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Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

For Developing Countries


M. Mohamed and R. Plante
1616 McCormick Drive, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774, USA
Corresponding Email: mmohamed@eos.hitc.com

Abstract--This paper discusses the need for geospatial self-sustainability. Among the major obstacles in sustainable
information technologies in developing countries to support development is the lack of credible, current data about
sustainable development. One of the major issues facing many available resources. Such lack of information leads to "best
developing countries is the need for better utilization and guess" decision-making, development of immature policies,
protection of their natural resources. In the world's and devising fragmented, incohesive developmental plans. In
industrialized nations remote sensing and GIS technologies are
most developing countries, natural resources data are
used in many applications that include, but not limited to,
natural resources management and protection, environmental collected via traditional methods which are tedious, time
monitoring, agriculture, geology, hydrology and water resource consuming, and expensive. Moreover, collected data is
management, disaster management, urban planning, monitoring maintained in file folders that are often “archived” on
spread of infectious diseases, and marine studies. These nations shelves/cabinets to collect dust. Inadequate access to even
have made heavy investment in building and deploying space such dated information is not only caused by the format and
assets to monitor earth resources. However, very little has been archival methods, but also due to institutional barriers.
done to promote the leveraging of this investment in technology Individual ministries and governmental departments conduct
by developing countries. There are far reaching benefits to these their own surveys to collect certain types of data without
emerging economies through the exploitation of this technology.
coordination with other agencies to avoid duplication of
Not only could they be forewarned about natural disasters to
minimize loss of life and property, but, they could use it to efforts and minimize cost. In addition, senior governmental
enhance their country’s critical food supply and water resources officials in these countries have no means to synthesize
and even develop an effective natural resource exploitation (e.g. available data to make informed decisions.
oil and gas) capability. These capabilities will allow developing Industrialized nations have proven the usefulness of remote
countries to become more self-reliant and less dependent on sensing and GIS technologies through their cost effective
other countries and international aid agencies. implementation in a variety of applications at local, regional,
Remote sensing and GIS technologies can be transferred to and national levels. Remote sensing and GIS technologies are
developing countries for implementation of large-scale and used in many applications that include, but not limited to,
national GIS systems. Such systems will integrate advanced
natural resources management and protection, environmental
computing platforms, high-speed networks, high performance
image processing and GIS products, sophisticated data
monitoring, agriculture, geology, hydrology and water
capturing devices, state-of-the-art product generation resource management, disaster management, urban planning,
equipment, and robust archival and dissemination elements. A monitoring spread of infectious diseases, and marine studies.
variety of remotely sensed data (multi-temporal, spatial, and Yet, very little is done to promote such technologies in
spectral resolution), geospatial, and in-situ data will be developing countries. It is also known that industrialized
integrated to generate value-added products, extract nations have invested heavily in building and deploying space
thematic/spatial features, and derive information to support assets to observe/monitor earth resources. These assets and
operational governmental applications and decision-making underlying technologies can be utilized to aid developing
When fully implemented, a national GIS system will countries through provision of long overdue solutions to
revolutionize public and private sector practices through
critical problems related to collection, maintenance, and
modernization of records and computerization of services. This
technological revolution will significantly contribute to the
dissemination of accurate, reliable data for better/proper
continual economic and technological advancement. Through management and protection of natural resources.
such a system, government officials will be provided with For decades, development agencies provided traditional aid
reliable, accurate, current data and automated tools to make packages (food, medicines, etc.) to meet the basic needs of
informed decisions, formulate sound polices, and implement citizens of developing countries. Other efforts have been
sensible short-term and long-term plans to properly allocate and made in the past to alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable
manage resources. As a result, citizens of developing countries development in these countries without consideration for
will realize higher standards of living and a wide-range of socio- geospatial information technology transfer. However, most of
economic benefits.
these efforts provided temporary solutions for short periods
of time often marked by the duration of projects and/or
I. INTRODUCTION
availability of funds allocated to these projects. Very few
attempts were made to introduce technological solutions in
In many parts of the world, developing countries strive to
developmental projects. The benefits of even these limited
better allocate and protect their natural resources to achieve
technological solutions were not fully realized due to isolated

