Challenges and Opportunities for Spatial Data Infrastructure Development in Mozambique

Atumane, A. A. P., & Cabral, P. (2019). Challenges and Opportunities for Spatial Data Infrastructure Development in Mozambique. Journal of Map and Geography Libraries, 15(1), 7-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2019.1661932The importance of access to spatial data for development and resource management is widely acknowledged worldwide. Unrestricted, reliable and efficient access to accurate, timely, and up-to-date spatial data may be achieved through a spatial data infrastructure. Thus, most developed countries implemented and continue to develop their spatial data infrastructure. In Africa, there is a growing number of governments committed to spatial data infrastructure development. This paper aims to contribute to initialize an spatial data infrastructure in Mozambique. We identified and characterized through a survey the government institutions producing, sharing, and using spatial data in the country to estimate their potential contribution to the development of the Mozambican spatial data infrastructure. We found 12 institutions producing 15 thematic datasets which can constitute the core of the spatial data infrastructure for Mozambique. Two government agencies have the technical skills and policies to make spatial data available to the public. Based on the possible contribution of these institutions, this paper proposes an spatial data infrastructure for Mozambique based on four pillars: i) organizational framework; ii) legal framework; iii) technical framework; and iv) accessibility.authorsversionpublishe

Championing a Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure Southern African Customs Union Case

Context and backgroundInfusion of technologies such as Geographical Information Systems into organizations has in most cases been associated with the concept of championing. Geographical Information Systems when developed across countries and/or regions, are integrable to create Spatial Data Infrastructure. In the Southern African Customs Union region, the concept of Spatial Data Infrastructures at national level have been acknowledged and/or kick-started. The efforts by these countries in development of National Spatial Data Infrastructures are evaluated with the aim of advancing a Southern African Customs Union Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure. This region has been incepted as collaborative trade block of the member countries. In the context of geospatial information, it is advanced that the region has discoverable opportunities and organizational platform for Spatial Data Infrastructure. A consideration is made that spatial data is capable of strengthening operational, tactical and strategic endeavors of Southern African Customs Union by providing evidence-based support to decisions and policy making.Goal and Objectives:The objective being interrogated in this paper, is the discoverability of geospatial data and information systems in Southern African Customs Union that can be integrated with its trade data and championed into Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure.Methodology:Mixed method of both quantitative and qualitative was used. In qualitative form, documents, questionnaires, interviews and workshop attendance have been utilized to decipher the attitudes of various stakeholders within Southern African Customs Union towards a Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure Concept. In a quantitative form, discoverable data has been found then further processed in line with the goal and objectives stated above.Results:Results obtained have enabled an elementary geodatabase proposition and maps of the region with a number of macroeconomic indicators. Furthermore, a discussion has been done to advance a preliminary determination of sponsor and champion of Southern African Customs Union Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure

Metode Penilaian Kematangan Infrastruktur Informasi Geospasial Pemerintah Daerah di Indonesia Menggunakan Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) dan Geospatial Maturity Assessment Ordnance Survey (GMA OS)

Penilaian kematangan Infrastruktur Informasi Geospasial (IIG) dilakukan untuk mengetahui tingkat efektivitas pengelolaan Informasi Geospasial (IG). Saat ini penilaian IIG pemerintah daerah di Indonesia masih pada penilaian performa IIG yang tertuang dalam Sistem Informasi Monitoring Simpul Jaringan IG Nasional (SIMOJANG) pada laman https://simojang.big.go.id/dashboard. Metode penilaian kematangan IIG penelitian ini dilakukan dengan mengadopsi penilaian Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) dan Geospatial Maturity Assessment Ordnance Survey (GMA OS). Perhitungan kematangan IIG dilakukan dengan mendefinisikan kriteria penilaian performa IIG dari SIMOJANG terhadap komponen penilaian CMMI dan GMA OS. Perhitungan kematangan diuji coba pada salah satu data daerah di Indonesia yang berasal dari perhitungan SIMOJANG dengan nilai performa sebesar 90,75%. Hasil penilaian CMMI dengan menggunakan 6 komponen memperoleh nilai total Process Area (PA) 16,893 dari total maksimal 18. Berdasarkan perhitungan, maka nilai kematangan IIG hasil menggunakan CMMI sebesar 93,85%. Sedangkan perhitungan kematangan GMA OS dengan 16 komponen, hasil tingkat kematangan kategori Sangat Matang sebesar 62,50% dan hasil Relatif Matang sebesar 37,50%, apabila nilai tersebut diberikan bobot masing-masing 1,0 dan 0,5 maka diperoleh nilai kematangan IIG GMA OS sebesar 81,25%

