack access to basic services, and have limited assets and financial resources.
There has never been a greater need for increased application of innovation and technology for disaster risk reduction (DRR) to innovate and create development and implementation of more effective evidence-based approaches. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction encourages improved access to and support for innovation and technology, as well as increased investment in DRR to establish innovations that are both cost-effective and beneficial when applied throughout the disaster management process.
We have to continue to move forward to develop technology so that we can reduce and mitigate various disaster risks ahead of us to prepare against any possibilities of natural disasters.
– The National Research and Innovation Agency’s Head
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has developed a slew of disaster-resilience innovations and technologies that can help boost the nation’s preparedness and capacity in the face of disasters. According to the head of the National Research and Innovation Agency, the various research that the public can use as precautionary and mitigating measures against disasters include tsunami early detection technology and mapping of areas on the earth’s surface with a high likelihood of disasters occurring.
Furthermore, satellite imagery can be used to facilitate disaster response and the use of nuclear technology in laying out data on climate change and blue carbon absorption. “In addition, it is important for us to learn and apply the human aspect of the disaster so that difficult disasters can be reflected upon both physically and non-physically,” he noted.
The BRIN, as one of Indonesia’s main research institutions, has incorporated five major research entities in the country, which include disaster mitigation research and innovations. The Research and Technology Ministry (Kemristek), the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN), the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, and the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space are the five entities (LAPAN).
The BRIN will also continue to integrate various research and development units from various ministries and institutions, per the statement. The BRIN will also continue to develop advanced technology and innovations needed to strengthen efforts in Indonesia to reduce and mitigate disaster risk.
In addition, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a US$160 million loan for the Indonesia Disaster Resilience Initiatives Project to support Indonesia’s efforts to develop a comprehensive disaster resilience strategy. The funds will be used to make priority investments in central and selected local governments’ preparedness to manage natural disasters and to enhance the country’s geophysical early warning services.
The Disaster Resilience Initiative Project for Indonesia’s development goal is to improve the central government’s and selected local governments’ preparedness for natural disasters. The three parts to this project are:
- The first component, Disaster preparedness, and emergency management capacity, includes the following sub-components: disaster risk knowledge and awareness, development of a multi-hazard early warning system platform, hazard information and early warning dissemination, and emergency management, response, and preparedness capacities.
- The second component, geophysical early warning services, consists of the following subcomponents: service delivery systems, institutional strengthening, and capacity development; and monitoring networks and early warning capacity.
- The third component, Project Implementation Support, seeks to improve the capacity of implementing agencies, particularly the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) as the executing agency, to oversee project implementation at the national and sub-national levels.