Policy Brief 1
Policy Brief I: Integration of Local and Indigenous Knowledge (LINK) Themes into Research on Hydrometeorological Disasters and Climate Change Adaptation
Local and Indigenous Knowledge (LINK) is a set of customs, ethics, and beliefs practiced and passed down through generations in a community. People observe natural processes such as ebb and flow, animal behavior, and rain patterns and then relate them to disaster events such as extreme tides, drought, flood, and tsunami. For a very long time this indigenous knowledge has been an important element of disaster resilience in many communities.
However, only a small amount of the LINK existing among societies has been validated scientifically. This fact, coupled with high exposure to foreign cultures and global information, has seemingly washed away the indigenous knowledge from its inheriting communities. As such, efforts to validate LINK and revive its presence and practice are urgently needed.
The academia and research have the potential to contribute to this effort by conducting research with interdisciplinary approach. But it is not easy as interdisciplinary research is still a shortfall in the development of research in Indonesia, among others due to the regulation that stipulates field linearity in academics.
This policy brief is to offer recommendations for decision makers in the research world in Indonesia, either at the ministry and related agencies, higher education institutions, and concerning society organizations to integrate LINK into their disaster research themes and to promote the use of action-research method. Complete document is downloadable below:
Policy Brief 2
Policy Brief II: Strengthening of Tsunami Research Capacity in Indonesia and Its Integration into Disaster Mitigation Policies and Community Preparedness
14 years after the devastating tsunami in Aceh in 2004, a number of developments in tsunami science and technology have been achieved. Among the important achievements are the establishment of Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning System (InaTEWS), the founding of disaster research centers at several universities, and the founding of the Association of Indonesian Disaster Experts (IABI). However, many important aspects of tsunami mitigation research in Indonesia are still left to be improved.
Some of the more important items that are left a challenge for Indonesian tsunami research stakeholders are:
- Research outputs do not yet satisfy the needs of risk reduction efforts in the country partially due to lack of resource and funding;
- Global visibility of Indonesian researchers are still low;
- Absorption of research findings into government policies is minimal;
- Researcher’s capability to translate their findings into practical measures is still weak.
This policy brief was put together to provide an analysis on the disparity between tsunami research and the needs of risk reduction works in Indonesia, to offer potential corrective measures, to promote two way communications between researchers and policy makers, and to motivate researchers to get involved more closely in the community’s effort to build disaster preparedness. Full document can be downloaded on the link below:
*Dislaimer: All Policy Briefs are in Bahasa Indonesia