TANA TORAJA (April 17th, 2024) – Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini will build more social granaries in several disaster-prone spots. This aims to ensure that the required logistics reach the affected residents more quickly.

"Based on my experience in several areas in Sulawesi, handling disasters in Sulawesi requires special treatment," said Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini after inspecting landslides in Tana Toraja Regency while providing assistance to the families of victims in Makele District, Wednesday (17/4).

The landslide in South Makale District, Tana Toraja Regency, on Saturday (13/4) at 23.00 WIB, was caused by heavy rain which was followed by a landslide in Randan Batu Village, South Makale District on Sunday (7/4). The landslide caused 20 people died and have now been buried.

According to the Minister, the contours of roads in Sulawesi generally cross hills and are relatively narrow. When a landslide occurs, the road is covered by landslides so that the distribution of aid is hampered. Therefore, according to the Minister, Sulawesi needed to be given special treatment.

“Buffer stock cannot only be available at the Regional Government. We took the example of the case of the landslide in Luwu, the access road was blocked by the landslide so that aid from the Regional Government could not be distributed," said the Minister.

Because of this, she continued, MoSA is building social granaries whose locations are spread out, not only in government centers, such as district capitals, but in several disaster-prone points, both at sub-district or village level so that distribution can be carried out quickly.

Apart from Luwu, the Minister took Papua as an example. To build social granaries, MoSA is collaborating with churches and mosques to entrust buffer stock. According to her, churches or mosques are potential sources closest to the community so that people can directly access social granaries when disaster occurs. Now, MoSA has built more than 600 social granaries spread across disaster-prone areas throughout Indonesia.

Tana Toraja Regency Government was asked by the Minister to calculate buffer stock needs. Logistics stored in granaries include solar cells, clean water, water tanks and other emergency aid. "Thus, people don't need to be afraid of starving. As there is a granary, they can be independent," she said.

Public Relations Bureau
Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs