In the realm of natural hazards monitoring and climate change response, the adoption of innovative information and communication technologies is increasingly seen as an important advancement. It is in this context that a follow-up meeting between the Research Team from the Internet Society Kyrgyz Chapter and the Department of Monitoring and Prognosis under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic took place on December 27, 2022. This meeting served as an extension of a project launch forum, aiming to chart a path for future collaboration among key stakeholders, and underlining the paramount importance of bringing advanced digital solutions into disaster risk management efforts.
Aziz Soltobaev, Project Manager, provided detailed insights into the research goals, partners involved, project implementation phases, and the expected outcomes. One crucial aspect he highlighted was the potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) in monitoring natural hazards in the Kyrgyz Republic. The use of IoT technology, particularly through the application of LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network), holds significant promise in providing real-time, high-quality data that is pivotal in making informed decisions to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of natural hazards.
The Ministry’s interest in the project was explicitly expressed by Mr. Daurbek Djoomartovich Sakyev, the Head of the Department of Monitoring and Prognosis. He conveyed their eagerness to contribute towards the achievement of the research goals, particularly those that can translate into practical benefits for local communities. In his presentation, Mr. Sakyev outlined the Department’s current activities, role, and goals planned for 2023, reinforcing the Ministry’s commitment to harnessing technology for enhancing the resilience of the Kyrgyz Republic to natural hazards.
Meeting ends with agreement to look for possible locations for testing use of LoRaWAN technology and IoT. It is agreed that Ministry can help with this. This important development come as response to directive from Cabinet of Ministers to install ways to monitor natural disasters in Boom Gorge. This critical area often at risk from such natural hazards as rainfall, mudflows. Boom Gorge connects three regions and as a result of climate change is subject to regular mudflows, which were blocking or limiting transport communications from several hours to several days. In 2021, mudflows swept away railroad infrastructure which led to meaningful economic losses.
This good cooperation paves way for wider use of technology in managing hazards, making big step towards creating strong, digitally enabled resilience framework for climate in Kyrgyz Republic.
