Booster Grant: A Program to Increase the Utilization of OpenStreetMap Data by Local Communities in Indonesia
There are many things to implement free and open spatial data, such as disaster response mapping to evacuate the victims, road network mapping for transportation systems, and so forth. However, those can only be implemented when spatial data is available. Participatory mapping, as a collaborative map-making process utilizing OpenStreetMap as a freely accessible platform, involves the active involvement of government, scholars, and communities as key stakeholders. This approach is essential for collectively identifying and mapping geographic features, especially in disaster-prone regions, where sharing spatial data has historically posed significant challenges in Indonesia. The goal of participatory mapping is to generate and share openly available spatial data that can be accessed by the public, addressing the need for collective and accessible information in these areas. From the beginning of 2022 until the end of March 2022, Indonesia witnessed over 1000 natural disasters, resulting in approximately 1.5 million individuals affected, as reported by the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) of Indonesia.