Relaunching the Kenya National Spatial Data Infrastructure

Despite a history of more than 15 years, the Kenya National Spatial Data Infrastructure had largely stagnated in 2016. The national geoportal, often regarded as the face of a Spatial Data Infrastructure, was not even accessible. Unlike most studies that concentrate on the status of Spatial Data Infrastructures, this study proposes a framework and roadmap for relaunching the Kenyan initiative. It reviews the history, status, and achievements of the Kenya National Spatial Data Infrastructure and then presents an elaboration of the gaps and areas for improvement. Lastly, the study proposes a roadmap for relaunching the initiative that takes into account the institutional and technical framework, the role of coordination, a plan, and its budget. Due to its weak status, the study recommends that Kenya should relaunch the initiative by allocating and developing financial and human resources, developing the legal, policy, and technical framework, and seeking political support

Geospatial Data Sharing Barriers across Organisations and the Possible Solution for Ethiopia

Geospatial data sharing across organisations is a well-recognized challenge with multiple facets. Due to the absence of appropriate space for the sharing of and access to geospatial assets, these often remain scattered and locked within various economic sectors of Ethiopia; this means that datasets are not maintained or updated regularly, efforts are duplicated, finding available datasets is difficult and there is no single reliable version of the data. Exploitation of the full socio-economic benefits of using geospatial information is therefore impossible. This paper therefore aims to assess inter-organisational geospatial data-sharing challenges and the possible solutions within Ethiopia. A lack of coordination between organisations, poor data quality and compatibility, institutional, legal, policy, and technological issues are identified as major challenges. Ethiopian National Spatial Data Infrastructure (ENSDI), which has already been introduced, should be further promoted as the collaborative entity for effective cross-sectoral geospatial data sharing. A national strategy to hand over informal SDI initiatives, building on existing efforts, setting clear (top-down) ENSDI development approaches and collaborative investments in the building blocks of ENSDI are suggested to enable the successful execution of ENSDI as a cross-sectoral geospatial data-sharing mechanism

A comparative analysis of stakeholder roles in the spatial data infrastructures of South Africa, Namibia and Ghana

Spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) at various levels (global, regional national, local and corporate) are being developed by and in countries around the world. We assess here the SDI developments in three African countries, Ghana, Namibia and South Africa, using the SDI models developed by the Commission on Geoinformation Infrastructures and Standards of the International Cartographic Association (ICA), focusing on the stakeholders and their roles: the Policy Maker, Producer, Provider, Broker, Value-Added Reseller (VAR) and End User. SDI development in all three countries has involved a variety of stakeholders and has taken a long time, waxing and waning depending on the availability of funding and the commitment of the stakeholders, particularly the Policy Makers. This research on the similarities and differences of the SDI stakeholders in Ghana, Namibia and South Africa improves the understanding of SDI development and we hope that the results can help other countries with their own SDI developments. Based on our work, we make recommendations for refining the ICA’s stakeholder typology

Spatial data infrastructures model for developing countries: A case study of Nigeria

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial TechnologiesThis research explores the basics of SDI, and investigates the National SDI of different countries. Further, the research analyses SDI implementation in developing country with specific reference to the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure (NGDI) of Nigeria. The research assesses the status and the milestones of NGDI implementation using key SDI components as assessment variables. These components were grouped into four classes: Policy and Legal Issues, Technical, Funding and People. A questionnaire survey via email was conducted on the stakeholders and users of geoinformation in Nigeria. From the analysis, the NGDI has an advantage of having a national policy backing its implementation and the establishment of the coordinating body. However, the lack of SDI directive and funding are major hurdles in the implementation of the NGDI making it lack behind most of the selected case study countries in other key components. Nigeria is also found to be applying a Mixed Model of NSDI implementation as both product model and process model are evident in the NGDI. In the real sense of access network and data sharing, NGDI is yet to be operational, though the project is going on

Capacitating local governments for the digital earth vision : lessons learnt from the role of municipalities in the South African spatial data infrastructure

The Digital Earth vision foresees the availability and accessibility of geospatial information to achieve the goals of sustainable development, economic growth and social well-being. In the case of urban areas, up-to-date geospatial information is essential for managing a city towards achieving these goals. The rapid shift from rural to urban areas globally puts pressure on local governments and they often struggle to find and organise the resources required to collect and maintain geospatial information that can help to address urban growth challenges. A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) can facilitate the availability and accessibility of geospatial information towards addressing national objectives, however, the involvement of local governments in an SDI can be a challenge. In this paper, we critique the role of municipalities against the backdrop of the developments of the South African SDI (SASDI) to date. The critique identifies five high-level shortcomings of the SASDI that have led to the limited participation of municipalities. Based on the shortcomings, we provide recommendations for capacitating municipalities through SASDI so that the Digital Earth vision can also be achieved for municipalities. These recommendations are aimed at involving the local sphere of government in a national SDI and are equally applicable to other countries.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tjde20hj2022Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog