Dr. Dina Ruslanjari, a lecturer at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM), was inaugurated as a professor in environmental science on Thursday (October 2) at the UGM Senate Hall. In her inaugural address, Professor Ruslanjari delivered a speech titled “The Strategic Role of Local Communities in Disaster Management.”
Professor Ruslanjari began her address by discussing disaster studies from an environmental science perspective, emphasizing that such studies are inseparable from the environmental conditions in which people live.
A well-preserved environment strengthens community capacity to face threats, whereas environmental degradation, poor spatial planning, and excessive exploitation of natural resources increase disaster vulnerability.
“Indonesia is identified as the country with the second-highest disaster risk in the world. Data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) recorded more than 20,000 natural disaster cases in the past decade, ranging from floods and landslides to forest fires, earthquakes, and tsunamis occurring each year,” she explained.
According to Professor Ruslanjari, disasters are not merely natural phenomena but also social phenomena that affect the economic, psychological, and cultural structures of society.
Therefore, disaster management should not only be viewed from a technical standpoint but must also consider social and cultural dimensions. In this regard, local communities play a strategic role through their local knowledge, traditions of mutual cooperation, and adaptive capacity.
“Unfortunately, many disaster management policies still position local communities as passive actors,” she said.
From an ecological perspective, the concept of disaster resilience refers to a community’s capacity to adapt to and recover from crises.
However, the development of disaster resilience in Indonesia remains largely technocratic, relying on measures such as constructing disaster-resistant infrastructure and establishing technology-based early warning systems.
“Technology is indeed important, but it will only be effective if balanced with strong local institutions and a culture of preparedness within the community,” she emphasized.
Furthermore, Professor Ruslanjari encouraged a shift from top-down approaches toward more participatory ones. The concept of people-centered resilience, she argued, is highly relevant, particularly amid the challenges of climate change and environmental degradation.
In practice, communities often possess strong social capital even before external interventions arrive, for example, through self-initiated evacuation, community-run public kitchens, and simple communication systems.
Elements of community resilience, she explained, can be strengthened through three key aspects.
First is local knowledge and wisdom developed through long-term interaction between communities and their environment.
Professor Ruslanjari cited several examples, such as land rotation practices, customary forests, and intercropping agriculture, which serve as nature-based solutions.
In her research on post-earthquake recovery following the 2006 Bantul earthquake, which she initiated in 2010, local wisdom was found to accelerate rehabilitation through institutional strengthening and community skill development.
Second is women’s empowerment, which often faces greater challenges in disaster situations.
Nevertheless, women frequently play crucial roles as resource managers, child educators, community kitchen organizers, and providers of psychosocial support for survivors.
Therefore, women’s empowerment should not be treated as a secondary issue but as a key strategy in building disaster resilience at the community level.
Third is local leadership, which does not always manifest in formal positions.
The presence of traditional leaders, youth volunteers, or individuals capable of guiding their communities during crises has proven vital in strengthening community capacity to cope with disasters.
In closing, Professor Ruslanjari emphasized that local communities should not be seen merely as victims but as key actors in fostering disaster resilience.
“True resilience is rooted in solidarity, local knowledge, and leadership that grows from within the community itself,” she concluded.
Author: Ika Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Salma
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian