Jakarta, March 1 -- Deputy Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Amarulla Octavian has urged regional governments to place research and innovation at the center of disaster mitigation policies to support sustainable development.

"Strengthening disaster risk mitigation policies grounded in research and innovation is a strategic necessity for sustainable regional development," he said in a statement on Sunday.

Octavian said evidence-based policymaking is crucial to ensure disaster responses are rapid, accurate and sustainable.

Amid ongoing recovery efforts in parts of Sumatra, he noted that BRIN has established a task force to support mitigation measures, underscoring the government's push for a science-driven approa...