YOGYAKARTA – Higher learning and research institutes are expected to contribute to mitigating disaster risk reduction by producing technology products that are excellent in disaster areas. Types of technology products made domestically such as the early warning systems can be adopted by regional governments and industry.
“The regional governments and industry sector that are aware of their disaster-prone areas should use domestically-made disaster technology products,” said Head of National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Syamsul Maarif, to journalists afer opening the second annual conference of Indonesian Disaster Experts (IABI) in Grha Sabha Pramana, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Tuesday (26/5).
Syamsul mentioned the likes of landslide early warning system, unmanned aerial vehicles, and tsunami detection tools used by the Agency.
Syamsul expected the Higher Learning and Research Ministry would encourage higher learning institutions to produce more disaster technologies.
Rector of UGM, Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati, said disaster technology researchers need to be supported by government and industry sector to increase trust and motivation of the researchers in order to better produce research outcomes applicable to society. She took the example of the landslide early warning system produced by UGM that has been adopted by the Agency and further by oil state company Pertamina.
The conference was attended by Minister for Public Works and Residential, Basuki Hadimuljono, and Deputy Head of the Ministry, Pariatmono. Minister Basuki said Indonesia as a country with large casualties of disasters should manage better of spatial and regional arrangement so casualties in disasters can be best minimised in the future.