0-7803-7536-X/$17.00 (C) 2002 IEEE 2285


implementation and lack of visions for development of large- B. Maintain and share a variety of data and information,
scale, integrated systems that serve multiple agencies. from multiple sources, in common format usable by
many agencies.
II. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ISSUES C. Analyze data and information in spatial, statistical, and
temporal contexts.
Despite the fact that technology transfer issues are country- D. Make informed decisions in support of policies and
specific and require specific solutions, a set of vital issues is developmental plans.
common among developing countries. These common issues E. Disseminate and commercialize data and derived
include the following: products to national and foreign investors.
1. Lack of data and information to identify needs and A number of remote sensing instruments are currently
required appropriate technologies. operational collecting data at various spatial, spectral,
2. Institutional barriers. radiometric, and temporal resolutions. Imagery from these
3. Lack of local expertise and capacity to operate and space-borne instruments provides a proven cost effective
maintain large-scale GIS systems. solution for collecting current, accurate, and reliable data on
4. Access to financial resources. earth resources. Relatively simple land use/land cover maps
Identification of country specific needs and required can give government decision-makers a revealing initial
technology to meet these needs is very fundamental to insight into the state of their country. A national GIS
successful implementation of large-scale geospatial integrates advanced computing platforms, high-speed
information systems. Requirement documentation and networks, high performance image processing and GIS
analysis is an exercise often conducted by technology products, sophisticated data capturing devices, state-of-the-art
suppliers to design and develop operational systems that product generation equipment, and robust archival and
ingest, maintain, and disseminate data and products. dissemination elements. As such, it provides the
Also, of critical importance is overcoming institutional infrastructure and tools needed to ingest and analyze remotely
barriers and definition of the roles and responsibilities of sensed imagery to extract information and derive value-added
stakeholders in a comprehensive, multipurpose, integrated products. Accurate maps and information on types and
system. Understanding the nature of activities (daily classes of resources are typical products derived from
business) undertaken by each agency, articulating a vision for imagery and maintained in GIS databases for further analysis
visible roles by various agencies, and sensitivity to socio- and/or dissemination. Also, the national GIS provides tools to
cultural elements are key factors to resolving institutional integrate a variety of remotely sensed data, geospatial
issues. information, and in-situ data from multiple sources (public
Local workforce development and capacity building are and private sector agencies) to provide current and historical
essential for system maintenance and operation over the long perspectives. The power of a national GIS stem from the
run. Different types of skills and levels of expertise are ability to analyze multiple data sets from various sources in
required in all scientific and engineering aspects of geospatial spatial, statistical and temporal contexts to generate value-
information technologies. Such a mix of skills and expertise added products, extract thematic/spatial features, and
can be developed through training of local staff at different synthesize information to support operational governmental
government agencies and training students in higher applications and critical decision-making processes.
educational institutes. Adequate tools and reliable information are usually made
Access to financial means is also a bottleneck in available for senior officials to make informed decisions,
development and implementation of large-scale GIS system formulate sound policies and devise sensible short-term and
in developing countries. Financial resources are often limited long-term developmental plans. In addition, the national GIS
and long-term solutions are seldom highly ranked in priority provides secure Internet-based tools and functions to
lists. A number of developing countries started to realize the disseminate information to stakeholders and commercialize
benefits of a national GIS system for sustainable economical data and value-added products to national and foreign
development and technological advancement. Few of these investors. The Internet is considered the next generation GIS
countries are either in the process of allocating internal funds platform as it not only facilitates timely delivery of data and
or approaching developmental agencies for external funds to information, but also eliminates duplication of efforts to
develop and implement national GIS systems. maintain similar data sets and develop similar applications at
different agencies.
III. BENEFITS OF NATIONAL GIS SYSTEMS
IV. A MODEL FOR A NATIONAL GIS SYSTEM
At a minimum set, national GIS systems benefit
developing countries in the following aspects: The following is a brief description of an integrated
A. Collect and ingest accurate current and historical data. national remote sensing/GIS system and a model
development approach.

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In general, an integrated national remote sensing/GIS Raytheon has proposed this phased approach to development
system is developed in phases to provide: of a national GIS system today in both Africa (Nigeria) and
1. A Web-Based information system capable of processing South America. We believe that it represents real opportunity
large volumes of Geo-spatial data (National Data for the remote sensing and GIS technology infusion into
Archive) to show distinct and optimum relationships developing countries to make a difference.
between the resources of the nation for planning and
decision making; V. SUMMARY
2. Descriptive attributes, statistical information and
graphical representations of the availability of resources The above discussion can be summarized in the following:
(e.g. agricultural, recreational, and urban land use, and 1. Developing countries are in needs of technological
their various proportions) showing clearly the pressures infrastructures and tools to collect, maintain, and analyze
on resources for sustainable planning; accurate data to better allocate their natural resources and
3. A platform for supporting government policy decisions achieve self-sustainability.
at all levels of government; 2. Remote sensing and GIS technologies provide cost-
4. An early warning system for catastrophes, hazard effective means of collecting, integrating, analyzing, and
mitigation, disaster preparedness and mobilization disseminating data and information for operational
capability (e.g. food crop shortage, natural disaster, applications and commercialization purposes.
technological accidents); 3. Industrialized nations can do more towards transfer of
5. A means to develop an approach for the protection of the remote sensing and GIS technologies to developing
environment to achieve improved living standards; and countries by leveraging their investments in space
6. An instrument for the measurement of the impact of programs and delivering new aid packages.
government policy. 4. Timely delivery of information and value-added products
is critical to informed decision making, policy
A national program could be developed as a “phased” formulation and developmental planning.
incremental implementation over time (~3+ years) as shown 5. National GIS systems contribute significantly to the
in Fig. 1. The initial phase is focused on requirements economical growth and technological advancements of
definition and analysis with heavy end user involvement. developing countries.
Pilot projects are developed as proof of concept for National GIS systems facilitates realization of high
algorithms, hardware/software requirements, etc. This form standards of livings and a wide range of socio-economic
of spiral development provides a mechanism for feedback benefits.
that can be incorporated into subsequent Phase requirements.
Each Phase adds significantly expanded capabilities and REFERENCES
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Fig. 1. Phased incremental implementation of a GIS system.

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