TOWARDS DECENTRALIZED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR DISASTERS: NGO-RMSD

Abstract

The necessity for an efficient resource management system during and post-disaster is underscored by the prevalent coordination and resource management challenges faced by various organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government units. To address these problems, our system proposal introduces NGO-RMSD, a blockchain-based decentralized system designed to enhance collaborative efforts during and after disasters. Utilizing the Quorum framework for its energy efficiency, NGO-RMSD enables seamless transactions and updates across parties, eliminating intermediaries and fostering a trusted environment for resource management. This paper details the development of this decentralized system, incorporating smart contracts for autonomous operation. Decentralized systems provide superior security, transparency, and immutability, making them fundamentally more robust and efficient than centralized systems for managing complex, multi-stakeholder scenarios like dis-aster response. This decentralized model ensures transparency, eliminates intermediaries, and enables all parties to conduct transactions and updates reliably. These contracts effectively assess and prioritize the needs of affected individuals, ensuring timely and accurate resource allocation. A proof of concept has been implemented, demonstrating the practicality and potential impact of NGO-RMSD. Designed in alignment with NGO's field requirements and distributed under a free software license, this system promises to significantly improve coordination for disaster resource management. Possible improvements and future work for a more sustainable system is discussed. Looking forward, we aim to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of disaster relief efforts by providing assistance to a larger number of affected individuals in a more organized and expeditious manner.