Through cooperation between karst Aceh and the International Organization for Migration (IOM-USAID) under “Technical Expertise and Assistance on Support to GIS Training, Risk Mapping and DM Plan in Bener Meriah and Aceh Singkil Districts”, Karst Aceh was mandated to carry out activities in the two districts, namely Bener Meriah and Aceh Singkil which aims to: 1) capacity building trainings, 2). Disaster Risk Mapping, and 3). Disaster Management Plan. In a further development, the activity of Disaster Management Plan for Aceh Singkil district was replaced with Flood Contingency Plan.

In the implementation, these activities were centered in and driven by BPBD and involved relevant agencies and non-governmental organizations in partnership with Karst Aceh. BPBD together with related agencies to cooperate in a series of activities to establish disaster risk map, Disaster Management Plan in Bener Meriah and the making of Flood Contingency Plan in Aceh Singkil.

To support these objectives, Karst Aceh conducted training of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), basic and advanced level. Geographic Information Systems is a theme that is very supportive for the involved actors to operate, develop, and implement GIS for planning; monitoring and evaluating disaster risk reduction activities. In order to achieve this, Karst Aceh has conducted training GIS open source software QGIS 1.8 Lisbon and the introduction of data retrieval to be analyzed using Ground Check Mapping method. All members of the technical team who passed the training have had a variety of experience in creating and implementing spatial data. The practical exercises has strengthened the skills and raised the confidence of disaster actors in both regions.

Furthermore, the preparation of Disaster Risk Map of Aceh Singkil and Bener Meriah made ??and analyzed by Integrated Team consists of personnels who are competent in GIS, legalized by Decree of Bupati of Singkil No. 111 of 2013 and Decree of the Bupati of Bener Meriah No.Peg.800/247 / SK/2013. The series of process have been conducted including data collection, surveys, technical meetings, focus group discussions, coordination meetings and consultation with National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to complete a risk map document.

The Actualization is that the risk map has been the basis of disaster risk reduction based region planning that is the District Disaster Management Plan of Bener Meriah and Aceh Singkil Flood Contingency Plan. With this cooperation, in Aceh province, it is only these two areas that have had the documents which are created in accordance with BNPB regulations in particular based on disaster risk map, science- based and participative.

Based on SWOT matrix, four (4) indicator factors are determined, namely: Resources; budget; integration; and Guideline. Strength variable is affected by the Resource and Budget, Rules and documents obtained as the highest outcome and newly-established Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Forum as the lowest outcome. Opportunity variable is more affected by financial factor than integration which put good process as the highest outcome and involving BNPB and Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBA) as the lowest outcome. The threat variable is more influenced by guideline factor rather than integration, placing natural disasters as the lowest cause and regulation uncertainty as the highest cause. Weakness variable is more influenced by resource factor than the guideline, put in limited access as the lowest cause and leadership as the highest weakness cause.

Based on the analysis, 14 scenarios were developed consisting of 3 Aggressive and Conservative strategies; and 4 Defensive and competitive strategies. These scenarios were believed to be able to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of disaster risk reduction efforts in Bener Meriah and Aceh Singkil.