Institutionalizing Disaster Preparedness and Management Capacity of BPBDs in Indonesia through Technical Assistance and Training Teams

The program is funded by USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and is implemented by Mercy Corps. The program's primary objective is to contribute to the delivery of improved Disaster Risk Management (DRM) services through institutional strengthening of provincial BPBDs and enhanced practical disaster management skills through direct technical training. The program's implementation design focuses on capacity development for provincial disaster management agencies, with a specific emphasis on climate change mitigation and resilience. The program's approach aligns with the U.S. strategy for support to Indonesia, which prioritizes technical assistance, capacity building, technology, and ideas that foster innovation and reform. The program's technical assistance approach is designed to contribute to the delivery of improved DRM services through institutional strengthening of provincial BPBDs and enhanced practical disaster management skills through direct technical training. During the second quarter of 2015, the program achieved significant milestones, including the completion of baseline reports at national and provincial levels, the establishment of dedicated operation spaces for TATTs teams within the target provincial disaster management agency (BPBD) offices, and the high-profile launchings of the TATTs program at the provincial level. The program also conducted a series of planning workshops with BPBDs to identify capacity building needs and priorities, and developed provincial action plans to address these needs. The program's implementation has been supported by a range of partners, including the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Indonesian Disaster Management Society (MPBI), and the Bandung Institute of Technology's Research Center for Disaster Mitigation. The program's technical assistance approach has been designed to contribute to the delivery of improved DRM services through institutional strengthening of provincial BPBDs and enhanced practical disaster management skills through direct technical training. The program's quarterly report highlights the progress made during the second quarter of 2015, including the completion of baseline reports, the establishment of dedicated operation spaces, and the high-profile launchings of the TATTs program. The report also highlights the challenges faced by the program, including the delay in the recruitment of final three provincial training officers and the contractual delays with MPBI and DRR University Forum. Despite these challenges, the program has made significant progress in achieving its objectives and is well-positioned to continue its implementation in the coming quarters. The program's implementation is expected to continue in the coming quarters, with a focus on delivering early training and activities, including tsunami early warning system assessment in Maluku, guidelines for integrating resilience at village level in Central Java, and supporting BPBD in 2016 local government planning process in West Papua. The program's quarterly report will continue to provide updates on the progress made during each quarter, highlighting the achievements and challenges faced by the program.