IPB University and Association of IPB University Alumnis Receive Award from BNPB
IPB University and Alumni Association of IPB University received an award from Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) in the category of Academia and Foundations participating in disaster prevention in the year 2019. The award was given directly by the head of BNPB, Doni Monardo in The BNPB National Coordination Conference 2020 in Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), Bogor, Tuesday (4/2).
The award was given to BNPB partners active in promoting disaster prevention on society. Not only was the award given to academia, it was also given to state offices, media, non-governmenta organizations, individuals include post-humous awarding of activists.
The Vice Rector of Partnership and Information Systems of IPB University, Prof Dr Ir Dodik Ridho Nurrochmat, MScF said IPB University has given their efforts in minimalizing disasters through prevention.
“IPB University has helped in determining plants species well suited in reducing the chances of flood happening, for example sereh, akar wangi and others. The combination of being useful for disaster prevention and supportive of local social economy characteristics is also an important part,” Prof Dodik exclaims
A senior professor in the Faculty of Forestry IPB University explains that efforts in disaster prevention by planting suitable species of plants needs to be adjusted to local social and economic characteristics so the people won’t change the plants that have been planted. Aside from that, Prof Dodik also explains IPB University’s efforts in disaster prevention through the Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN) program.
“IPB University has helped through KKN in the Ciliwung river in partnership with BNPB in land use planning. There were livestock farms, potatoes and coffee, so the place needed to be restructured. If it hadn’t been done, there would be destructions of the environment which leads to disasters. This includes livestock wastes that will pollute the rivers, enabling more disasters to happen,” he says.
He claims, IPB University has developed early warning systems to detect bushfire. With this early warning system developed by IPB University, potential locations for bushfire can be detected for up to six months before it happens.
“This discovery can help the central government and regional governments to anticipated locations with potential for bushfire in the next six months, to avoid bushfire disasters,” he adds.
Related to disaster prevention, Prof Dodik conveys that the matter of disaster is the a matter of public affairs. He demonstrates throwing garbage in its place. The activity of throwing garbage in its place is easy to do yet still little do it in practice, and there are still tons of people throwing trash into the river.
